Rachel Thrun

ISLT 9440
How to Design for Learning Technologies?

Assignment: Compare two design models, a) the process view from Jahnke (2016, in
Chapter 5, main readings of LU-4), including the checklist, and b) a model that you may
select, e.g., Integrated Course Design, TPACK, Backward Design, or any other design
model, and describe similarities and differences – post your results in the LU-4
Discussion. Relate the readings to your experience such as, How do you design a
learning process (e.g., course, lesson, classroom, informal, non-formal, workplace
learning)? Are some of the theoretical models close to your practice? Do you want to
apply some of the design models in the future, why or why not?.

With a shift in education from students being consumers in a primarily teacher-lead

environment to prosumers in a student-centered learning environment, it's critical that
teachers truly think through the process about what it is that's expected of their
students, the outcome they want from them, and how they are going to get them there.
When planning lessons and activities, the teacher ultimately becomes a designer who
designs a process for learning. When a teacher is able to design a learning expedition
for their students, they will be able to engage them in deep level meaningful learning
that has more meaning and value than simply recalling knowledge from a textbook.

The process view, digital didactics design, the TPACK model, and integrated course
design all share the same outcome: to increase student engagement through active
learning. All three models discuss how teachers, students, and content are all in relation
to one another, and the importance of integrating technology properly in order to
support the learning to create a meaningful environment. As Koehler states, "Teaching
and learning can change when particular technologies are used in particular ways" (
Koehler)

The TPACK framework discusses how complex teaching is, and that there are three
main domains, or components of teaching: knowledge content, and technological.
These components overlap, or blend together, to influence how technology may be
integrated and ultimately how learning occurs. How technology is integrated into the
learning environment is essentially dependent on how those three knowledge
components are blended together and the context of the environment (Do you teach
lower graders, or higher education? The integration will be different according to the
situation). As stated by author, Koehler, "teaching successfully with technology requires
continually creating, maintaining, and re-establishing a dynamic equilibrium among all
components." (Koheler) An interesting point to add is the thought Jahnke provides in
Digital Didactical Designs, that the component of design should be added to this
framework because knowledge in design is also a critical component of teaching and
plays another factor into how teachers will teach, students will learn and how technology
gets integrated. (Jahnke, 2017)

While there are a lot of aspects in designing a meaningful learning expedition for
students, as outlined in the Designing for Meaningful Learning Checklist, the main take-
always (similarities throughout) from the reading of Integrated Course Design, and the
Process View are: know and share the desired learning outcomes and goals, allow for
reflection and process based assessments, and technology should support the learning
process rather than be an add on. When designing a course, planning using the
backwards design model, or process view, it's best to know what exactly it is that you
want you students to be able to do. Taking into account the situational factor of the
students you're working with to be able to provide them with a task that is relevant to
them. Students should understand why/the importance of their learning (Jahnke,
2017). The learning technologies and activities should be aligned with the goals and
students should be receiving feedback on their progress in learning throughout the
process. Providing students with a rubric from the beginning of the process allows
teachers to "clearly and precisely articulate the characteristics of a high-quality learning
activity" and share with their students what they are expecting. (Howland, et.al, 2012)

My teaching practice is most similar to the integrated course design model. The
framework of this model is best stated in the Integrated Course Designs article in which
the teacher assesses the situational factors that provide background to the students you
are teaching. After gathering an understanding of the class background the teacher
thinks about 1. What do students need to learn? 2. How will students and teachers
know if they learned what they are supposed to learn? and 3. What are the learning
activities/teaching methods that will get students to where they need to be? (Fink,
2003). As a new teacher (second year), I am still working on maintaining a balanced
structure of the components listed in the TPACK framework: pedagogical knowledge,
technological knowledge, and content knowledge. When I plan/design a learning
process, I always look at what the standards I need to address are (Ohio science
standards, grade 7), from there, I generally design my desired outcome, whether that be
an authentic project or honestly a traditional assessment, and then I'll plan my activities
accordingly. Knowing the desired outcome first allows me to create activities that are
relevant to the learning goal.

The Designing for Meaningful Learning checklist will be of great value to me as I

continue to reflect and redesign my learning activities for my students. One of the
aspects within the checklist I want to really focus on is process based assessments and
making sure my students continuously know the goals and outcomes of their learning.
One of the ways I can help show my students what's expected of them is through a
rubric in which they can clearly see what it takes to be successful and what the desired
outcomes are that I'm looking for. This will provide clarity and should even motivate
students to reach beyond their academic abilities.

References:

Jahnke, 2016: Chapter 5: Digital Didactical Designs: Teaching and Learning in

CrossActionSpaces

Checklist for 'how to design for meaningul learning with web-based technologies'
(adopted from: Jahnke et al., 2017)

"TPACK", Koehler, M.J., & Mishra, P. (2009)

"Intergrated Course Design", (Fink, 2003)