Hi Ben! I can closely relate to your video, as this summer I decided that I wanted to learn how to golf. I asked my grandpa who goes golfing multiple times each week, if he would teach me and while he golfs often, he does not know how to teach what he does as it is just in his muscle memory. We have gone to the driving range a few times and after each time, I record a video showing what I learned from my trial and errors. To help teach myself, I watch YouTube videos which show the basics of the golf swing and how to recognize and correct common beginner mistakes. I like how you analyzed the video to determine what makes it helpful and why it is so popular. After watching YouTube videos on swings, I will look back on the videos that I have made which show my learning and see what I can improve on. This is a very important step to reflect on the knowledge from the videos and incorporate it into my brain. Additionally, it is great to see my progress after each session.
Month: August 2023
Hi learning pod 9! We really enjoyed reading your interactive learning resource and this is learning pod 8’s review of “Storybook Creation Using Canva”.
What We Liked
On the home page, the “What is Canva” and “Examples” sections were a great introduction into the Canva portion of the material. It was well reasoned and helped us to understand why the topic was chosen. We also thought that having text-to-speech links at the bottom of the home page was innovative.
What Could Be Improved
(Overall)
Starting off, we have feedback on the overall resource. We found that the page title is hard to read on most pages. We would suggest changing the background image, because the student’s head and braids makes it difficult to read the first one or two words of each title. Additionally, it seems that the audience of your learning resource is an educator who will then use the materials to teach a grade 4-5 audience? If this is the case, this intention could be made more clear on the home page and alignment page.
(Resource Overview)
We also had feedback on the learning resource overview sections. In particular, the learning design rationale felt disconnected from each other. Each learning design style had different formatting and had different ways of highlighting its important points. We recommend reviewing this page and making these justifications more consistent and aligned with each other. Each learning design style also had its own citations and own citation method. We think this page would feel more cohesive if the citations were moved to a common section at the bottom of the page.
(Module Specific)
Finally, our feedback on the module organization itself. We found that each module could be more clear about what the activity is and what the student is expected to do. The “Alignment” section of each page described what the student was supposed to do well, but because it came before the “Resources” or “Learning Outcomes” we weren’t sure if the student was supposed to start these suggested activities before, during, or after watching/reading each resource. We would recommend carefully considering the order of each module’s content, and ordering it based on what order the student needs to know that information. The modules were also all formatted differently, using different backgrounds colours and header sizes. We would recommend making each module’s formatting more consistent with each other.
Module 1 did not seem to have an activity at all, so it was lacking interactivity. A few of our pod members thought that the students were meant to follow along with the instructions in the videos, but if so, that instruction should be made more specific. Is there a way to measure how much the student learned from the videos in the resources and marking if what students learned aligned with the learning outcomes?
Modules 3 and 4 seemed to cover very similar and overlapping information (see below table). The most concerning issue is that both activities result in needing to create an entire story or storyboard. In module 3 you need to know the title, characters, setting, and plot to create the images. Some of this is developed in module 2, but the title and some of the plot details aren’t developed until module 4’s activity. Module 4 does also get student’s to add the text to the story/storyboard.
| Module 3 | Module 4 | |
| Activity/Alignment | Design each of the pages of the student’s story, including a title page. | Create a story in Microsoft Word from the module 2 brainstorm, come up with a title, complete a story using Canva. |
| Essential Questions | Navigate Canva Include all story elements Using Microsoft Word to edit stories first | Full sentence/descriptive writing Include all story elements Using Microsoft Word to edit their stories first |
| Learning Outcomes | Use Canva tools to include images in the background and foreground. Create detailed images and/or storyboards with main story elements. | Use Canva textboxes to add text. Use language in creative and playful ways to engage my readers. Communicate in full sentences, applying conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation. |
| Resources | Create Children’s Book with Canva Create Storyboard with Canva | Character, Setting, and Plot Descriptive Writing |
Our recommendation for these units is to ensure that the essential questions, learning outcomes, resources, and activities all align. Be clear in each aspect of the unit that module 3 is meant for images and module 4 is meant for text. It did not seem clear in the essential questions of alignment sections. Additionally, on the Alignment page it says the units are meant to be sequential. Currently module 3 is slightly reliant on also completing module 4, so this may need to be updated. The main adjustment to make it sequential is that the title and all plot details should be decided as part of module 2 or 3.
I appreciate your insights regarding the strengths and limitations of incorporating Canva templates for storytelling. It’s commendable that you are considering the accessibility aspect and exploring ways to enhance inclusivity for all learners. Implementing alternative formats like tactile graphics or audio descriptions for students with visual impairments or learning disabilities is a thoughtful approach that I hadn’t previously considered, and it’s an excellent idea! Also, when simplifying language in your infographics, remember to carefully choose fonts and colors to increase inclusivity. By adapting the plan to address these barriers you can establish a more inclusive learning environment, allowing every student to thrive 🙂
Designing for Interactions
In an educational setting, different interactions play a crucial role in online courses: student/content, student/teacher, and teacher/content. Learning designers must carefully incorporate these interactions to foster engagement, deeper learning, and a sense of community.
Synchronous courses offer the easiest way to encourage interaction since they mimic real classroom experiences. Students can participate in real-time virtual classrooms, Zoom calls, and active chats, allowing them to engage with instructors and peers, ask questions, and join discussions, fostering a strong sense of connectivity.
Asynchronous courses present a challenge to include all forms of interaction, but it’s still achievable. Student-teacher interactions can happen through blog posts, pre-recorded videos, and emails. Student content interactions are self-paced, but online assignments can be included. Peer interactions among students are more difficult in asynchronous courses, and instructors have control over the level of asynchronicity and class connectedness by setting deadlines and communication options.
My Own Interactions
I have a strong preference for attending classes in person because of the personal interactions and socialization it offers. However, I am grateful for the opportunity to take online courses, especially during the summer when I can be with my family and old friends from childhood. I appreciate the efforts my instructors put into fostering connectedness in the edci classes I am taking. Each class has learning pods/groups, and we have a lot of group assignments, which is great because it allows me to reach out to my peers about course content. I particularly enjoy the discussions. Having assigned groups is much better than the breakout rooms my instructors would assign during covid when in-person classes were moved online. I find that I can connect better with my group members, and we all respect each other’s time and opinions.
Reference
Anderson, T. (2003). Getting the Mix Right Again: An Updated and Theoretical Rationale for Interaction. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v4i2.149
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