E-learning: The Science of Instruction Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard E Mayer Today we’ll cover: Chapter 1: e-learning: promise and pitfalls Chapter 2: How people learn from e-courses Plus digressions for additional related materials on instructional methods

The e-Learning Bandwagon 90% of universities have distance learning Does this include Lehigh? U of Phoenix, Athabasca U, etc., entirely online $50-60 billion/year spent on corporate and governmental training (as of 2003) 11% delivered by computer in 2001 Verizon’s Virtual University hosts most technical training U.S. Army partners with PricewaterhouseCoopers What is a knowledge-based economy? Is e-learning a key to knowledge-based economy?

What is e-learning? Instruction delivered via computer Content relevant to learning objectives Uses instructional methods such as examples and practice Builds new knowledge and skills

Media + instructional methods Media elements present and illustrate content Text, audio narration, music, graphics, animation and video E.g., Dreamweaver course uses audio narration and animated graphics Instructional techniques support learning Examples, practice exercises, feedback E.g., Dreamweaver lesson uses simulation practice Why might simulating an actual work environment be particularly effective?

When to use e-Learning (from Margaret Driscoll, Web-Based Training) Cognitive skills: solving problems, applying rules, distinguishing items E.g., how to complete tax forms Psychomotor skills: coordination physical movement and thought E.g., driving a golf ball or driving a crane Require coaching and detailed feedback Attitudinal skills: opinions and behaviors E.g., whether to recycle Which is hardest to teach with multimedia?

Which skills are most suitable for e-learning? CPR training? Developing a sort algorithm? Supporting a political party? Driving a stick shift? Finding and using Photoshop plug-ins? Trouble-shooting printer problems?

The Art of Changing the Brain (James E. Zull) The Learning Cycle: Sense → Integrate → Act Learning originates with concrete sensory experience Reflective observation integrates inputs in patterns and develops generalizations or abstract hypotheses Active learning tests the results of motor output

Three theories of learning Receptive: information acquisition Learning adds information to memory Instruction delivers information efficiently Directive: response strengthening Strengthen stimulus-response associations Drill-and-practice with reinforcing feedback Guided discovery: knowledge construction Learner builds a mental representation Guide learner in the context of solving problems Is one theory right? Or a combination?

Types of e-Learning goals Inform: build awareness, e.g., about a company’s organization Perform: build skills, e.g., how to use software or how to evaluate bank loans Procedural: step-by step tasks Near transfer from training to application Learning Dreamweaver may involve near transfer? Why? Give an example. Principle-based: guidelines and problem-solving skills Far transfer from training to application Why does learning how to evaluate bank loans far transfer?

How do people learn? Two information processing channels: visual and auditory, each with limited capacity (attention) Working memory has limited capacity: 7 chunks plus or minus 2 Learning occurs by active processing From working to long-term memory Rehearsal encodes knowledge Knowledge must be retrieved from memory Retrieval brings knowledge back into working memory

Pitfalls of e-Learning Failure to do job or skill analysis Presenting skills and knowledge out of job context risks transfer failure How could this pitfall affect your project? Failure to accommodate human learning Multimedia can actually depress learning if it overwhelms limits of human processing Attrition: e-Learning dropouts at least 35% Games and stories may detract from learning Why?

Do these techniques aid human learning? If so, why? Using an arrow or color to draw the eye to important information? Listing learning objectives up front? Omitting background music? Using succinct text? Ask about trouble-shooting actions relevant to job context?

e-Learning Research Informal studies: observing people as they learn or asking them about it Formative evaluation makes changes from learner feedback Summative evaluation reports results to sponsors & others Formal studies use experimental research design, with subjects randomly assigned to test and control groups Controlled: compare outcomes of 2 or more groups of learners Clinical trials: evaluate e-learning in real world contexts Should show statistical significance (p<.05) Book uses results of controlled studies that suggest basic design principles for e-learning Why is experimental basis useful?

Design dilemma (Clark & Mayer, e-Learning, chapter 3, pp. 52-53) VP thinks a short course should just consist of text and tells course designer: “Everything they need to know is in the text. All they have to do is read it. And we don’t have much time!” How should the course designer react? “Do you mind if I come up with something that builds on your text?”

The Multimedia Principle Include both words and graphics Why? Graphics facilitate active learning, mentally making connection between pictorial and verbal representations Words alone may cause shallow learning

Two kinds of pictures Decorative vs. explanative illustrations What’s the difference? Decorative pictures are eye candy Explanative illustrations help learner understand the material Instructional designer’s job is to enable learner to make sense of information

Match graphics to content Illustrate procedures with screen captures Show a process flow with arrows or animated graphics Organize topics by using rollover buttons to show different graphics

Psychology of multimedia Information delivery theory: learning consists of acquiring information Information format shouldn’t matter Cognitive theory: learning is actively making sense of information Active learning involves constructing and connecting visual and verbal representations of material

Evidence for multimedia effect Ten lessons teaching scientific or mechanical processes, such as how pumps work Students who receive multimedia lesson perform better on post-test than students who receive same information in words Improvement of 55-121% more correct solutions to transfer problems Similar results in experiments with CIMEL