designing an e- learning system that supports left and right brain dominance john perkins sharon...

DESIGNING AN E-LEARNING SYSTEM THAT

SUPPORTS LEFT AND RIGHT BRAIN DOMINANCE

John Perkins

Sharon Cox, Kati Botar

Empowering the Learner

• E-learning delivers teaching material and learning activities in a flexible format.

• Learner can control:– What to learn, When, Where, and How.– E.g. Fast Forward to skip material they know.

• Potential to develop tailored personalised learning resources.

Approach

• As individuals differ in many ways, this project:– Examine the broad ‘categories’ of

‘differerences’.– Assesses their impact and relevance to e-

learning.– Aims to develop a ‘dashboard’ of controls to

put the ‘learner in the driving seat’ of their learning.

Learning Styles

• “indicate how learners perceive, interact with, and respond to the learning environment” [Poon & Fatt, 2000].

• Most individuals have one or two preferred styles.

• Byrne [2002] suggests that any learning technology, whether web-based or not must be adaptive to the individual and their preferred learning styles. Application of learning technology that cannot adapt to learning styles risks rejection.

Left Brain Right Brain

VerbalAbstract

SequentialMathematical

AnalyticalSymbolic

LinearLogical

Convergent

Non-VerbalAnalogous

DiffuseGeometrySynthetic

Visual HolisticIntuitiveSpatial

Questionnaire

• 76 students (35 males: 41 females) between 14 and 17 years old from a Language College used a brain dominancy indicator.– 45 students were left-brain oriented;– 32 were right-brain oriented – degree of orientation was not considered.

• Students then asked to rank the design components used in e-learning they preferred.

‘LEFT Brain’ ‘RIGHT Brain’

Sequential steps Explain parts

Multiple-choice questions

Multiple-choice questions

Track progress Colour to highlight points

Complete sections Sequential steps

Focus on 1 task Words and pictures

Explain parts Access other sources

List ideas Access to tutor

Critical Success Factors

2 Interface Prototype

• Syllabus provides map to the course with hyperlinks.

• Course content is broken into units so left-brain learners to work sequentially, while right-brain learners can jump between units.

• Left-brain interface uses more text and less graphics; right brain interface uses more colour, pictures and music.

Results

Pre-test results:Left-brain learners all achieved less than 60%

12% of right-brain learners achieved more than 60%

Post-test results:54% of left-brain learners achieved at least

60%.

63% of right-brain learners achieved more than 60%

  LEFT RIGHT

Usability 90% positive navigation system frustrating

Learnability Difficult to get back from gloassary

Quiz and feedback helpful

Presentation Ok Switch the music off!

  Left-Brain Right-Brain

Syllabus Title and subtitle on each page.Overview of structure and session plan

Mind map of the material on the homepage. 

Course structure

Structure material sequentially.Clearly label titles and links.

Menu on every screen, to link to all other pages.Avoid need to scroll.

BOTH: Unit = max of 30 pages.Page = 7 +/- 2 units of information.

  Left-Brain Right-Brain

Course Design List ideas.Text-based links.Few images.Plain background.

Colour to highlight.Music on/off,Lots of images, video and animation.Colourcode data.

BOTH: Allow users to change the font type, size and colour.

Explain pictures and include relevant titles.

Lessons Learned

  Left-Brain Right-Brain

Navigation Use label and text links.Number pages.Navigation buttons visible.Do not scroll below the visible area of the screen.

Navigation in a few steps.Icon and rollover links.

BOTH: Keep navigation consistent,5-7 entries per menu.Clearly mark exits.

Lessons Learned

  Left-Brain Right-Brain

Assessment Multiple-choice quiz and constructive feedback.

Collaboration Facilitate communication with tutor.

Include online discussions forums.

Glossary BOTH: Glossary of terms in popup window or to the glossary.

Define clearly which terms will be found in the glossary e.g. bold.

References Include a list of books, websites and resources of related information.

Lessons Learned

Issues

• What would the results be if opposite interfaces were used?

• How to develop high quality graphics?

• How to address degrees of dominance?

• How to develop a tailorable e-learning system?

Challenge remains to establish an e-learning

environment that encourages, confronts and adapts to the personal preferences of the

individual.