by Jenny C. N. Tai

1. AN INSTRUCTIONAL-DESIGN THEORY GUIDEfor producing effective self-learning multimedia programsfor training adult learners in the Hang Seng Bank by Jenny C. N. Tai

2. Since 1997… TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM training courses MULTIMEDIAtraining programs BACKGROUNDof the Study > 30 multimedia programs (Mutual Funds, Securities,Life Insurance and Mandatory Provident Funds, etc)

3. Instructional-design Visual and audio elements System programming SUBJECT EXPERTS GRAPHIC DESIGNER PROGRAMMER BACKGROUNDof the Study

4. Examination: • - learners’ understanding of the concept and knowledge - retention and application of the learnt knowledge to new situations • Learning results : • unsatisfactory • Improvements: • assumptions and verbal feedback BACKGROUNDof the Study

5. Knowledge of the Instructional Designers • not properly trained • lacked an understanding on • the ways adults learn best • the best use of multimedia as training tool • Individual Differences of the Adult Learners • target learners • different positions • different academic background • different life experiences • 40% failed in the examinations, some of the others got very high scores Problems to be Addressed Design of the self-learning multimedia programs:

6. Develop aninstructional-design theory guide: • Knowledge of the Instructional Designers • Individual Differences of the Adult Learners Purpose of the research providing a systematic method for the instructional designers to design instructions providing suggestions for designing instructions that could facilitate different styles of learners

7. Researchquestions ? (a) What are the learning styles of the adult learners who can achieve and those who cannot achieve expected learning outcomes after studying the self-learning multimedia programs? • (b) How does the instructional design of the existing self-learning multimedia programs facilitate those who can achieve expected learning outcomes to learn? • (c) What are the learning difficulties of those who cannot achieve expected learning outcomes after the learning process? (d) What kinds of instructional design will facilitate them to learn better?

8. Gagné’s instructional-design theory Foundation for the development of the instructional-design theory guide Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model Importance of learning style in the instructional-design Literaturereview

9. doing things, solvingproblemintuitively, applying their learning in real life situations (practice the skills learnt, new experiences) imaginative ability, generating ideas, seeing things from different perspectives (time, reflection, expert interpretation and guidance) concise and logical (case studies and theory readings) practical application, hypo-deductive reasoning,problem solving (feedback, activities that apply skills and self-directed learning mode ) Literaturereview Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model

10. Gagné’s instructional-design theory Foundation for the development of the instructional-design theory guide Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model Importance of learning style in the instructional-design An understanding on how to facilitate adult learners in their learning Knowles’s adult learning theory: Andragogy Literaturereview The Kolb Learning Style Inventory(investigate the learning styles of the adult learners)

11. Phase 2a Investigate the extent to which the instructional designof the existing self-learning multimedia program achieved in facilitating the adult learnersto learn Informants: n=6 adult learners who received high scores in the examinations Phase 2b Examine thelearning difficulties of the adult learners and what kinds of instructional design could be used in theself-learning multimedia programs to facilitate them to learn better Informants: n=6 adult learners who failed in the examinations Instructional-design theory guide derived from the analysis of the results from phase 1, 2a and 2b that respond to the research questions Phase 3 Evaluate the readability of the newly developed instructional-design theory guideInformants: n=6 Instructional designerswith experience in writing instructions for the self-learning multimedia programs and novice instructional designers Methodology A small-scaled research and development process. Phase 1 Identify the learning styles of the adult learners Informants: n=120 adult learners who received high scores and those who failedin the examinations

12. }60 20 to 29 age-group20 30 to 39 age-group20 40 to 49 age-group20 Kolb Learning Style Inventory 20 to 29 age-group20 30 to 39 age-group20 40 to 49 age-group20 }60 Kolb Learning Style Inventory Results Phase 1 High scores in the examinations Failed in the examinations

13. Results Distribution of learning styles among the sample group of informants who received high scores in the examinations

14. Results Distribution of learning styles among the sample group of informants who failed in the examinations

15. }6 6{ Individual interviews }6 6{ Results Phase 2b Adult learners who failed in the exam. CONVERGERS 20 to 29 age-group2 30 to 39 age-group2 40 to 49 age-group2 Phase 2a Adult learners who received high scores in the exam. DIVERGERS 20 to 29 age-group2 30 to 39 age-group2 40 to 49 age-group2 (14 open-ended questions derived from Knowles’s six principles of adult learning & Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction ) ASSIMILATORS 20 to 29 age-group2 30 to 39 age-group2 40 to 49 age-group2 ACCOMMODATORS 20 to 29 age-group2 30 to 39 age-group2 40 to 49 age-group2

16. Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction • Gaining attention • Informing learners of the objective • Stimulating recall of prior learning • Presenting the stimulus • Providing “learning guidance” • Eliciting performance • Providing feedback • Assessing performance • Enhancing retention and transfer Results Phase 2a Adult learners who received high scores in the examinations Divergers Assimilators Phase 2b Adult learners who failed in the examinations Convergers Accommodators Findings in their learning difficulties and ways to overcome Findings in how the instructional design of the existing program facilitated them to learn

17. Results Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction Phase 2a Adult learners who received high scores in the examinations DivergersAssimilators dynamic graphics, audio effects, animations & interactive messages • Gaining attention clearprograminstructions specifying the learning outcome • Informing learners of the objective recap of previously learnt knowledge, differentiation of the new topic and the previously learnt topics • Stimulating recall of prior learning lively animations effect motivated them to learn, case studies and exercise engaged them in the learning process • Presenting the stimulus probing questions, detailed theories, introductory section, user-friendly interface design, self-directed learning mode and study progress • Providing “learning guidance” exercise after every topic to assess the learner’s knowledge and to correct their misconceptions • Eliciting performance immediate feedback with good logical explanations and detailed information for reflection • Providing feedback assessments covering all the topics in order to indicate learners’ mastery of knowledge • Assessing performance logical explanations, hypothetic context, summaries of learned topics enhanced retention • Enhancing retention and transfer

18. Results Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction Phase 2b Adult learners who failed in the examinations ConvergersAccommodators different visual and audio elements, mixture of the use of diagrams, graphics and narration to present the content • Gaining attention clear program instructions specifying the learning outcome • Informing learners of the objective failed to: take account of their different levels of prior knowledge and experience solutions: - sufficient and detailed instructions which are simple and easy to understand - a glossary which contains explanations for all the terms mentioned in the program • Stimulating recall of prior learning • Presenting the stimulus failed to: - sufficient multimedia elements to facilitate the learners to learn - enough exercises that were in alternative situations solutions: - more varieties of graphics, narration, and animations to enhance understanding and encourage the participation of the learners - more exercises in other context to motivate them in the learning process.

19. Results Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction Phase 2b Adult learners who failed in the examinations ConvergersAccommodators failed to: - offer enough examples to demonstrate how the complex concepts could be practically applied to different circumstances - give enough hints to guide them to think and figure out the answers to some difficult questions - let them search for a designated topic within so many pages on screen to have revision Solutions: - substantial localized examples in real life context - options for hints - topics and subtopics arranged in systematic structure and learning sequences - search function and indication on screen showing the location of the learner • Providing “learning guidance” failed to: - diversify the varieties and level of difficulty of the exercises for them to demonstrate the newly learnt capability Solutions: - exercises with different levels of difficulty and formats to assess the learner’s integrated understanding of different topics. • Eliciting performance

20. Results Gagné’s nine Events of Instruction Phase 2b Adult learners who failed in the examinations ConvergersAccommodators failed to: - offer direct and explicit messages to inform them whether they have got the right answer or not and why they were wrong solutions: - explicit messages on screen, explanations on both the correct and incorrect response • Providing feedback failed to: - offer assessments that induce their critical thinking because the assessment questions were too simple and direct in compare to those in the examination - let them identify which part of the program they were weak in by showing only the overall scores after the assessment. Solutions: - assessment in different level of difficulty to induce different degree of critical thinking - assessment result in details showing the mastery of knowledge in different topics and the topics that the individual learners are weak in. • Assessing performance failed to: - enough exercises for applying learnt knowledge to real life situations Solutions: - plenty of learning activities in real life Hong Kong context • Enhancing retention and transfer

21. }6 Experienced instructional designers3 Novice instructional designers3 Main Ideas Vocabulary Concepts Related Ideas Referents Audience HIGH READABILITY Results Phase 3 The Marshall’s Readability Checklist

22. Instructional-design New self-learning multimedia program Studythe new program Observe the examination results Newly developed Instructional- design Theory Guide Possible research questions for this continuing research: (1) Does the instructional-design theory guide provide enough guidance for the instructional designers to write instructions for production the new program? (2) Do all the four styles of learners achieve expected learning outcome after studying the new self-learning multimedia program? (3) Does the new program facilitate all the styles of learners in all the nine Events of Instruction? Further Research

23. Thank You