Equipping Nonexpert Teachers With a Learning Map as a Semantic Design Language to Enhance Teaching Practice

• In Event: Innovative Learning Design in an Information and Communications Technology-Rich Environment: The Ongoing Story of Shanghai

Abstract

Objectives: To support non-expert teacher’s pedagogic design in e-Textbooks, this study designs an easy means of equipping instructors with a visual language to pedagogically describe sound learning sequences. The overall objective of this evaluation experiment is to assess the extent to which the learning map helps non-expert teachers accomplish their pedagogic design during the learning design process.
Theoretical framework: Extensive studies have been conducted in the area of learning design, with a particular focus on the reuse of existing learning designs as a means of supporting the contextualized learning sequences (Botturi et al., 2008; Doderoet al., 2010; Verbert et al., 2012; Vercoustre, 2005). In these studies, the use of patterns or models to support the learning design and adaptation (Goodyear, 2005; Griffiths et al., 2005; Hernández-Leo et al., 2010) has been reported. To enhance teacher’s learning design in using e-Textbook, learning map as a visual authoring tool can be used to help teachers design and author learning activities in an effective and rapid manner.
Methods: This case study integrates learning design support for sequencing activities and incorporates resources in an e-Textbook’s authoring environment. Survey items are developed by adapting instruments from previous studies in ISO/IEC JTC1/SC36’s e-Textbook standard. Participants are asked to complete a learning design task in the e-Textbook during a one-hour session, and complete a questionnaire after the task. In-depth interviews are conducted, which intend to collect qualitative feedback on the perceived usefulness of the learning map.
Data sources: Data are gathered through surveys, interviews, and school visits in two different sources. The main task is to involve participants in the period of using the learning map to complete the task. Thirty-four participants were interviewed in April, 2013. One of the teachers has volunteered to use the learning map to organize a class in September 2013, and will then complete the questionnaire and interviews with researchers. Data about learning map in e-Textbooks and related cases from an international standard survey by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC36 will also be used.
Preliminary findings: The hypothesis of this study is that the learning map as a visual learning design language can provide help for non-expert teachers to design and author learning activities in an effective and rapid manner in an e-Textbook integrated environment. Data and cases from ISO/IEC JTC1/SC36 suggest that the mechanism of learning map would help teachers design lesson plans using e-Textbooks.
Significance of the study: The purpose of this study aims to ascertain whether equipping teachers with a learning map is an effective and rapid means of helping teachers design lesson plans with e-Textbooks in their classrooms. This study is significant because it develops a learning design mechanism that is likely to be adapted in other e-learning environments. Exploratory studies are important to facilitate the effective use of a new burgeoning technology such as e-Textbooks in education fields.

Authors

• Zhe Xu, East China Normal University

• Xiaoqing Gu, East China Normal University

• Jing Leng, East China Normal University