Hi all, I am Abdul. I am currently doing the fourth year of Health Informatics. I enjoy playing Soccer, as well as watching Soccer, UFC and Comedy shows. I'm looking forward to meeting you all!
” Which design principles did you use to create your infographic in Canva?” Which elements of a “good infographic” were you able to incorporate? What other principles did you consider? “
I have decided to create an infographic about learning management systems (LMS) while following the design and Mayerâs principles.
Focusing on alignment was the first design principle I applied. I made every effort to ensure that the components of my design were connected to one another and correctly aligned. Second, I tried to direct the viewer’s eyes to the key components of the design by utilizing the contrast of the colours I was employing. For instance, in the design’s informational component, I utilized a white background and a black font. Third, I made good use of repetition. For instance, in order to unify the design and overall aesthetic, I frequently utilized the same colours, fonts, or shapes. Fourth, I made the colours as supportive of the design as possible. I reviewed the basics of colour theory and chose to use the “brown colour schemes,” which symbolize safety, security, and support.
Some of the elements of a âgood infographicâ that I incorporated in my design are the following; I kept the colour scheme simple, sticking to two to three colours, keeping the same design style throughout, trying to leave as much white space as I could, and thinking about utilizing the fewest necessary fonts.
The other principles I took into account were Mayer’s Coherence Principle (by avoiding extraneous, distracting material), the Signaling Principle (by using contrasting colours to draw attention to the information), and the Spatial Contiguity Principle (by ensuring that relevant text and visuals are situated close to one another).
Photo by THIS IS ZUN: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-forming-star-using-their-hands-1116302/
” How diverse is your PLN?“
My PLN is diverse because it includes academic, professional, and personal relationships made through formal learning, informal learning, and social networking. By studying in many countries and interacting with diverse individuals, I have been able to develop and expand my personal learning network (PLN). When I discover something new, I’m typically inquisitive, so I do some research, connect with individuals who are more knowledgeable than me, and learn from themâwhether it’s on social media platforms like Reddit, Discord, or Quora, or through friends. By doing this, I often meet more people or establish acquaintances that I can learn from.
“Are you learning from a variety of diverse voices and are you expanding your understanding of the views of others?”
As I indicated above, growing my personal learning network (PLN) enabled me to learn from a range of various voices and improve my understanding of other people’s points of view. Even though I have strong beliefs about some things, including religion, I don’t dispute or try to persuade people to agree with me. I frequently pay attention to and respect the opinions of others, and in order to fully understand them, I further explore their perspectives and views. I try to avoid posting anything on social media that would make someone uncomfortable or offended.
“What is a learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?”
My PLN has allowed me better access to a diverse range of educational resources and views relevant to the themes I was interested in. My PLN enabled me to learn more, engage more and improve.
I am ensuring my exposure to diversity and inclusion:
By expanding my PLN and establishing connections with diverse individuals from various backgrounds and fields of expertise.
Through having dialogues and chats with my networks in order to grow, learn more and expose to different viewpoints.
Through having an open mind and respecting other people’s opinions.
Through participating in events, forums and conferences on the topics I am interested in.
The teaching approach known as “direct instruction” focuses on lessons that are structured, sequenced, and led by teachers. The idea behind direct instruction is that precise instructions prevent misunderstandings, which can significantly improve and speed up the learning process. Although the direct instruction method is frequently employed in lectures in classrooms, it actually spans a wide range of essential teaching strategies and prospective teaching situations. For instance, showing a movie or film to pupils can qualify as direct teaching because the instructor chose the material’s content and method of presentation. Since teacher-designed and teacher-led instructional approaches are popular over the globe, direct instruction may be the most extensively utilized teaching strategy overall[1].
In comparison to any other existing programme or approach, DI guarantees students learn quicker and more effectively because to four key characteristics:
Instruction is matched to the ability level of the students.
The program’s layout is intended to guarantee content mastery.
Instruction is adjusted to fit the pace at which each student learns.
Before being published, programmes are field tested and revised.
Whether it is educating the PD patients or other people about Parkinson’s disease, direct instruction is the best approach to utilize. Direct instruction utilizes planned and structured teaching which can help people with Parkinson’s disease understand well to manage their medications–and thus their symptoms–more effectively. The DI technique takes into account each person’s aptitude level, guarantees the mastery of the content, and adapts instruction to each student’s pace of learning. Given the aforementioned reasons, including the strategy taking into account to guarantee that people learn more quickly and effectively, direct instruction is the method we chose and will be incorporated in our final Interactive Learning Design.
” Did any of the nodes or connections surprise you? “
Not at all considering, it is just the course of a specific week. I usually base my weekly learning network on the work and activities that I have, following the schedule that I have created for myself.
” Are some of your classes or courses more or less connected than others?”
I would day it depends, some courses need more connectivity and work at certain times. For instance, EDCI 339 needed more collaboration and work on the specific week that I have chosen. There was asynchronous discussion that needed back-and-forth interaction with the peers.
Reflection
I have selected this specific activity because I was curious to know how my learning network was mapped. I would say my learning network map would have been more interesting if I have done it over the course of a month, to see what i worked on the most and least. In my research, I have learned how to create the mapping and what tools to use. Learning about mapping was incredibly intriguing, and I’d like to apply it in the future.
” What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?”
Students utilize a variety of social media sites to expand their professional networks and develop relationships. The most popular platform and one with the largest user base is LinkedIn (740 million members)[1]. Students also use applications like Facebook, Twitter, and Discord frequently, which enable them to join groups and receive any support they need. My program urged students to use and take advantage of LinkedIn’s perks, that is why started using it.
” What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?“
There are number of ways that students could consider doing to expend their professional learning network:
1- Make cooperation the motivating principle. Working collaboratively is the foundation of PLNs. As a result of involvement and the sharing of pertinent knowledge and information, a person’s PLN inevitably grows. Through collaboration, student can come together and share their interests. A strong, trustworthy network is created through sincere interest. Think about how your suggestions could impact a lot of people. The ideal driving force behind creating a PLN is social responsibility.
2- Participate actively. A PLN’s primary asset is its brainpower. Take the time to choose a certain topic and express it on your profile. Grow your PLN by sharing what you know about a certain topic. Keep relevant in your field. Remain informed. Try to post once a week at the very least.
3- Webinars and Networking events. Attend webinars, online conferences, and presentations led by professionals in various fields. This platform offers a great chance to pick up new skills. Additionally, you’ll make connections with those that fundamentally share your goals.
” How do data privacy and security limit and/or promote a PLN?“
Data privacy and security is absolutily necasary for everyone. Without it, students run the danger of their personal information being accessed by online criminals, who might use it to conduct fraud, pretend to be the victim, blackmail the victim and their family, among other things. The majority of individuals would be reluctant to network and post their information online if there was no data privacy and security.
” In your network how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?“
I can create a digital identity and protect its reputation inside my network by selecting the online persona I wish to use to represent myself. As my online reputation depends on the people and sites I follow, the information I publish, like, or share, and the comments I leave, I’ll exercise caution and respect in all of these areas. As I disclose private information in my personal digital identities, I will keep my personal and professional personas separate while being careful and responsible for my actions. my online identity and reputation are shaped in much the same way as my real-life identity. However, when I’m online, I don’t always have the opportunity to clarify my tone or what I mean, so I’ll stop to think before I publish anything. Being responsible can help me avoid leaving an unpleasant digital trail of my identity.
An employer would discover that I am responsible, professional, and kind if they looked at my social media presence through the lens of my online persona. I stay away from controversial topics and don’t publish anything unethical.
” Describe the difference between equality and equity?”
Equity takes into account that each person has unique circumstances and distributes the precise resources and opportunities required to achieve an equal outcome as opposed to equality, which states that each person or group of people receives the same resources or opportunities. Please, see the picture below illustrating the concepts of equality and equity by the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI), Ottawa.
” Describe three design principles aimed at creating inclusive experiences?”
Inclusive design refers to processes for developing goods that comprehend and empower individuals from all backgrounds and abilities. Accessibility, age, culture, economics, education, gender, geography, language, and race may all be taken into account in inclusive design. More than merely increasing the number of users, the goal is to meet as many of their demands as feasible[1]. The three design principles aimed at creating inclusive experiences are the following:
Recognize Exclusion: Exclusion occurs when we apply our personal prejudices to problem-solving. Seek to find exclusions as a chance to develop original concepts and inclusive designs.
Solve for One, Extend to Many: When designing for persons with impairments, designs are produced that are beneficial to everyone.
Learn from Diversity: The real masters in adjusting to variety are people. At the very beginning of the process, inclusive design centres on individuals.
Reflection Question
“Have you used Text to Speech tools before? Did you find it useful? Did you try out some of the different voices? What impact did the different voices have on your ability to absorb information?”
I had never used Text to Speech technologies before, so it was quite thrilling for me to test them out for the first time. I truly enjoyed it because I was able to just focus on listening and comprehending what is being said. I tried a variety of voices, but none of them seemed to have a different impact on me because they were all clear and simple to understand.
The theory of behaviourism emphasizes the use of conditioning to modify behaviour. It focuses on promoting desirable or proper conduct through either positive or negative reinforcement and eradicating undesirable behaviour through punishment. It solely emphasizes actions that can be seen or measured. The investigation of feelings or motivations is excluded [1]. Schools typically employ this notion. For instance, attending courses was required when I was pursuing a finance degree in Jordan. A person will fail the course if they skip classes like 6 or 8, however, if they attend the majority of the classes, they will receive a participation mark. because the system is based on stimuli such as rewards and penalties, it reflects the theory of behaviourism.
According to cognitivism, learning occurs when a person processes the information and stimuli they are exposed to. Rather than automatically reacting to stimuli and responding via conditioning, learners consider and evaluate their reactions. The goal of learning is to perceive information, analyse it, store and retrieve it (in memory), and then use it (transfer). Students actively participate in the learning process, and teachers pay close attention to how students structure, arrange, and sequence material to promote efficient processing (learning)[2]. As an illustration, consider using discussion boards in the classroom to promote cooperation and a range of viewpoints. Students will need to employ their cognitive abilities to think, evaluate, process, and make sense of the prior knowledge and information they had.
Constructivism
According to the constructivism theory, learners create knowledge rather than merely absorbing it in a passive manner. People construct their own representations of the world when they interact with it and think back on previous interactions. They also incorporate new information into their prior knowledge[3]. Classroom debates are one example where students can refute arguments put forth by teachers, learning materials, or other students based on their prior knowledge and their current position.
A relatively recent learning theory called connectivism recognizes that technology plays a significant role in the learning process and that is always linked and provides us with the chance to choose how we will learn. It also encourages group cooperation and conversation, allowing for many opinions and perspectives when it comes to making decisions, solving problems, and making sense of information. Connectivism encourages learning that takes place outside of a person, such as through social media, internet networks, blogs, or information databases[4]. As an example, consider the blogs that students utilize in their EDCI classes to engage with one another by posting topics/blogs and having discussions.
Self Reflection
Photo by S Migaj: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-sitting-on-wooden-planks-across-the-lake-scenery-747964/
“why you chose this activity, how it aligned with your learning goals, and what you learned through the research that you completed?”
I chose this activity because I was interested in learning theories. It is my first time knowing that there are learning theories so I wanted to explore and learn. It definitely aligns with my learning goals as I have learned a new useful topic that will help me in my future learnings. through my research, I have learned that there are more effective ways to learn and retain knowledge besides the conventional method, which entails students working mostly on their own, repeating what they’ve already learned, and following strict lesson plans dictated by a textbook.
A specific topic’s inherent complexity, regardless of how it is presented, is referred to as its intrinsic cognitive load. Some tasks are more challenging to master than others. If they are more difficult, they can cause an intrinsic cognitive load. For instance, doing simple addition is significantly easier than tackling a hard calculus problem. as noted in the lecture material, completely eliminating intrinsic load is not good as difficult tasks have significant educational value. Simply put, educators should make sure to properly manage it by helping learners when educators develop multimedia learning resources. It is significant to remember that various individuals and situations may experience the same task’s intrinsic load differently. As a result, allowing students choice over their learning pace is a key tactic.
The three principles related to managing the intrinsic load.
the three principles related to managing intrinsic (or essential) load:
Segmenting: According to this theory, individuals retain information more effectively when it is provided in user-paced parts as opposed to everything at once in a multimedia message [1].
Pretraining: This theory suggests that individuals absorb a multimedia message more fully when they are familiar with the names and characteristics of the key topics [2].
Modality: According to the Modality Principle, spoken and visual information is better for human learning than written and visual information [3]. This is not to say that you should never utilize text on a screen; it just implies that learners will become overwhelmed if there are too many graphics and too much text.
Reflection Questions
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/abendstimmung-ball-shaped-clouds-dawn-220429/
“Provide an example of a multimedia learning principle you have intuitively followed in the past, and an example of a multimedia learning principle you have broken in the past. What will you do differently now?”
Pre-training principle is an example of a multimedia learning principle that I have formerly instinctively used. back in high school, I used to constantly read/skim ahead of the crucial subjects or classes, like biology or math. Before going to a class, I used to make sure that I was familiar with the content; this enabled me to comprehend more and ask questions throughout the lecture. Furthermore, in many aspects of life, I still apply the pre-training idea. For instance, before visiting a new place that I am unfamiliar with, I use Google Maps to research the area and become acquainted with it.
I have in the past violated the principle of segmentation in multimedia learning. For instance, when taking self-paced online courses, I used to take a lot of lectures for a long time of period without pausing. Due to this, I was unable to retain all of the knowledge I had acquired. To make sure I remember the material I learn, I now approach studying differently and take pauses.
“What did you notice about your learning when you listened to the Soundcloud by Howat? How was it different from reading an article?”
Because I was previously familiar with the subject, I realized that I grasped everything without any trouble. If it was a new topic, I wouldn’t just listen because English isn’t my first language, so I’d need to see it to fully comprehend and look up any words I didn’t know. Just hearing is really different from reading text because when I read, I may pause to look up new terms and clarify what I’m reading.
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-smartphone-icons-267350/
Digital identity is defined as a person’s presence online, it is everything that the person posts and shares on social media or the web which includes tweets, blogs, photos, interactions, videos and more. Our online identities are shaped by how we conduct ourselves and how others see us in both personal and professional contexts.
U of G library youtube video
Personal and professional approaches to digital identity, in my opinion, have different effects on how people use social media.
Personal: Social media is a way to engage with family and friends, regardless of their current location. It keeps the person connected with people they may have lost contact with otherwise. It makes sense to keep one’s personal social media accounts separate and private given that they are used to sharing content about one’s daily life, beliefs, religion and more, but it’s also important to understand the responsibilities that come with utilizing social media.
Professional: Social media is the person’s multi-media resume with endorsements. It gives the person a platform to connect with industry professionals, recruiters, and find job opportunities. When using social media professionally, users often behave very professionally and refrain from posting or discussing everything they want to.
Digital identities converge in networked publics differently. Personal identities may act inappropriately and utilize online communities to harass, disseminate misinformation, and troll individuals, whereas professional identities are often motivated by a fear of losing jobs if they act inappropriately. both usages have their own positive and negative impacts.
Photo by Janko Ferlic: https://www.pexels.com/photo/light-inside-library-590493/
” Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using each method described in this article: behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism?”
behaviourism: The theory of behaviourism emphasizes the use of conditioning to modify behaviour. It focuses on promoting desirable or proper conduct through either positive or negative reinforcement and eradicating undesirable behaviour through punishment. Throughout my finance degree in Jordan, I had a number of subjects where behaviourism was the teaching method. For example, attending classes was mandatory. If a student misses classes like 6 or more, they will fail the course; however, if they show up to the bulk of the courses, they will obtain a participation/ attendance grade. In my opinion, I believe that attendance should not be a requirement or behaviour that is punished. Some students prefer self-paced learning and only attend the class for crucial activities like completing quizzes, contributing to group projects, or just sitting for examinations as they are given.
Cognitivism: Cognitivism holds that learning happens when a subject analyses the data and stimuli that they are exposed to. Learners think and assess their reactions as opposed to automatically responding to stimuli and responding through conditioning. It encourages students to fully engage in the learning process so learning, thinking, and remembering gets easier. As opposed to Jordan, where the behaviourism learning theory was more prevalent, I have encountered this style (Cognitivism) of teaching and learning here in Canada. As a student studying health informatics, the majority of the classes require engagement to retain information. Students are encouraged to debate what is being taught, as well as to support and elaborate their ideas. Visualizations are used by professors to increase student comprehension and memory.
Constructivism: The constructivism idea holds that information is produced by students rather than passively absorbed. When they engage with the world, people create their own interpretations of it and reflect on earlier experiences. This teaching/learning method was not as popular in Jordan compared to here in Canada. Most of the classes in health informatics employ this theory and Cognitivism. Students, for instance, work mostly in groups, and knowledge acquisition is participatory and dynamic. The importance of teamwork, idea sharing, and social and communication skills is heavily stressed. Another way they employ this strategy is through research projects, where students study a subject and then present and discuss their results in class.
My belief is that the ideal technique to teach pupils so they remember the knowledge and information they acquire is a combination of constructivism and cognitivism. This is in contrast to the typical classroom where lessons are rigidly followed and are led by a textbook, students work mostly by themselves, and learning is accomplished via repetition, which causes students to forget what they have learned.
