Unit 1 blog-individualized learning

Personalized Systems of Instruction and Audio Tutorial Approach

 

Students in 2012 differ from those of 10 or 15 years ago because of the amount of interaction they have online and the time they spend on their computers/tablets/smartphones.  There is no doubt that this affects how they learn.  Designers of Personalized Systems of Instruction and those who are redesigning the Audio Tutorial Approach to take advantage of the variety of web-based activities can learn from the success of the many programs and video games that have people glued to their seat in front of their screens.   Comparing the content of university classes and video games would not be useful, but some the basic elements of the PSI design incorporate what game designers have known for years.  A successful video game includes clear objectives, levels that become more difficult as the user progresses, immediate feedback, and the ability advance at one’s own pace.  Interactive games are also designed to solve the problems of student isolation that can occur in the Audio Tutorial Approach.  

                I don’t play video games much, although, I do enjoy the occasional stress release I get from playing Angry Birds on my telephone. Its simplicity and clear objectives are integral parts of the game. I know I have failed when the pigs snicker at me. Also, when a new kind of bird is presented a short video is shown demonstrate what the bird can do.  Thus, I instantly understand what I must do to conquer the pigs.  In a similar way, students succeed when they are informed of the objectives of the class at the beginning of the semester and before each module.  

                In all courses, students need feedback before they can move to the next module and online quizzes can give them this same satisfaction.  In Angry Birds, levels are unlocked as one successfully takes out the pigs and their structures. The modules of PSI’s and ATA course require that students satisfactorily complete a level before they go on to the next one.  Several years ago, I read an article about the reasons why video games are so addictive.  One of the important elements was giving the user a sense of mastery. Games were designed to just be difficult enough for a player to feel a sense of accomplishment when he/she passed a level, but not so difficult that he/she became too discouraged to continue playing. This is another important lesson to contemplate as modules are being conceptualized.   Students should be given different activities to understand the materials and memorize the important facts just as players are given different types of birds. Mastery of the level comes from figuring how to utilize each one.  Of course, video games are self-paced.  Sometimes I need 30 tries and other times the destruction of the pigs’ and their dwellings is achieved much more quickly.   

                As Beth Montelone pointed out, one of the main complaints about the Audio Tutorial Approach was from students who as “sat alone in their carrel”(224) .  These days, students often sit in front of their computer and post on Facebook instead of speaking to their peers (who are often sitting right next to them).   There are also many chat room applications that could be used to avoid this problem. Such programs also solve the difficulties of teacher “presence” which Koen grapples with in his article. Interactive role-play games have been creating virtual communities for many years.

                Another thing that game creators often do well is create games that appeal to many different cultures.  In Yusuke Morita’s article, they explore the cultural barriers to creating an appealing course and course format to learners in Japan and the U.S.  Perhaps these social programs and games will give us clues on ways of navigating the potential pitfalls of teaching to a culturally-diverse audience that we may not know.    

                Since Duke is only just beginning its investment into on-line classes. I probably will be using these learning modules that we create as tutorials or extra practice for my students and I hope I can put the content into a format that holds their attention and allows them to practice vocabulary and structures in a more creative way.