Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

EDUC 70222

Evaluation & Design of Educational Software

Week 1

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

What is this class about?

Design, Development, & Evaluationof educational software

…but what do these words really mean?

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Design: What is it?

Design refers to the process that a person undertakes to craft a solution, product, experience, or system/software.

What does the process entail?• Analysis (e.g., who is the system for? How do people do their work?)• Developing objectives, assessments, content, strategies, (and selecting) media.• Consideration for functionality, the aesthetic, and other issues the designer deems

important• Re-design – review and iteration throughout.

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Example

• Analysiso A learning environment for 8-year oldso Who are homeschooled and never attended formal schooling

• Objectives, assessments, etco To learn fraction multiplication (e.g. ½ x ¾)o Where assessment will be handled by weekly tests o Used in the context of a treasure-hunt game

• Consideration for other issues o Where the environment will be fun to use

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Design: What is it NOT?

Graphic/Visual Design

Easy Standard

Simple

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Development: What is it?

• Another process.

• Refers to the creation and assembly of what was conceived in the design phase.

Involves storyboards, graphics, prototypes, programming (when technologies are involved), and bringing everything together.

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Development tool

• You will develop your software using Adobe Flash.

• Flash = a multimedia design and development tool predominantly used on the web.

• Powerful

• Don’t be intimidated by “programming.”

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Evaluation: What is it?

• Did the product “work?”• To judge success, evaluation needs to happen according to some predetermined

values and metrics. For example:

Video use in classProblem: Deaf students are excludedSolution: Closed CaptioningEvaluation: Problem solved?What do we want to achieve?Evaluation method?

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

We will design, develop, and evaluate technology-enhanced learning environments

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

A bad design example

Requiring children to use a mouse for certaincomputer activities when they don’t necessarily

have the fine motor skills to do so(e.g., drag-and-drop)

Required mouse use for children. What’s the issue?

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

Course Unit structure

• Wordpress blog: http://edtechandtesol.info/edes/• Blackboard for discussions: http://blackboard.manchester.ac.uk/ • We aim to answer the question: How can we design, develop, and

evaluate technology-mediated learning experiences that are effective, engaging, and powerful?

• We will cover the basics of design theory, interaction design, psychological and multimedia theories of learning, and apply them to the design and evaluation of electronic learning materials.

• We will engage in continuous design and evaluation.• By the end of the course you will develop your own ways of assessing

electronic educational materials.