Author Archives: Charisse Cruz

Final synthesis

At the beginning of this course, I talked about my desire to learn about contextualising learning experiences to address the needs of diverse populations as my primary goal. Within this, I wanted to learn about selecting and employing technologies that can support communities of practice, using mobile technologies effectively, the appropriateness of using Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in the present and the future, and how to leverage learning technologies to embed a culture of learning and feedback within organisations.

Throughout the course I’ve been able to address various dimensions of these questions through the course activities, but I was also able to leverage the life changes I was going through to think about what I was learning in a different way. Over the duration of the course, from a professional context, I completed my role at the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Vancouver to move to the UK and explore other professional opportunities. At COL, I rolled out a technology-enabled learning project for marginalised women and girls in developing Commonwealth countries to tackle issues of gender inequality. My passion for the role of education in this context inspired me to explore ETEC 565A and reflect on learning technologies that would effectively support the education of a learner group who live in remote areas and who face multiple barriers to educational access. Over the duration of the course, my priorities started to include what the UK has to offer and how I can put my learnings from MET to tangible use in a different professional context so I can strengthen my foundations on educational technology. I thought about the various career paths such as instructional and learning design, managing learning projects including digital learning, people development in organisations, facilitating capacity building opportunities in various contexts. This new perspective allowed me to rethink and again reflect on the course and see the course learnings from a different angle and from different stakeholder/learner groups.

Thinking about the frameworks that the course offered, such as the SECTIONS model presented by Bates (2014), allowed me to learn about the various considerations about choosing media such as the learners’ context, ease of use, organisational issues, costs etc. In particular, I was able to apply this to the project at COL – for example, in the process of building an educational game to enhance girls’ life skills training on their legal rights, I was able to ask questions such as ‘what medium would allow this game to be replicated in different geographical contexts, what technologies do the girls and their tutors currently have access to?’. I was also able to apply the seven principles of technology as a lever in education offered by Chickering (1996). In enhancing the community of practice (CoP) of NGO workers at COL, I was able to reflect on how to improve on several good practices such as giving prompt feedback, communicating expectations, recognising diverse talents and ways of learning and absorbing information, and using active learning techniques. In my 1-1 and group interactions with members of the CoP, I was able to employ these principles and see each of them for their unique characteristics as learners, but also find ways to enhance interaction between the other members of the CoP and the different project stakeholders.

Chickering’s model led me to also reflect on Andersen’s framework (2008) on effective learning from a community, knowledge, learner and assessment centred perspectives. More importantly, I was able to think about the various types of interaction and what this means for selecting/enhancing the use of learning technologies. In a concrete way, I was able to think about learning interaction between: learner-learner, learner-facilitator, learner-content. Most recently, over the last week, in a job interview for a Digital Learning Project Manager role, I was tasked with presenting on solutions to a challenge on low learner engagement where I used Andersen’s framework for interaction as a basis to think of solutions. I was able to ask myself questions such as, ‘what type of learning solutions could enhance learner’s interaction with each other, with the platform and with the content to increase engagement?’. In a different job interview for a Learning Designer role, I was given two hours to re-design the assessment for a MOOC, and in this context, I was able to apply what I’ve learned about formative and summative assessment strategies, and particularly consider how learners choose to interact with the course based on these assessment strategies.

Having a solid understanding of the various frameworks, I was able to also think of myself from the learner perspective for different topics offered in the course. For example: how does social media enhance my learning? How do I learn on the go, and how do my mobile devices assist me in this learning process? How do I think of approach my learning upon knowing about the assessment strategies of that learning opportunity? These questions allowed me to put myself in the shoes of others who would be on the receiving end of the learning projects I’m involved with. The discussion forums in the course also aided this process. For example, being able to experience three different types of learner discussions in the course was helpful. I was able to reflect on the ease and effectiveness of small group discussion forums, course wide discussions and chat-based discussions such as experimented on Mattermost. These different types of interactions exposed me to the advantages and disadvantages and would put me in a better position to emphathise with different learner groups that I would be involved with in future.

The course assignments also advanced my understanding of course concepts, and allowed me to explore beyond the ‘walls’ of the course based on my interests and life circumstances. For example, the LMS rubric group assignment allowed me to put to use my practical experience with different LMSs but also think about learner interaction and context from a different perspective: how do learners choose to access a platform, what is their motivation to do so, what would enhance their experience, what are the implications on the structure, cost and organisation? This assignment allowed me to have a more informed perspective on the subsequent assignments on designing my own course on a chosen platform. I had chosen edX as I was curious on how the MOOC movement will carry on and I wanted to gain an insider perspective from a course developer standpoint. I was also curious as a MOOC learner on the intricacies of course design and how this affects my experience and engagement as a learner joined my thousands of others around the world. I had chosen to design a course on Learning Design for the Humanitarian Worker which proved to be extremely (!) useful for many reasons. First, it pushed me to solidify my understanding of Learning Design from MET. In this process, I actually signed up for an edX MOOC from the University of Maryland on Instructional Design to refresh my memory and also compare the frameworks I had learned throughout MET. This was a useful exercise and provided me the confidence to ‘own what I already know’. Second, I was able to employ different frameworks that I was exposed to before in MET, such as Understanding by Design (UBD) – Backward Design approach and Bloom’s Taxonomy for designing Learning Outcomes. Third, I was able to intimately familiarise myself with the ADDIE model, which proved repeatedly useful in job interviews. And finally, I was able to reflect on the humanitarian sector in a different way – it further ignited my passion for the work but also reflect on the needs of my colleagues around the world.

Overall, I have found this course so useful and transforming – professionally and personally. I was really able to leverage this course in a real-word context, and I appreciated the flexibility it offered to make it as relevant to my life circumstances as possible. I was able to explore resources within this course and was encouraged to explore beyond as well, that gave me the confidence to apply it to my immediate professional needs. Using my Evernote, I have made an Educational Technology ‘notebook’ (see screenshot) with lots of bookmarks and resources coming from this course and beyond! Going forward, I had made extensive notes of what I have learned here, and I plan to keep going back to these notes as I’m sure the learnings are timeless, regardless of the professional journey within education I choose to take. Within the past 3-4 months, I have already used my learnings here, and I am certain that I will be using this more times than I realise throughout my career, and hopefully deliver the most effective learning solutions to the learners I serve.

 

References

Anderson, T. (2008a). Towards a theory of online learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning. Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf

Bates, T. (2014). Choosing and using media in education: The SECTIONS model. In Teaching in digital age. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/part/9-pedagogical-differences-between-media/

Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S., C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6. Retrieved from http://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples.htm

Content Module – Learning Design for the Humanitarian Worker

For the Content Module assignment on edX Edge, I decided to build Week 2 of my course on Learning Design for the Humanitarian Worker. Week 2 consists of identifying learning needs (Learning Needs Analysis) and analysing the learning context (ADDIE’s Analyse phase).

From the graphics perspective, I decided to make use of splash pages as a navigational feature to mark a new topic for learners as they go through the week. This complements edX’s navigational feature found on the top of the page (that serve as breadcrumbs). The screenshots to the splash pages are found below.

The digital story assignment helped me frame the content for Week 2. I chose to create a digital story in the form of a welcome video for various reasons. Having a micro-learning video helps learners feel excited about what’s ahead for the week in a short, engaging video. I also chose to introduce the Week through a case study perspective (Lisa’s story) – framing this video from someone who might be taking this course could make learners feel at ease with sharing and confident that they too can achieve the learning objectives. Moreover, throughout the Week, Lisa’s story is used as an example within the narrative of the week’s content. This allows learners to have a visual of what they themselves are expected to achieve, in addition to having a salient example from the perspective of someone who could be their colleague which they can reflect from.

As for the interactivies, I chose to have three points of discussion throughout the week to encourage social learning. Learners are encouraged to informally exchange ideas with small teams – they can create small groups according to the sector within humanitarian work so they can familiarise themselves with their fellow learners and see that they are not alone in this learning journey. Within the week, they are also encouraged to share the learning needs they have identified within their own context, to encourage the problem-based learning approach previously introduced as part of the Course Philosophy. Finally, they are encouraged to discuss the Analysis of their Learning Context and reflect on their progress on their Course Plan (a document they are working on throughout the course) – this encourages social learning and to spark that conversation amongst other learners and exchange ideas and provide advise/support.

Overall, I enjoyed putting this content module together. I found that my experience in building this content module was more focused that I had expected – having thought out the entirety of the course for Assignment 3 was really helpful in framing the course, the learning outcomes and how the content flows from week to week. Assignment 3 significantly helped with thinking out the course philosophy, objectives and assessment, and when it came to Assignment 4, I was able to quickly determine how to build the course, and it guided me in selecting the content and interactivities to integrate within Week 2.

 

Image sources (screenshots of splash pages):
Wikimedia Commons
Army.mil
Af.mil
Floodlist.com

Week 2 Introduction: Learning Design for Humanitarian Workers

This Digital Story serves as the introduction to week 2 of the course on Designing Learning for the Humanitarian Worker.

The learning objectives for this week are to:

  • allow the learner (typically a professional in charge of designing/delivering learning in the humanitarian sector) to conduct their own learning needs analysis
  • allow the learner to conduct an Analysis – the first step to the ADDIE Instructional Design model.

This digital story is meant to be a micro-learning object to introduce the learner to what they will cover that week, using a visual case study/storytelling approach which will allow them to think of examples in their own professional context.

Visit the YouTube page for image, audio and video sources.

edX Edge – Learning Design for the Humanitarian Worker

To reinforce and consolidate my learning on Learning Design, I have decided to leverage Assignments 3 & 4 and develop a course on Learning Design for the Humanitarian Worker. This approach allows me to reflect on my own learning within ETEC 565G, but also consolidate my learning outcomes from other MET courses, specifically ETEC 565A on Culture in Virtual Learning Environments, ETEC 510 on Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments and ETEC 512 on Learning Theories. The course intends to be a resource for the Humanitarian professional responsible for building the capacity of their colleagues in the workforce. The aim is to provide structured support as they design learning experiences.

Having worked for an international development organisation myself, I’m able to understand the basic processes and challenges faced by employees in undertaking professional development opportunities. Save the Children also provided a wealth of insight into Learning & Development processes within international humanitarian agencies through their freely available webinars. To develop this course, therefore, I have had to create a set of assumptions about the learner uptake, such as having been nominated and supported by their own line managers and/or organisations, and having the motivation to improve their Learning & Development practices to create improvements.

To complete Assignment 3, I found myself going back and forth between two phases for a few weeks: exploring and tinkering with edX edge functionalities and researching the intended learner – the Humanitarian Professional. In the end, I realised that this barrier I was facing was due to a common trap that Learning Designers, myself included, find themselves in: choosing a platform before understanding the learner and the learning context.

However, designing for the adult learner in general, I was able to rely on the work of Malcolm Knowles (1970) on andragogy and emphasise the need for the learner to self-direct their own learning and to connect their learning experiences with their own professional practice. Similarly, I believed in the value of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach (Schwartz, n.d.) that will allow learners to perceive the course as a useful resource to improve and complete their existing professional work, as opposed to an ‘add-on’ that could eventually be disregarded in favour of other competing tasks. Once I had these principles clearly stated, I was able to consider the interaction and assessment strategies suitable for the busy adult learner. In the end, using the Backward Design approach, I opted to have learners develop a Course Plan as their primary course assessment. The development of this Course Plan will prepare them to execute an actual earning solution based on an authentic learning need that they themselves have identified in their own professional context.

Having discovered that the Humanitarian workforce is largely diverse in terms of exposure to stress and trauma, completion of post-secondary education, country of origin and country of work, and work environments and organisational culture (CHS Alliance, 2017; Lopes Cardozo, et al., 2012; Russ, 2014), these significant points of departure in diversity created a greater need for me to apply a self-directed learning approach, supported by self-assessment strategies to empower the learners, and meet them where they are at. edX Edge allowed for this type of self-assessment, with some constraints, and provided limited space for learners to share and discuss their work and portfolios. I considered the idea of peer assessment which could encourage the cross-pollination of knowledge between professional learners but decided against this due to the consideration of their workload, and instead opted to use discussion forums to build a sense of community. Overall, I was able to leverage edX to allow learners to self-assess their participation based on a rubric. Similarly, to empower learners to take charge of their own learning design, self-assessment of their Course Plans as they progress through the course is also used, with a mechanism for tutor-assessment to provide feedback and corrective/formative guidance.

Participation in discussion forums is also highly encouraged, which is reflected on the heavy weightage in overall assessment (25%). The importance of ongoing reflection, especially in relation to their peers in the same professional sector, can improve learning and enhance professional practice. Guidance with the norms of behaviour in discussion forums is provided, highlighting the principles of respect and curiosity, especially due to a significantly diverse learner group.

Finally, course reflection is also heavily reinforced in the overall assessment (25%) to encourage learners to bridge the gap between their existing knowledge and their goals in their professional and personal development.

I’m very much looking forward to developing the modules for Assignment 4, and seeing what other reflections in Learning Design comes up!

References

CHS Alliance (2017). Building an organizational learning & development framework: a guide for NGOs. Retrieved from: https://www.chsalliance.org/files/files/L%26F%20Framework%20-%20Final.pdf

Knowles, M. (1970). Andragogy: An emerging technology for adult learning. Retrieved from: https://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/cm-andragogy.pdf

Lopes Cardozo, B., Gotway Crawford, C., Eriksson, C., Zhu, J., Sabin, M., Ager, A., . . . Simon, W. (2012). Psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and burnout among international humanitarian aid workers: A longitudinal study. Plos One, 7(9), e44948. 10.1371/journal.pone.0044948

Schwartz, M. (n.d.). Engaging adult learners. Retrieved from: https://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/lt/resources/handouts/EngagingAdultLearners.pdf

Russ, C. (2014). Enhancing Learning & Research for Humanitarian Assistance. Global survey on humanitarian professionalisation. Retrieved from: http://euhap.eu/upload/2014/06/global-humanitarian-professionalisation-survey.pdf

Reflection on LMS rubric for learners in South Asia

The case study assigned to our group was of particular interest to me as an International Development professional. Evaluating LMS platforms for the English-speaking learner in South Asia encouraged me to extend and reflect on my current knowledge of delivering offline learning solutions to the non-English speaking, marginalised populations in Asia and Africa that my professional work currently focuses on. This assignment allowed me to think about the South Asia region from a different perspective; as an educator, it reminded me to think about micro environments and the implications for designing optimal learning environments.

Most interesting to me was understanding the expectations of online learners in a developing country context (Ssekakubo, Suleman & Marsden, 2012). Reading about this topic allowed me to look beyond my pre-conceptions and to resist the urge to project onto different contexts the type of online learning I am accustomed to here in Canada. The ubiquity of internet connectivity I am exposed to as a professional in a Western context isn’t applicable to a region where bandwidth is a barrier, data usage is expensive, internet connectivity is unreliable and mobile phone devices largely vary from the basic phone to smart phones. These considerations are also underlined by having to reflect on the rich diversity of the South Asian context where each country in the region has varying levels of exposure to online and distance learning (Taylor & Sharma, 1990), schooling in the English language and usage of desktop and mobile devices.

As a result, the group proposed a rubric that would feel the most flexible and welcoming to a diverse range of learners. We highlighted the importance of offline learning mode and its reliable synchronisation upon connecting to the Internet; we emphasised the importance of mobile compatibility and its seamless integration with all types of devices; and we made provisions for language localisation that would provide learners the option to explore their learning between English and their local language through translated and contextualised content and interface. We also reflected on the intersections between these considerations with the other dimensions of LMS selection: support, technical, costs and functionality.

I was also pleased to have worked on the Accessibility considerations for learners with disabilities. This experience opened my eyes to the features I take for granted: being able to read in the default type face no matter the font type, colour or size; being able to navigate through an online platform despite the navigation features; and being able to use any device (i.e. mouse, track pad, mobile touch screen) available to command the platform. One salient example while reading the work of Rangin (2011) on Accessibility considerations was the challenge it poses when websites do not provide a confirmation page or notification once an activity or action is complete. For example, when a user fills a form, clicks submit and does not receive a confirmation that the form has been successfully completed. This prompts users to have to re-navigate through the site, re-populate the form and complete the process again. For a user without accessibility challenge, this is already a frustrating experience that disrupts learning, let alone for those who require additional accessibility support.

Overall I enjoyed this assignment – I was able to reflect on the LMS from a critical standpoint grounded in an applicable context. It also helped that I had excellent group members, all of whom provided expert insight from their own experiences.

 

References:

Rangin, H. (2011). A Comparison of Learning Management System Accessibility. Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES).  Illinois Center for Information Technology and Web Accessibility. Retrieved from: http://presentations.cita.illinois.edu/2011-03-csun-lms/

Ssekakubo G, Suleman H & Marsden G. (2012). Learning management systems: Understanding the expectations of learners in developing countries. Retrieved from: http://pubs.cs.‌uct.ac.za‌‌/archive/00000790/01/el2012_F_202_Ssekakubo.pdf

Taylor, J. & Sharma, S. (1990). Distance Education in South Asia: Towards Regional Co-operation. Retrieved from: http://web.worldbank.org/archive/website00236B/WEB/COLL_02.HTM

 

Flight Path: Charisse Cruz

My passion is the development of sustainable communities, and I firmly believe that education is a key driver to achieve this.

Having been born and raised in middle-class Philippines to hardworking parents, I lived a fortunate life protected from a lot of the hardships that the country still faces. Moving to Canada when I was 13 eventually afforded me the chance to travel solo back to my motherland and explore SE Asia – this is when my eyes were opened to the poverty that millions of others live with daily. Continue reading →