The Personalization Principleof e-Learning

As presented by Study Group A

Information in this presentation is taken from the text by Clark & Mayer:“e-Learning and the Science of Instruction”, 2008

Content

Definition Personalization Principles 1, 2, and 3 Conversational Style Conversational Style: Characteristics On Screen Coaches On Screen Coaches: Characteristics Visible Authors Visible Authors: Characteristics Conclusion Questions

Personalization Principle Defined

People learn more deeply from multimedia lessons when learners experience heightened social presence, as when a conversational script or learning agents are used.

A More “Personal” Personalization Principle Definition

We learn more deeply from multimedia lessons when we experience heightened social awareness by interacting with a conversational script or learning agent.

Did you see a difference? Lets find out why.

Personalization Principles

1. Use Conversational Style Rather than Formal Style

2. Use Effective On-Screen Coaches to Promote Learning

3. Make the Author Visible to Promote Learning

Conversational Style

A writing style that uses first and second person constructions, active voice, and speech-like phrases.

Speaking with a friendly human voice

Using polite wording

Personalization Principle 1

We should use conversational instead of formal writing so learners interact with the computer as a social partner

We want to avoid impersonal third person language it turns learners off

Why Use Conversational Style?

Research shows we work harder to comprehend when we interact socially

Social cues engage our minds in deeper cognitive processing and deeper learning

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How to Use Conversational Style

Instead of a distant third person like in this slide we should use first and second person statements

We can replace “teacher”, “students”, or “learners” with “I”, “my”, “we”, “our”, “you”, or “your”

Our goal is a more user-friendly tone

How to Use Conversational Style

We should use first and second person – replace third person with “I”, “we”, “me”, “my”, “you”, and/or “your”

Impersonal text:

“YouTube is a social networking where people can view and share videos.”

Text after personalization principle applied:

“YouTube is a social networking where you and I can view and share videos.”

Voice Quality

People learn better from agents in eLearning situations when the narrator uses a human voice rather than a machine voice.

Human = Good Machine = Bad

Polite Speech vs. Direct Statements

On-screen agents are more effective when using polite speech and indirect statements that allow the learner freedom of action.

Polite, Indirect

Let’s press the escape key.

This might be a good time for you to find a common denominator.

If you are done, you might want to click the ‘next’ button.

Direct Statements

Press the escape key.

Find a common denominator.

Click the next button now.

Effective Ineffective

On-Screen Coaches Are characters on the computer screen

that teach learning material

They demonstrate techniques and direct learning

Learners generate more correct responses with on-screen coaches

Examples of On-Screen Coaches

Examples of websites that provide on-screen coaches:

Voki Characters

Code Baby Virtual Agents

Vcom3D Characters

On-Screen Coaches: Characteristics Must sound conversational Can look real or cartoon-like Better to present words as speech rather than

text Use On-Screen coaches to provide:

Hints Worked examples Demonstrations Explanations

Visible Authors

Visible authors are visible on the screen.

Characteristics of Visible Authors

Promotes and increases learner motivation Speaks directly to the reader in a personal

style

Review Questions

1. Which of the following better enriches learning provided from multimedia?

a. A well scripted formal teaching styleb. A informal conversational teaching style

2. When writing conversational style of learning, it is more effective to incorporate which of the following?

a. Direct facts or statements b. Use more polite wording

Review Questions Continued

3. When incorporating voice into multimedia lessons, the learner responds better which of the following

a. A human voiceb. A machine voice

4. When utilizing an on-screen coach to teach, which of the following is more likely to occur

a. The learner is more likely to generate more correct responses

b. The tool would become a distraction which would interfere with learning

5. When applying a visible author to learning, which of the following should apply?

a. You should continue to the informal approach of teaching since the avatar is present.

b. You should speak directly to the readers in a personal style.

Conclusion

Material using a conversational writing style and the addition of on-screen characters can be more effective for some types of learners.

Personalization Resources

Personalization of Web Services- Opportunities and Challenges: How to use Personalization in Marketing:http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue28/personalization/

How to Write in a Conversational Style:

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Write-a-Conversational-Style-Article&id=1082917

Conversational Writing is better than Formal Writing: http://www.willatworklearning.com/2005/12/conversational_.html

How Pedagogical Agents Improve Instruction:http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/pedagents/index.htm

What is an Interactive Animated Pedagogical Agent?: http://ldt.stanford.edu/~slater/pages/agents/main.htm

Agents that Reduce Work and Information Overload: http://web.media.mit.edu/~pattie/CACM-94/CACM-94.p1.html

Presentation References

Information References: Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Sandora, C., Kucan, L., & Worthy, J.

(1996). Questioning the Author. The Elementary School Journal, 95, 395–414.

Clark, R.C. & Mayer, R.E. (2008). Applying the personalization principle. (2nd Ed.), e-Learning and the science of instruction, (pp. 157-180). San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Photo References: http://library.galciv2.com/mvlib/ss/Fullview_CylonPortrait.PNG http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php http://www.camct.com/shopping/standard/images/

564_1_pic_conversation.jpg Online agent group:

http://www.vcom3d.com/images/custom_characters_large.png Online tire agent: http://www.codebaby.com/solutions/elearning.html