In this podcast, Jenae Cohn discusses design for learning. She emphasizes the importance of thinking about how students navigate through a class and using feedback to improve future courses. The episode also mentions resources like Jenae's website, books on design for learning, and digital tools like Miro and Jamboard. The podcast covers various topics including user experience principles, metacognitive capacities, and equitable online learning. Additionally, the hosts share personal recommendations for Mason jars and board games, and express appreciation for the guest's contributions.
Designing courses with multiple pathways can enhance equity and inclusion in online learning.
Balancing structure and creativity in media choices can create consistent patterns while allowing for flexibility in student learning experiences.
Deep dives
Principles of User Experience in Course Design
User experience research emphasizes the importance of considering how students navigate through a course. Instructors should not assume that all students will follow the same path, but instead, develop multiple pathways for accessing information and resources. Transparent and easily accessible information is crucial, with visual and verbal cues guiding students to relevant content. Designing courses with variety in mind, considering different modalities such as text, video, and audio, can engage students and cater to diverse learning preferences. While it may seem overwhelming, implementing these principles can enhance equity and inclusion in online courses.
Choosing Media in Online Courses
When selecting media for online courses, instructors should consider variety while keeping accessibility in mind. Text, video, and audio can each play a role in course content based on the information being conveyed and the intended learning outcomes. Text offers skimmability and flexibility, making it accessible and low bandwidth. Video provides visuals and engagement, but should be used judiciously to avoid overwhelming students. Balancing structure and creativity in media choices is important, creating consistent patterns and expectations for students while allowing for flexibility and metacognition in their learning experience.
Assessment Methods for Online Courses
Assessing the efficacy of online courses involves collecting data on student experiences. Surveys and reflective assignments can provide valuable feedback, but should be supplemented with course analytics to gain a holistic understanding. Examining which resources are most accessed and correlating assignment submissions with performance can offer insights into the course's impact. Additionally, employing think aloud protocols or screen recordings of students navigating the course can provide valuable assessment information. By leveraging data and continuous feedback, instructors can iterate and improve course design over time.
Additional Recommendations
Dr. Janae Cohn recommends the board game Seven Wonders as a fun and engaging way to exercise strategic thinking and creativity. For educators interested in exploring user experience design, she suggests joining the UX of edtech LinkedIn group and exploring the book series from Rosenfeld Media. These resources offer insights into user experience principles, writing for instructional purposes, and automation in UX design, providing inspiration and knowledge for further exploration.
Jenae Cohn speaks about design for learning on episode 486 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
At the core of any class we’re teaching, we have to think about how a student or a user is going to navigate through that experience.
-Jenae Cohn
I encourage a balance of getting some feedback from your students after the class is over and using the analytics within it to come to some conclusions about what you could revise or do differently the next time you offer the course.
-Jenae Cohn