Designing Interaction Experiences

Ellen D. Wagner, Ph.D.Director, Global Higher EducationMacromedia, Inc.

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DESCRIPTION

This session presents a brief overview of variables affecting interaction and proposes an environmental model for consideration.

It offers suggestions for creating interaction experiences that are empirically based and focuses on maximizing learning outcomes.

RATIONALE

Interaction is the most debated construct in the world of technology mediated learning design and development.

In these settings, interaction is the defining attribute of the quality and value

Interactivity (equated with interaction) is the most expensive component of a technology mediated learning design.

THE EVOLVING INTERACTION LANDSCAPE

THEORIES (learning, pedagogy,

communication)PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

(instructional design, performance support)

EXPERIENCE(technology, tools,

connectivity)

BUT WAIT! WE HAVEN’T DEFINED IT YET…

Interactions are reciprocal events that require at least two objects and two actions.

Interactions occur when the objects and events mutually influence one another.

Wagner, E.D. (1994)

INTERACTION AS TRANSACTION

Education offers a continuum of transactions from less distance, where there is greater interaction and less structure, to more distance, where there may be less interaction and more structure.

McIsaac, M. and Gunawardena, C. 1996

THEORY OF TRANSACTIONAL DISTANCE (Moore)*

A pedagogical theory that examines the effect that distance has on instruction and learning. It focused on shifts in understanding and perception

created by the separation of teachers and learners Primary variables are structure (course design) and

dialogue (communication between instructors and learners during implementation)

Distance is a concept defined in the relationship between structure and dialogue

*cited in Moore, M.G. and Kearsley, G. 1995

TRANSACTIONAL DISTANCE THEORY, EXTENDED

Jung’s (2001) extension of Moore’s theory included: Infrastructure - content expandability, content

adaptability, visual layout Dialogue - academic interaction, collaborative

interaction, interpersonal interaction Learner collaboration – The degree and

quality of engagement with others Learner autonomy – The degree and quality of

independence

TYPES OF INTERACTION

Learner-Instructor: dialogue between the learner and instructor

Learner-Learner: the dialogue between/among students

Learner-Content: The materials a learner needs to interact with to extend understanding

Learner-Interface: The learner’s ability to use the communication medium facilitating the online course

Hillman, Willis and Gunawardena, 1994Moore, 1989

SOCIAL PRESENCE

(Social) presence refers to the degree to which an individual feels or is seen as real by colleagues working in an online context.

When a learner has a higher degree of social presence they are more likely to feel connected to the group, which in turn leads to greater satisfaction and reduces the likelihood that the learner will leave the environment.

(Moller, 1998)

PERCEPTIONS OF PRESENCE

Audio feedback is one of the most important features for engendering a sense of presence

Ease of navigation within a virtual environment impact perceptions of presence

Jelfs and Whitelock (2000)

TRANSFORMING THE LEARNER-CENTERED EXPERIENCE

Ownership

Engagement

Social

Contextual

Active

DEEPER LEARNING

REQUIRES

ENCOURAGESIS

IS

IS

www.west.asu.edu/nlii/learning.htm

STEP BY STEP LEARNING DESIGNS

Simple ComplexLEARNING TASK

TIM

E O

N L

EA

RN

ING

TA

SK

Low

HighDEEPER

LEARNING

DECISION SUPPORT

PERFORMANCE SUPPORT

COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING

MASTERY LEARNING

INTERACTION OUTCOMES

Participation

Communication

Engagement

Feedback

Elaboration

Motivation

Negotiation

Teambuilding

Discovery

Exploration

Clarification

Closure

Wagner, E.D. (1999)

Macromedia imagines a world where every digital interaction – whether in the living room, the office, the beach or the car – is a smart, simple efficient and engaging experience.

Where the true capabilities of digital experiences emanate fromevery interface.

ACTIONINTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE

FROM READ ONLY TO READ / WRITE

We are making experience better everywhere it goes.

FROM INFORMATION HUNTER / GATHERERTO INFORMATION FINDING YOU

User visible experienceGoals, tasks, perspective

Look & feelBehavior and flowPractices & guidelines

Runtime

Rich client frameworkComponents, behaviors, Managers, languages

Server frameworkData management, experience metrics, Debugging, profiling, security

Shared objects

Rich Client

Server

Experience Received

Experience Created

Web servicesApp serversDBS

THE EXPERIENCE LAYER

PEDAGOGY(Teaching

Design)

Com

mun

icat

e

(Learning) Content

Learning Theories

Instructional Theories

EPISTOMOLOGIES

ONTOLOGIES

TAXONOMIES

Ref

lect

Mot

iva

teINTERACTION OUTCOMES

METADATA

Learning Design

Eng

age

Par

ticip

ate C

lose

Cla

rify

Exp

lore

Dis

cove

r

The Experience Layer

AN ENVIRONMENTAL MODEL FOR CREATINGINTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Thanks for joining me today.

For more information, including citations, please feel free to contact me:

ewagner@macromedia.com

+1.415.613.2690