Sorry, but could you please repeat that?

In my last post, I wrote about the Monkey Business Illusion.

Picking up from where I left off - what do we really learn from this type of research?  I recently stumbled upon two interesting discussions on LinkedIn, related to retention and memory.  Participants in the discussion shared several links to some very useful research that provided the connecting dots.

I’ve abstracted a short gist from Smith and Kosslyn’s Cognitive Psychology: Mind and Brain (2007): Chapter 3: Attention

“In the context of human information processing, attention is the process that, at a given moment, enhances some information and inhibits other information. The enhancement enables us to select some information for further processing, and the inhibition enables us to set some information aside.”

These instances of perceptual blindness are known as “failures of selection in space and time”.  As we are assaulted by an almost constant stream of information, a continuous sifting or filtering process selects information that is likely to be meaningful over information that is perceived to be irrelevant. It is this selective attention that helps us make a coherent picture of the world by averting an information overload. One aspect of this is change blindness (or change deafness) or the failure to detect changes in the physical aspects of a scene.

The Invisible Gorilla is one among many experiments that provide evidence that attention is necessary for effective encoding.  Encoding is the process by which “information is transformed into a memory representation”.

When we concentrate on one source of input, we are paying focused attention to relevant information and excluding all other irrelevant data.  When we are focused on counting the number of passes of the ball, we simply do not take in any information about the gorilla.

One of the reasons for poor encoding is divided attention. There are other factors that influence the quality of encoding. Encoding is influenced not just by how much we pay attention to information. The quality of encoding also depends on the extent to which we elaborate or try to make sense of that information or connect it to other information. Conscious retrieval and practice, especially practice that is spaced out in time also help encoding (as opposed to being presented with information).

Reference:

Smith and Kosslyn (2007): Cognitive Psychology: Mind and Brain, Pearson

The Monkey Business Illusion

If you watched the video in my last post (Perceptual Blindness)---did you spot the gorilla?

Believe it or not, in the original research conducted by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, roughly half the audience missed the gorilla!

“Inattentional blindness is the failure to notice a fully-visible but unexpected object when you are focusing attention on something else.”

Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris have recently published their insights and findings related to inattentional blindness (also called perceptual blindness) in their book The Invisible Gorilla. 

What does the study prove? That we often see only what we choose to see. And the testimony of witnesses may not always be reliable (understatement!). And that learning designers need to keep their content design simple, uncluttered,  and focused. Especially if the resource is likely to be viewed only once. 

Perceptual Blindness: To See Or Not To See?

Watch this original video of a 1999 study conducted by cognitive psychologists Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris. I'll write more about this and the latest research on this subject in my next post!.

Embrace the Space

“It seems to be human nature to favour filling blank spaces with objects and elements over leaving spaces blank or empty” (Elephas Design Journal)


If you lived in Mumbai, you would cherish space! Today's post is about space and the human tendency to clutter and fill up space unnecessarily. 

In art and design, the term Negative Space is used to describe the space around an object. It is the opposite of an identifiable object. It is used to define and set off the boundaries of the object. It gives balance to a composition and makes it less noisy. 

The term horror vacui (fear of empty space) describes the filling of the entire surface of an art work with detail --- design that is cluttered or suffocates. 

Generally in design, less free space is perceived to be of lower value. Minimalist design with more free space comes at a premium. 

I think this is especially true in the design of e-learning. We need to think about the noise that is created when a learner is assaulted by too much information – be it through text, pictures or rambling audio-visual media.

In the delivery of learning programs there is a similar reason to think about giving learners space and time --- through spaced repetition:

The spacing effect describes the observation that instruction which is repeated at intervals which are farther apart in time have a greater impact on improving memory than repetitions closer together in time (Ebbinghaus, 1885).

So let's get rid of the clutter. And embrace the space.

Connectivism and Curators

In his website dedicated to Connectivism, George Siemens describes how traditional learning theories cannot adequately address the new facets and dimensions of learning in the digital age, where the “half-life of knowledge” is rapidly shrinking. (The half-life of knowledge is ”the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete”…Gonzalez 2004, cited by Siemens in Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age)


Today, “chaos is the new reality for knowledge workers” and learners must not only know where to look for knowledge, they must also rapidly evaluate different sources, select only what is relevant, and filter out the rest. “The need to evaluate the worthiness of learning something is a meta-skill that is applied before learning itself begins”.

Connectivism recognises the role of networks and “other people’s experiences” in meaning-making. Connectivism sees learning as a process that is not entirely under the control of the individual. Learning or actionable knowledge resides outside the learner in the network of connections between entities.

Knowledge resides in different people and institutions, interlinked through many different constantly shifting, living networks. Individuals and organizations feed the networks and the networks in turn feed the individuals and organizations. The trick is to foster and maintain an effective knowledge flow between the individual and the network, “Learning is a process of connecting specialised nodes or information sources”.

Hence pattern recognition, or the “ability to see connections between fields, ideas and concepts” becomes vital. This concept is similar to DeGroot’s (1965) findings that experts were able to see patterns and connections not evident to novices. In today’s world, the body of information and knowledge resides in a constantly shifting network. Hence, we need to build a new breed of learners that can effectively contribute to as well as tap the network to obtain accurate and up to date knowledge. They must network and constantly contribute to the network for a value exchange.

Recently, a connection on LinkedIn (thanks Christopher Pappas!) shared this very useful resource on Free E-learning Books. I am in turn sharing it on this blog…and perhaps you will find something of value in this share. This is Connectivism - the new mantra for Learning in the Digital Age.

In another discussion, Siemens explores the role of edubloggers who offer a commentary on current trends and technologies in education and share not just resources, but their thoughts and ideas.

“They serve as curators of ideas, connections, philosophies, and world views. They create frameworks of interpreting and understanding history, new technologies, and trends through their work and public dialogue…”.

He extends this analogy to the role of the teacher, in providing an interpretation of content, knowledge or ideas being explored.

“A curatorial teacher acknowledges the autonomy of learners, yet understands the frustration of exploring unknown territories without a map. A curator is an expert learner. Instead of dispensing knowledge, he creates spaces in which knowledge can be created, explored, and connected. While curators understand their field very well, they don’t adhere to traditional in-class teacher-centric power structures. A curator balances the freedom of individual learners with the thoughtful interpretation of the subject being explored.”

So, how good a curator are you?

Human Touch - A Key Ingredient

Hello there! Good morning and hope you are well and that the sun is shining over you!

It has been a while since I last posted to this blog. The past few weeks have been filled with a whirlwind trip to Mumbai, and then a chilling return to the coldest winter in thirty years in the UK.

Picking up from where I left off in the last post, today, we'll talk about a key element in human interaction that is often missing in human-computer interaction and in digital resources created for e-learning – the friendly touch. What does this really mean, and why is the human touch necessary for positive, gainful, interaction? Some recent research sheds more light on the subject.

“A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, and to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol”.

Aha. This is something that perhaps we all instinctively know and understand. Yet, isn't it amazing how the human touch is often missing in the way we communicate, and in the way we create learning for the new age.

For those of us whose bread and butter often depends on hours spent on a machine that has become a much revered family member , and who like me, must work in virtual teams and do not often experience the joy of face to face communication with the project team, this becomes a critical factor in how we work together as a team and cooperate and collaborate. Ever thought about how the tone of your email can change with a simple greeting at the start?

So I’ve been thinking about this a lot. About the need to change the way we communicate, both online and offline, in a way that metaphorically at least, communicates the human touch. Very much a design issue don’t you think?

Who's driving?

Some time ago, I had started a review of the many ways in which technology can be used to support teaching and learning.

Before launching any learning programme, it's always a good idea to mark out a baseline, working out your start point and what your finish goals are. Some tools you can use to find out what learners already know are surveys. If you winced at the word 'survey', try this painfree online survey tool.

You can also have some fun and help learners gauge their own progress with classroom response systems. And of course, you can improve access by offering podcasts and lecture webcasting. Carnegie Mellon offers an interesting overview of the possibilities here.

To help your learners work on their research and writing abilities, there are a range of social software tools - a module wiki, a group blog, asynchronous discussion forums, web quests, YouTube videos, podcasts and other forms of learner generated content, open to review and comment. All of these provide excellent built-in audit trails and enable learners to custom build their own e-portfolios and reflective journals.

For the presentation of data and research, there are now a host of charting and mapping tools available. This article sets out a few more tools available to academia.

More on e-learning tools here. The only way to really learn about the possibilities is to really use these tools. If you've been relying heavily on powerpoint slides and one-way transmission lectures, try turning the tables and letting your learners take the wheel for a change. Let them choose their own presentation tools. And let them have a bit of fun!

A Revolution in E-learning

We are witnessing a revolution in E-learning, thanks to Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle. Nearly a million people are able to come together via Skype every Monday and take part in their amazing sessions discussing Tolle's A New Earth. Those who can't make it at the right time can always watch it on demand.

Oprah has actually created the collaborative, coooperative learning community that has been written about in educational literature for years. She has made it happen. Where e-learning is often perceived to be a lonely, isolating experience, she has shown how it can be an exhilarating, exciting, inspiring and social experience. She has broken barriers and crossed borders.

She has shown us how a whole country and a whole world can be brought together to learn and talk. Think of the possibilities! Is India listening?

Watch it now!

Enjoy!

Learning Snippets

Take a look at these beautiful samples of effective and engaging learning design! A must see -- not only for the technologically challenged, but for all those interested in creating learning. Racy style, simple, elegant! This is what reuseable learning objects are all about!

Wikis in Plain English
http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english

RSS in Plain English
http://www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english

Designing for Usability

Not everyone knows what an Instructional Designer does. I am often asked to clarify. People rarely guess it's anything to do with learning or even E-learning. I also often trip on the word 'instructional'. So now, I've started using the term E-learning Architect. Sounds much better, and at least they know it's about E-learning! Of course, Learning Designer sums it all up rather nicely as well. Content specialist is rather drab. It is a lot more than just content! Then what about Learner Experience Enhancer? Or Learner Journey Coordinator? Or simply Learning Analyst? But it's more than just analysis, it's also about translating that analysis into a real experience.

Well, call it what we will, the design of instruction on the web must always be based on a thorough understanding of learner psychology, and web usability. It's also about layout, graphics, interactivity, navigation and above all, learner engagement. At the end of it all, the experience must add to or change the learner in some way. Rule number one: Understand your audience and their changing needs.

To learn more about design, usability and the user experience visit these links that offer resources and good insights into user testing of Websites:


http://www.big.uk.com/knowledgebase/research/web_user_testing.htm

http://www.gotomedia.com/resources_olia.html

You'll also get some great insights on communicating design, the pathos and ethos of design and richness from Uday Gajendar at:

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/what-does-rich-mean