EDID6509 DESIGNING

LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

SOLUTIONS

Presented by: Nyeisha George-Minott

University: University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus
Course Coordinator: Dr. Camille Dickson-Deane

7/24/2017 Individual Work Report

This document outlines the individual contributions made to the

design stints as an individual and with the Lifelong Brain
Boosters group. The stints include Problem Solving Learning
(PSL), Computer supported collaborative work/learning
(CSCW/L) and Performance support systems. An overall
reflection on the design process is also included
 EDID6509 Designing Learning and performance solutions
Table of contents

STINT 2 DESIGNING PROBLEM SOLVING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ..................... 2

Thoughts, Designs and Justification ................................................................................................ 2
What I would do differently .......................................................................................................... 6
Proposed changes ............................................................................................................................ 6
STINT 3 DESIGNING COMPUTER SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE WORK AND LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS ............................................................................................................ 7
Thoughts, Designs and Justification ................................................................................................ 7
What I would do differently .......................................................................................................... 9
Proposed changes ............................................................................................................................ 9
STINT 4 - DESIGNING PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SYSTEMS ......................................... 11
Thoughts, Designs and Justification ............................................................................................. 11
What I would do differently ....................................................................................................... 15
Proposed changes ......................................................................................................................... 15
OVERALL REFLECTION ................................................................................................. 17
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 18

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EDID6509 Designing Learning and performance solutions

EDID6509 Designing Learning and

performance solutions
INDIVIDUAL WORK REPORT

STINT 2 DESIGNING PROBLEM SOLVING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Thoughts, Designs and Justification
The initial steps leading up to the design involved watching a video and indicating one small problem
that can be addressed with a design. Subsequently each member suggested their small problem and the
group ultimately chose the problem proposed by group member Gloria Butcher. The problem addressed
the inefficiency in problem solving in Mathematics for students in Grades 4 - 8. Students are being taught
mechanical mathematics concepts in isolation from problem solving techniques. As such the group
proposed the design of an interactive learning center in the form of a mobile app called Math-M-Matik.
We later learned that this design required an open ended problem with triggers. Our initial design was
closed, which forced learners into one learning pattern to solve the problem. This was due to the lack of
understanding about how PSL environments should function.
As an individual I contributed to the design by suggesting the use of project based learning as seen in the
post below: http://201620.tle.courses.open.uwi.edu/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=104790. There after a
prototype was designed to illustrate its functionality.
The prototype creates an environment that caters to learning mathematics by completing projects that
mimic real-life situation. Users can choose from four types of projects: A day at the beach, A kid in a
candy store, Order me a Pizza, and grocery shopping. Follow this link http://emtpqf.axshare.com to interact
with the prototype.

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Users can mouse over the the various images and the name of the project will display. Clicking on the
project images takes the user to view the information about that particular project.

Screen shot for a day at the beach

All the project screen have options for saving, emailing, printing and a Google search window to allow
the user to do some more research on the topic. A close button represented by the black X is present at
the top right or the screens.

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Screen shot for Kid in a candy store

Screen shot for Order me a Pizza

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Screen shot for Grocery shopping.

I also helped to design the Math-M-Matik app using the Invision prototyping software as seen in this link:
https://invis.io/7XBZGUC9K.

Random screen shots of Math-M-Matik App

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What I would do differently

Given a better understanding of how a PSL environment functions, I would have created an environment
that leaves the learner open to a variety of choices to help solve their problem. It seems we created a
well structured environment when we should have offered an ill-structured environment. The Math-M-
Matik app would then represent but one choice, others would include, peer-to-peer learning, Math
Microworlds, simulations, projects, math games etc.

Proposed changes
There are various models and methods for designing problem based learning environments to help
students learn how to solve problems. There are story problems, troubleshooting problems, and case,
systems, or policy analysis problems. These are three distinct kinds of problems that can be solved in
classrooms from kindergarten through graduate school. (Learning to Solve Problems, 2004). Perhaps
story problems are a good fit for helping students solve math problems. Students then can choose what
method they prefer to solve a particular problem.

The student is free to interpret the key elements on the story and experiment, and manipulate based on
their prior knowledge, e.g. simulation, learning objects and microworlds. They can perform research to
find out more information that will help them solve the problem. For example students can support their
quest for a solution by manipulating or creating objects, putting their efforts to the test and collaborating
with others. This can be in a class room environment or a computer based environment.

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STINT 3 DESIGNING COMPUTER SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE WORK AND

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Thoughts, Designs and Justification
CSCL Feature change
Individual
The proposed design for the CSCL environment involved the use of Microsoft One note. Microsoft
OneNote is an easy-to-use note taking and information management program created in 2003. Its main
purpose is to help users capture ideas and information in different digital formats. These include, hand
written or typed notes, Screen clips, URLs, images, audio and video recordings (Learnit_Admin, 2014).
Changes were proposed to OneNote that involved adding a reminders/alerts option. This link
http://jvxyyx.axshare.com/#g=1&p=home illustrates the functionality of the design and was created
with the Axure prototyping software.

CSCW Environment Design

Individual
The proposed design for the CSCW environment involved the use of Apache open meetings to support
ABIIT management and faculty meetings online. Apache Open Meetings is a software provides video
conferencing, white board, collaborative document editing white board and user desktop sharing.
(Apache, 2017) Communication takes place in virtual "meeting rooms" which may be set to different
communication, security and video quality modes. The service can be installed on a server or hosted as a
service. This will be an ideal solution as it is free and can be hosted on the institutions servers.
Management and faculty can log in to the website and enter the assigned meeting space at the
scheduled time. No prototype was designed for this activity.

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Group
The group selected the environment proposed by our Lifelong Brain Boosters member Gloria Butcher who
also designed the prototype. The CSCW involved the collaborative tool Google Docs. In the proposed
design improvement, it was thought that a collaborative group working in Google Docs was not able to
have a poll or vote on key decisions. Thus the design included the suggestion Poll feature and an upvote
and downvote buttons. The links to the design iterations are accessible via the groups wikispaces page.
https://lifelongbrainboosters.wikispaces.com/CSCW+Prototype+Iteration+2.

As an Individual I proposed other changes that can be made to Google docs. In an attempt to address an
improvement to Google Docs, research was conducted into whether the software allows for the inclusion
of formatting marks. Formatting marks are those special characters or symbols that indicate when the
Enter, Tab and Space bar keys are pressed. It was concluded that this feature does not currently exist
and the prototype below seeks to showcase the functionality of this feature, had it been included in
Google docs. The iteration of this design can be viewed by visiting the following link:
http://oipiov.axshare.com

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What I would do differently

Here I would have added a bit more interactivity or functionality to my suggestion to Google docs. It was
noted that formatting marks are not a popular function even in Microsoft Word. Most users are seemingly
unaware of its function. However in Google docs its inclusion may make a difference. I have found that
after typing in Google docs, then exporting the document to Microsoft Word, I have had to make several
adjustments to the spacing within the document, simply because they were not flagged in Google Docs.

Proposed changes
I proposed adding an option that allows the user to select either basic or advanced. Here, the user can
choose the simply show the formatting marks in the basic settings or go a step further into the advanced
setting. Advanced setting might include a feature that highlights all the areas that have spacing issues.

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STINT 4 - DESIGNING PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Thoughts, Designs and Justification
The main function of a Performance Support System is to integrate immediate help and individualized
guidance into an environment or system that is easily accessible. This could be in the form of online advice
and assistance, data, images, videos, web links and other tools to support a user in getting a task done.
At the time of completing the requirement for this course, members were also enrolled in the course
EDID6510 Learning and Knowledge Management systems. This course involved the designing and
managing of content in a learning management system (LMS) called Moodle. Most members are new to
manipulating the tools and features in Moodle and it was thought that designing a PSS for Moodle would
support the group and the wider course community.
The proposed case involves the employees of the Lifelong training institute who are experiencing
performance issues in completing the set-up of course resources in Moodle. There are six (6 tasks) the
group proposed which include: How to add a file, a forum, a label, a page, a URL and how to embed a
Youtube Video.
The group chose to model the task of embedding a Youtube video. The PSS seeks to integrate user
support in the form of a Need help button which gives users a choice of options in a dropdown list. The
options include: view help file, watch a video, Guided screen tips, process map and a link to more
resources.
As an individual I helped to create the group PSS on how to embed a Youtube video into Moodle. A
model of the tasks can be viewed at this link: http://w76u1c.axshare.com. There are 3 iterations in this
design.
Iteration 1
Three options are available and appear in the dropdown list, view help file, watch a video and guided
screen tips.

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Iteration 2
Added to the list of choices in this PSS is the "View process Map" option. Once selected a popup window
displays the process map.

Iteration 3
Another Item added to the list of options is a link to More Resources. This link takes users to the Moodle
resource website which contains likes to more helpful information on how to create content in Moodle

As an individual I also modeled one of the remaining tasks on how to add a forum into Moodle. A model
of the task can be seen by following this link: http://lniagp.axshare.com/

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Users can mouse over the

words types of forums and a
pop up box appears with a
brief description, mouse away
and the note disappears

Here the user can mouseover the types of forums link to see the types of forums.

A guided screen tip prompts the user to click the Add button

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Users can select the type of forum they wish to create. For each item in the dropdown list that is selected
a popup window describes the type of forum. This prototpye however is set for users to select a single
simple discssion before scrolling down to click Save and return to course or Save and display

Once the forum is saved the activity is now visible on the course page. Users can click the form activity to
open and view it.

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This is a view of the content of the forum as was saved and posted to the course page.

What I would do differently

For this stint, I would have chosen tasks in Moodle that can be a challenge to users, for example setting
up a quiz, working with the question bank or setting up the gradebook. These require a lot of guidance
to get through the process of setting up these activities. That would represent a more detailed approach.

Proposed changes
An addition to this PSS design is the inclusion of a side bar with helpful hints. These helpful hints would
randomly display information about options and features in Moodle. It may also display other ways to
accomplish a particular task, or short cuts. Users can opt to close the helpful hints display at any time.

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OVERALL REFLECTION
This course presented a unique challenge; that of understanding the requirements and then being able to
apply concepts to a design. I have learnt that the process of design can be a tedious process. But as I
was reminded in a previous course It is the theory that drives the practice.
Indeed the foundational design principles of behaviorism, cognitivism and constructionism and even
connectivism must be applied to the basis of any design. The principles outlined in these theories help to
guide a particular design. For example, when you look at the precepts of constructivists paradigm, the
intention of the design is then to develop goals, group students and gather materials, tap into the
learners prior knowledge and then allow them to use higher-level thinking to solve problems, by doing
this they would have honed critical thinking skills. Learners can then reflect on the process and about what
they have learnt. This course and a few others in this program are created with this same constructivist
theory in mind.
I did enjoy the actual designing of prototypes. The Axure software was a pleasure to work with. I would
definitely need more time to tinker with its features. In the future I may think about purchasing the rights
to use this software. I also liked that the activities were grouped in the form of stints and that each stint
had a different group leader. This had been a challenge in previous courses, where the less techy
students tended to shy away from actually designing as if sitting on the sidelines observing. Meanwhile
people like myself were left struggling solo on completing a design. In this course they all had to get
involved.
Looking back, especially in the PSL stint, I guess my group and I did not have a proper understanding
about what was required. I believe we should have done some more research on Problem Solving
Learning environments. The first assignment was not what we thought it should be. As the course was
mainly about designing, ideally we should have concentrated on the design process than the lengthy
theoretical epistle we submitted. It was however, a learning opportunity for us all.
The struggle was real for many, in trying to accomplish a number of tasks in the prototyping software. I
found myself on several occasions helping my group mates to figure out how to perform certain actions
and functions in Axure. As the assignments indicated we needed to be on the same page, pulling our
weight, moving forward to accomplish the assigned tasks. I think my team worked well together as we
always do, as the Lifelong Brain Boosters.
Despite the challenges, this course was quite engaging, and I now know how frustrating it can be as
instructional designers to figure out what is necessary to complete a design, work with short deadlines
and not so clear requirements. All in an attempt to give a client what they want. This course was
attempting to lead us in the direction of getting the Design Project on the way. I am grateful for the
experience I received as I look forward to the challenges which I may face in the 6 month Design Project
ahead.

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REFERENCES
Apache. (2017, Mar 29). Apache OpenMeetings - Features and overview. Retrieved from Apache
OpenMeetings: https://openmeetings.apache.org/
Jonassen H.D. (2004). Learning to Solve Problems. San Francisco: Pfeifer.
Learnit_Admin. (2014, July 21). Advantages and Disadvantages of Microsoft OneNote. Retrieved from
Learn It Anytime: http://learnitanytime.com/5973/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-microsoft-
onenote/

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