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