scholarly journals Designing learning environments for cultural inclusivity: A case study of indigenous online learning at tertiary level

Author(s):  
Catherine McLoughlin ◽  
Ron Oliver

<span>Flexible delivery of educational resources must take account of cultural variables and recognise the specific learning needs, preferences and styles of learners. In designing instruction, there may be a tension between the need to ensure access for a diverse student population, while at the same time taking into account the need for localisation to accommodate learners' particular cultures, cognitive styles and preferences. Considering the micro and macro cultural levels of instructional design is therefore essential if appropriate learning environments are to be created. The acceptance, use and impact of WWW sites is affected by the cultural backgrounds, values, needs and preferences of learners.</span><p>One of the limitations in current instructional design models is that they do not fully contextualise the learning experience, and are themselves the product of particular cultures. The design of Web based instruction is not culturally neutral, but instead is based on the particular epistemologies, learning theories and goal orientations of the designers themselves. Recently, theorists have argued for a cultural dimension in the design process and the need to provide culturally sensitive learning environments.</p><p>In this paper, we trace the design processes involved in the development of an online learning environment for indigenous Australian learners preparing to enter university, and account for the cultural issues that impacted on creation of learning tasks and styles of communication. The paper argues for cultural localisation, which means incorporating the local values, styles of learning and cognitive preferences of the target population. It also means going beyond surface level design considerations, to achieve culturally inclusive constructivist learning environments. Examples of tasks, activities and forms of online interaction are provided in the context of a bi-cultural model of learning that recognises diversity and different learning needs. It is recommended that when creating WWW based course support sites for cultural inclusivity, systematic attention must be given to particular design guidelines, which include responsiveness to learner needs, community based learning and cultural contextualisation of learning activities.</p>

Author(s):  
Carlos R. Morales

With the continuous growth of online learning in higher education, the need to design course materials that capitalize and leverage on the richness of the Internet and learning technologies has taken on new dimensions. Constructivist theory paired with instructional design models is believed to have a positive influence on the design of learning environments that apply content to real-life situations. Constructivist instructional design for online learning challenges instructional designers regarding the philosophy and methodology to be used, while it provides the conditions for learner-centered instruction. Instructional design and learning theories have been separated into their own arenas. Developing online learning environments using constructivist instructional design addresses and serves the learning needs of students by providing opportunities for increased knowledge construction and participation.


Author(s):  
Komar Parveen Khan

In spite of the numerous changes in technology in the past decades, designers continue to utilize traditional instructional design models as a foundation for designing teaching and learning materials, which may not be suited for the design and development of online learning environments. A study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of an online-specific design model called Proactive Design for Learning (PD4L) (Sims, 2012; Sims & Jones, 2003) and its ability to address limitations of traditional design models. The study was conducted to examine in what ways the PD4L model would contribute to enhance the quality of online learning. Based on this research, this chapter will be able to provide readers with ideas on the ways the elements of an online specific model can serve as design guidelines, a framework or “a set of guiding principles” (Sims, 2011) for designers and developers to create quality teaching and learning environments.


Author(s):  
Komar Parveen Khan

In spite of the numerous changes in technology in the past decades, designers continue to utilize traditional instructional design models as a foundation for designing teaching and learning materials, which may not be suited for the design and development of online learning environments. A study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of an online-specific design model called Proactive Design for Learning (PD4L) (Sims, 2012; Sims & Jones, 2003) and its ability to address limitations of traditional design models. The study was conducted to examine in what ways the PD4L model would contribute to enhance the quality of online learning. Based on this research, this chapter will be able to provide readers with ideas on the ways the elements of an online specific model can serve as design guidelines, a framework or “a set of guiding principles” (Sims, 2011) for designers and developers to create quality teaching and learning environments.


Author(s):  
Genevieve Marie Johnson ◽  
Audrey Cooke

Ecological theory conceptualized the student as surrounded by a series of environmental systems and the processes of learning as interaction between the student (i.e., bioecology) and the systems (i.e., microsystem, exosystem and macrosystem). This chapter synthesizes the literature and proposes an ecological model of student interaction in online learning environments. Specifically, learner-learner, learner-instructor and learner-content interactions occur in the microsystem and are mediated by the interface subsystem. Student microsystemic interactions influence and are influenced by the instructional design exosystem. The macrosystem reflects the indirect influence of university culture on all aspects of the microsystem, exosystem and interface subsystem. The chronosystem captures the effect of time on the student and on all ecological systems (e.g., students mature and university culture evolves)


Author(s):  
Geraldine Torrisi-Steele

Online learning experiences are becoming the norm for an increasing number of higher education students. Although there are clear advantages to online learning in terms of flexibility and access, many students struggle to succeed, especially in purely online learning environments. To a large extent student success in online learning environments is dependent on students' ability to self-regulate and ‘learn for themselves'- both abilities related to academic metacognition. Unfortunately, even at university, many students do not have well developed metacognition. It is therefore important to consider carefully metacognitive scaffolding in the design of online learning experiences. However, the models of instructional design commonly used in online learning tend not to place great emphasis on the importance of metacognitive scaffolding. The aim of the present chapter is therefore to increase awareness of metacognition, as one of the important considerations in the design of online learning environments that can help to maximize chances of student success. Towards this end, a framework of instructional design that is more sensitive to metacognition is developed.


Author(s):  
Kimberley Gordon ◽  
Luanne Lewis ◽  
Jill Auten

As transformative learning is rooted in the belief that humans make meaning of their experiences, the incorporation of instructional design (ID) techniques in classroom management as a planning tool is well suited to learning environments in which the facilitator subscribes to Mezirow's theory. ID refers to a systematic process for developing instruction by following a prescribed model focused on accomplishment of desired learning outcomes. ID provides a clear, direct map to guide educators through the creation of lessons in accordance with curriculum expectations. ID is an appropriate tool for the practitioners of the three primary learning theories: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism. Reiser and Dempsey described ID as a systematic progression of steps undertaken to develop education and training programs in a consistent and reliable fashion; it enables educators to take a modular approach to delivery of learning. This chapter explores the role of instructional design in transformative learning.


Author(s):  
Gülten Kartal ◽  
Elif Toprak ◽  
Evrim Genc Kumtepe

Distance education and e-learning practices are preferred by increasing number of people and institutions in the recent years all around the globe. It's clear that there are different interests, expectations, needs, characteristics, and backgrounds of participants in these learning environments. In this connection, it is important that courses are designed, taking cultural diversity into account, optimizing self-learning in such environments. The instructional designs that support multiculturalism in learning environments, lead to more efficient learning. Based on the awareness about cultural diversity, this chapter focuses on culturally sensitive instructional design principles for online learning environments. Firstly, “culture” as a concept and its components, based on various prominent definitions in literature are given. Then, the design principles are discussed with a critical look on online learning environments, with an eye to different theories and studies of leading researchers in the field.


Author(s):  
Caroline M. Crawford

Teacher presence refers to the fully engaged instructional facilitator within a learning environment. Within this specific discussion of teacher presence, the focus is upon distributed learning environments that includes not only online learning environments but also mobile learning engagement efforts. Teacher presence engages not merely an instructional design and evaluative assessment effort, but integrally engages the learners within the instructional environment through discourse, reflective practices and supporting the motivational needs of the learner. Further, teacher presence directly impacts the motivational and cognitive support needs of learners, through instructionally appropriate actions of the instructor as a facilitative guide, as a self-regulatory maven, within a cognitive load support system, as well as mentor-focused instructional efforts.


Author(s):  
Latonia M. Ayscue

Perception research helps to understand how stimuli (gist) interacts with learners' sensory systems (visual, auditory, tactile). Communication in virtual learning environments is significant because when the laws of perception are manifested, the strategy should include discovering how the relationships between the instructional design process (analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate) synthesizes learning theories and learners' experience to create effective communication in virtual instructional events, learning objectives and goals.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Lee ◽  
Lin Lin

Based on constructivist principles, this chapter provides a new instructional design map for online learning environments. This instructional design map includes considerations of five elements, namely, learner, knowledge, learning environment, assessment, and technology. Considerations of these elements are based on analyses of the past and existing instructional design models, online learning models, and constructive principles. Applications of the instructional design map are also discussed in the chapter.


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