Month: June 2020

Overall comment

Hi Taoyu, Vince, Hsienwen, and Jiani,
Thank you for sharing your project, – impulse purchase behavior. Your group did a great job on this project! I really liked your designed activities, like roleplaying, self-assessment and peer-review writing. Especially roleplaying, selling products in the class sounds really attractive and creative! You will find overall comments and specific comments on every part of the article below.

Advantages:

• The whole project looks clear: subtitle use, point form, etc.
• The language used is easy to follow as well as to understand.
• Your group did a really good job on summaries and outlines.
• Activity design based on the combination of three theories.
• Using inquiry to encourage students to learn actively.
• Considering social context and age groups in your design.
• Assessment plan is detailed and involves assessment from oneself, peers and instructors.
• The whole design is really inclusive and considers all the students’ needs

Suggestions that could be considered:

• Add some guiding parts to the lecture to help students comprehend the learning outcomes better.
• Make more clarifications in the learning outcomes part.
• Find more evidence to support your arguments in learning context.
• Add more designed details, such as the application of cognitive theory, the group size of the discussion, etc.

Comments on each part of the resource

Overview of the resources

The overview of your groups interactive learning resource is clear, and well-explained. You mentioned the teaching concept, the costed time, the specific activities and the included subtopics. I like that this overview underlines the activities needed to be done, and that you used point format, which clarifies learning activities and content.

Correct me if I am wrong, it seems a lot of subtopics need to be learned in this learning project, and other than the 10 minutes’ you have assigned for reading in session 1, it seems there is no more time for learning those concepts, because in session 2, students will be using roleplaying to apply those concepts and in session 3, students will be doing discussion and conceptual assessments. I am concerned that not all students will be able to apply those concepts or be able to have an assessment after session 1. I suggest that your group adds one more lecture session. I recommend that you talk about the core concepts and subtopics before session 2, which can help guide students’ practice in session 2 and get better assessment outcomes in session 3.

Learning Design Rationale

For learning design, you explained the concept of inquiry well, and I personally think inquiry-based learning, a student-centered learning design, is a good choice for this project. It will motivate students to come up with their own questions, do investigations and share their research outcomes (“Inquiry-based learning”, 2020). Your design sequence from section 1 to section 3 follows the logic of inquiry-based learning. Well done!

For learning theory, I agree that you mentioned the combination of three theories – behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism benefits most to the students. You did a good job on explaining how to apply behaviorism and constructivism learning theory in teaching this concept, but it seems unclear to me how you would apply cognitivism theory in this learning resource. For example, explain what kind of cognitive techniques (using mind-map, making connections with previous learning experience, etc.) will be used by educators in which session of the learning process.

Learning Context

In this part, you explain the reason why you have chosen this concept as your topic of interactive learning resource. In addition, you describe the targeted learning group – university or college students and their characteristics towards learning. I think it is a brilliant thought to consider the social context (using internet) and the age of the students. However, I am curious about how your group got the information that “[University or college students] are also during an age of the fast knowledge-absorbing”. As university students can be varied in their ages and can be in different stages of their life, would this apply to all of your targeted students?

Learning Outcomes

Your statements about the learning outcomes are clear and relate to three interactive learning activities. Your group did a good job on explaining what those activities are, and what students will be learning in the overview part.
I agree that having activities like roleplaying and peer-review writing can help students learn better; according to Edgar Dale’s “cone of experience” theory (“Edgar Dale”, 2020). He believed people will learn “70% of what they say and write” and “90% of what they do” (“Edgar Dale”, 2020). The Roleplaying activity helps learners practice what concepts they learned and create their own understandings, which is “what they do”. And peer-review writing helps students analyze their own thoughts and other students’ work, which is “what they say and write”.

One suggestion I have is mentioning which type of learner interaction (interaction with learning resources, interaction between learners and teachers, and interaction among students) and give more explanations and evidences on how those activities will benefits students’ learning (Bates, 2019). In the overview, the activity descriptions focus more on the procedure and learning outcomes but ignores how to explain the interaction in those activities. For example, why do you think learners will understand the concept better and have questions by doing roleplaying? Is that coming from practicing the concepts and or communicating with their peers?

In addition, I am curious about how your group will make sure that all students will achieve the learning outcomes – “Describe intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to consumer’ impulsive buying behavior” by doing roleplaying. Correct me if I am wrong, that roleplaying is an interactive activity based on constructivism learning theory, and it is aimed at helping students “create their own content” from your learning design part in this article. I would recommend adding more explanation about how to achieve your goal by doing roleplaying. For example, educators add a guiding part before roleplaying or a conclusion part after roleplaying, in order to guide students to think about intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Assessment Plan

In the first paragraph, your group did a really good job on summarizing the whole assessment plan and the goal of the assessment. I like the thought that you had of considering the first assessment as a tool of self-check, which helps students know how well they have learned. I think having summative assessment is a good choice, which provides feedback from peers and teachers. In Peatling’s study (2000), peer-review and self-assessment improve both teaching and learning. In addition, self-assessment enhances students’ “reflective and metacognitive skills” (Peatling, 2000).

One thing that could be considered is, would your assessments be able to evaluate all the students’ learning results. As students have individual differences and different learning styles (“Learning Styles”, 2020), providing diverse ways (presentations, the performance of roleplaying, etc.) assessing students’ learning outcomes will help instructors know how their students are learning and adjust the learning activities to fit different students’ individual needs.

Design for Inclusion of Diverse Learners

In this part, your design for inclusion of diverse learners is clear, detailed and well-organized. Your project included four learners that needed extra support, and your design will not only benefit the students who needed the extra support, but also the rest of the class. You had mentioned what kinds of barriers your diverse learners will face, and in which session, and how the educators will help them to achieve the learning goals. I like the thought of “recording session 3 with subtitles” and that the material will be available in various formats (video, audio, etc.). Most of your designs are very useful and practical.

One thing that I noticed is in session 2 and 3, your group mentioned that “learners with loss of hearing can write down their ideas to communicate with their partner”. I am concerned about the efficiency of this design, as the speed of the learner with hearing loss could be a problem in communication. I am wondering what the group size would be and in what group activities. I think it would probably work better if the student with hearing difficulty was in a group of only two individuals. If the student with the hearing challenges was placed in a group of more than two students, I think it might be hard for the student with hearing loss to be heard.

Choice of Technology

I agree with you when you consider the social context and the average age of university or college students, that you chose to make your technology largely digital which is beneficial to the average university or college student. In technology use, your group still made materials and resources inclusive. In addition, internet technology is used for all parts of this project – reading textbooks, doing group activities, presenting information, providing feedback, etc. With the help of the internet, educators could present materials in different formats and enrich learning choices for learners; students could overcome obstacles and achieve better learning outcomes.

Conclusions

Your interactive learning resource is clear and well-organized. I am impressed by how your group considered to meet all of the students’ needs and how supportive your designs are.

Thanks again for sharing your great work : ) I am looking forward to seeing your final project!

Reference

Bates, A. W. (2019). Teaching in a digital age – Second Edition. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/ [Open online]

Edgar Dale. (2020, April, 4). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Dale

Inquiry-based learning. (2020, April, 13). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquiry-based_learning

Learning Styles. (2020, June 15). Retrieved from https://edtechuvic.ca/edci335/learning-styles/

Peatling, L. (2000) Introducing students to peer and self-assessment. Australian Association for Research in Education. The University of Sydney. 2000. http://www.aare.edu.au/00pap/pea00469.htm

For the interactive learning resource project, we have chosen AI as our topic. In the Ted talk “How AI can save our humanity?”, Kai-Fu Lee mentioned the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), how AI affects people’s life and how the labor market will look in the future. In his speech, Lee believed only jobs which are creative or need empathy will not be replaced by AI “because AI can optimize but create” (Ted, 2018). At the end of the talk, he stated “[AI] is here to elaborate us from routine jobs and…remind us what it is to make us human” and he encouraged people to appreciate AI and love each other (Ted, 2018).

Questions:

1.In what way are they likely to respond to the video on their own, e.g. make notes, do an activity, think about the topic (learner-generated)?

In this video, Lee talked about the labor market in the future, he talked about jobs and especially focused on those jobs that will be replaced in 5 to 10 years: repetitive (eg. tele-sales, customer support), routine (truck driver, hematologist) or optimizing (radiologist, reporter, research analyst) (Ted, 2018). This video may relate to the students’ future jobs, and some of the students may already be thinking about their future careers while they are attending middle school. So, with this in mind, students who are especially interested in their future careers will start to take notes in this class, and focus attention on careers they should consider in regard to AI and how it will affect their future employment.

2.What activity could you suggest that they do, after they have watched the video (designed)? What type of knowledge or skill would that activity help develop? What medium or technology would students use to do the activity?

I will suggest that students spend 30 minutes on researching their dream career, as well the effects that AI will have on their dream jobs. This research will be done on their personal computers or smart phones. After researching the information about their dream careers and how AI will affect them, students will share their discoveries within a small group of 3 to 4 people. Group discussions will take about 15 mins and the students in each group need to write a post (I will hand out a large piece of paper and colored pens), then the students will write on the paper putting down what their dream jobs are, and include how they think their dream job will be affected by AI.
Students will learn more about AI applications in certain fields in the real world and how AI will affect jobs in the future. In order to complete this activity, students will need to use computers and smartphones as technology supports, and in-class discussion as a medium.

3.How would students get feedback on the activity that you set? What medium or technology would they and/or you use for getting and giving feedback on their activity?

Each group will do a short presentation and show their post in front of the whole class, students who are not presenting as well as the instructor will provide comments on their post. Audios (presentations) and posters are considered as medium for giving and receiving feedback.

4.How will you address any potential barriers for your learners in the use of this video to ensure an inclusive design?

There is an English language learner (ELL) and a student that does not have access to a computer, they do have a smartphone with a data plan though. This YouTube video has subtitles in more than 20 languages, educators will ask the ELL student which language they speak before the class and see if the video will support their language with subtitles. This will support the ELL student with understanding the video. In addition, the ELL student will be allowed to use their personal translation equipment during the entire course. The student that does not have access to a personal computer, but does have a smartphone with a data plan, can use their smartphone to do research. If they do not feel comfortable with using their smartphone to do research, they can also borrow a computer from the school library.

Reference
Ted. (2018, August 27). How AI can save our humanity / Kai-Fu Lee. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/ajGgd9Ld-Wc

Blog Prompt Idea: How can you adjust your planned learning activities to meet the needs of your learners if an unexpected event occurs?

Original Plan

In our interactive learning resource assignment – Artificial Intelligence (AI), we have targeted middle school students for this learning. Originally, our basic designed learning activities are delivered by reviewing materials, presenting information, self-exploring, discussing in small groups and assessing.

For reviewing, we recommend students to watch a few YouTube videos of AI introduction, read a few research articles about how AI influences and applies in real life and download some AI apps to experience how AI works in specific fields. For presenting information, educators are going to explain the definition of AI by using some research outcomes and videos and they will present this information in a PowerPoint. For exploring, students will pick two AI applications that interest them and then the students will do some research on their chosen apps: How do they feel about using the AI apps? When comparing them with other apps which have similar functions, what are the differences they experienced? Which parts of these apps do you think needs improvement? For discussing, educators will give students time to discuss some questions to help them develop deep and critical thinking on the AI apps: What did they learned from their own exploring experience? What do they think about the research paper that they read before the class? What’s their opinions towards AI? For assessing, teachers will ask students to write down the two most important things they learned from this lecture (write on a paper and hand it in/submit it by email).

Adjusted Plan

When a pandemic arises, all the teachers and students need to work and study at home. Making the accessibility of computers and or tablets necessary for this course, smartphones could work but are not ideal. Seven to ten days before the first lecture, students who do not have access to these devices can try to borrow them from family or friends. For students who are not able to borrow them from family or do not have access to those devices due to financial hardship or other inequality barriers, they can contact their teachers, the school will then lend them the computers or tablets that they need for this course. These devices will then be mailed or delivered at no cost to the students, if any students do not have a fixed address the student can arrange to pick up the device from their closest school. Now that all students have had their technology needs met with equitable access to computers/tablets, they can finish the preview and self-exploring.

Two or three days before the first lecture, educators divide students in small groups (3~4 students per group) and email them their group members and the questions needed to be discussed for the first part. At this time the educator will email each individual student to find out if they have any other learning challenges or equity needs that need to be met or addressed for student success. There are so many different equity and equality changes that could be made to access this course, some examples could be text in alternate formats or alternate ways of handing in the assignment other than via written means, students individual needs are as diverse as the students themselves and their needs must be met on a case by case basis in order to insure maximum equity especially with the additional barriers put in place by online learning. Educators will set a whole class chat and each group will also set their own chats. Students will discuss the questions in their small group chats based on the things they learned for preview and their self-exploring experience.

On the lecture day, teachers will have a live lecture by using apps like Zoom. They will send the link to every student’s email address to invite them to join the meeting 20 – 30 minutes before the lecture in order to make sure everyone can join the lecture on time. Educators will do the PowerPoint presentation online and encourage students to share their groups’ ideas based on their discussions, students can feel free to text in the whole class chat. In the last 10 minutes, teachers will ask students to write down the two most important things they learned from this lecture and submit it by email unless other equity means for submission had been discussed previously. For the educators themselves they may require some training on how to use some of the specific technologies used for online education. Teachers may also need to check out equipment from the school in order to deliver the online lectures via the selected chat apps. If the educators do not have a place suited to stream a lecture, teachers may also use school facilities that are practicing proper social distancing measures in order to successfully fulfill the needs of their students.