Reflection
Oct 29th 2023How does narrative currently manifest in my work as a designer, professional or researcher?
When I first reflected on the connections between me as a designer with narrative, the word “character” sprang to mind. Literally, every time I think about adding a narrative to my work, I always start by creating a protagonist. Because I considered that the story is around a guy, and if I want my audiences to learn something, they first need to go into that guy’s world. And then, I embed the key information, or we can say, knowledge, into the storyline.
For the learners, they just go into a novel world, understanding what is happening or has happened to the characters. They build affective connections with characters, and simultaneously, construct knowledge schemes in their mind unconsciously.
Why do learning designers use learning theory/science?
Learning theories provide a methodology that tells learning designers what makes learning materials and products well-informed, effective, and suitable for the cognitive process. They also argue diverse perspectives on learning(knowledge, learn, context…). A learning designer can be a one-lens supporter. Similarly, a learning designer also can apply different perspectives on different learning contexts. Honestly, I am a supporter of constructionism and social constructivism, resulting from my personal experience in learning.
`How does learning theory relate to design, development, research, and publication? To in-classroom teaching, lesson planning?
Designers use learning theory to structure content, create engaging activities, and select appropriate media. This ensures that the learning experience is aligned with how learners process information and helps them achieve intended learning outcomes. Researchers use these theories to investigate how different instructional strategies impact learning, to develop new teaching methods, and to assess the effectiveness of various approaches.
How can one use these as foundational elements and learning theories to be a more effective and thoughtful designer?
· Narrative can be a target for learners, an adventure to explore, and a peer in the story to go along with. · For instance, in social-emotional learning, we can lead learners into the narrative which has diverse events and accidents. Learners should act as a character, and make decisions to solve problems. In this process, learners immerse themself in the context of the story. As designers, we need to consider the rational conflicts, characters, and final result of the narrative, to make learners believe in what has happened. This can make things more effective.
What is the process?
1. Research on the audience: Understand the goal, personality, and cognition level of the learner.
2. Design: what the learning experience will look like end-to-end
3: Develop: organize the instructional materials with review and feedback from stakeholders
4: Implement: choose tech approaches,
5: Access: evaluate the learning efficiency and learners’ motivation
Who is involved?
Designers, teachers, parents, peers, learners, researchers...What resources do learning designers use?
I believe that incorporating cultural resources into a narrative world adds depth and authenticity to the story. By drawing from different cultures, traditions, and histories, we can create a rich and diverse world that captivates the imagination of readers or players. Whether it's exploring ancient myths, folklore, or even contemporary cultural practices, these resources provide a treasure trove of inspiration for crafting compelling narratives.
How do we know if a learning design is effective?
From my perspective, I believe we can assess learning design by both quantitative and qualitative methods. For example, we can use A/B testing and exams to demonstrate learning design quantitatively. Additionally, we can gather feedback from learners through surveys or interviews to understand their perceptions and experiences with the design. This qualitative data can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and impact of the learning design. By combining both quantitative and qualitative measures, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the learning design and make improvements as needed.