One of my graduate courses required a group project as part of a block about the Learning Design Studio. Our project developed a Google Site for our work. This is a copy of my contributions to the group effort, reformatted for this website. The project starts here.
The challenge
This page defines our project’s design challenge and our proposed solution.
Challenge
Given the tensions and commonalities mentioned below: Our learning task would need to be highly versatile and accessible from around the world, whilst involving a local commonality in our variety of locations. It would need to cater for a variety of interest and academic levels, and ideally be low cost. The learning experience would need to meet differing expectations, from novice users, to those who would like to learn more.
Our learners may have these differences:
- Learning preferences: All but one user is comfortable with a lower level of technical detail, and an enhanced ‘experience’ (i.e. engagement with artefacts).
- Engagement with others: Some users would prefer a private learning environment, others would like to engage in a community.
- Technology: Users possess different skill levels. A variety of operating systems (including mobile, tablet, desktop).
- Financial: Some users are financially conscious, whilst one is willing to pay for quality.
- Ages: All adults, but for one child.
- Locations: Our users cannot meet at a common location.
- Formal education/work: Our users all have different backgrounds and levels of education.
Our learners may have these things in common:
- Time allowance: Two users specified a preference for a concentrated learning experience.
- Location: All have access to local aviation museums.
- Interests: Two users have an interest in historical studies.
- Technology: All have web access.
Solution
- Our chosen local aviation museums (in the UK, Texas, and Japan) will be modelled onto Second Life in a new purchased ‘plot’.
- The virtual space will comprise of:
- A virtual replica of our local museums (in partnership with these museums), which will require the newly supported Oculus Rift to enter and only be opened to selected visitors.
- An open area, leveraging the ‘power of open,’ which will encourage aviation enthusiasts to create new spaces and artefacts open for the community.
- The activity for users will centre around badges. As our personas are of a variety of ages, educational backgrounds, and levels of enthusiasm in the subject area, tasks for badges will cater for a variety of levels.
Next: Preliminary research