Thesis Outline Expanded

• Introduction

Information technology and social networks are transforming practically all the aspects of the world we live in including interactive design and education. As Edwin Schlossberg, author of Interactive Excellence: Defining and Developing New Standards for the Twenty-first Century, said, “True interactivity is not about clicking on icons or downloading files, it’s about encouraging communication” (Schlossberg 1998). We live in an era of communication; thanks to the boom of social media and the advancements of technology learning has moved from the classroom to an online environment.

An online learning environment allows learners to get an education that work with their busy schedules. Online learning allows learners to connect from any place in the world and learn something new. But are online learners taking advantages of the full learning experience? Has the transition from the classroom into online environment effectively replicate all the important aspects of learning?

A proven beneficial aspect of the learning process is the ability to learn from your peers without the pressures of a teacher-student interaction. The concept of collaborative learning, the grouping and pairing of students for the purpose of achieving an academic goal, has been widely researched and advocated throughout the professional literature. The term “collaborative or peer-to-peer learning” refers to an instruction method in which students at various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. The students are responsible for one another’s learning as well as their own. The shared learning gives students an opportunity to engage in discussion, take responsibility for their own learning, and thus become critical thinkers (Totten, Sills, Digby, & Russ, 1991).

• Thesis statement/Abstract:

  Invisible interfaces can be used to create effective peer-to-peer learning in an online environment by facilitating “learning by doing” while also building social interaction.

  Peer to peer learning is not well supported in e-learning environments. Collaboration in virtual learning communities characterizes itself by heavily relying on interaction among the collaborators (Edwards, 2002; Biström, 2005). The collaborators can be instructors and learners, the interaction can be resources discovery, access, and sharing, as well as group communication and discussion, or simply any collaboration which has occurred among the instructors and learners. Nevertheless, such a collaboration environment is generally not supported by conventional learning environments. Typical learning services for collaboration in virtual learning communities are content, access of certain learning subjects; making studying notes and annotation on learning subjects; group discussion, brainstorming for knowledge creation and sharing.

  Peer-to-peer learning is characterized by providing intuitive ways for matching the learners needs with the most suitable collaborator. Factor like content, resources, time and place are taking into account to provide the best suitable match (Ogata, & Yano, 2004; Zhang, Jin, & Lin, 2005; Takahata, et. al., 2004). One of the main problems when trying to transfer peer-to-peer learning from a conventional environment to an online environment is the increment in the cognitive load. Users must first learn the interface which requires a greater investment of time in their end. Invisible interfaces are a powerful tool for observational learning because the interface appears only when needed reducing the cognitive load, reducing the investment required to learn the application, and making it easier for the user to focus on the task at hand. In this thesis, I will create a tutorial like peer-to-peer application with an invisible interface following Mark Lepper’s four Instructional Design Principles for Intrinsic Motivation: control, challenge, curiosity and contextualization (“The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education”, Klapp). In addition to Johnson & Johnson promotive interaction for developing effective peer-to-peer applications.

• Problem: Effectively creating peer-to-peer learning in an online environment.

Steward Ehly in his book Peer-Assisted Leaning defines peer-to-peer learning as “the acquisition of knowledge and skill through active helping and supporting among status equals or matched companions” (Ehly, 1). If we analyze this definition in an online education environment we could see that the current tools available do not allow this acquisition of knowledge to occur since it will need at least two parties to active participate through the whole process. Current online education environments offer discussions boards, forums and blogs among other tools of one way communication. For example: when an online student creates a post in a discussion post there is not immediate interaction; the interaction is created when another student post a response.

But as current peer-to-peer learning application show this acquisition of knowledge can occur without a ‘real’ peer in the other side. Computer based learning application are revolutionizing the education world.

• Characteristic of effective peer-to-peer learning in conventional environments
• Problems of current online implementations

  There are several peer-to-peer learning systems out there. KHAN Academy is a well know example of the peer-to-peer systems that exist. But in why way my approach is different interface and reaction. I personally tried one of the exercises and was stuck for a long time without being able to get out of the system or get hints until the view solution button appeared. Systems like Code Academy are a little more advance. In Code Academy the feedback is a little better, but its missing that hand holding value. The characteristics that Murray’s describe can be implemented in invisible interfaces to create effective peer-to-peer learning.

1. Solution
   • Why peer-to-peer learning works

     In the case of peer tutoring, a recent review identified 28 previous reviews and meta-analyses of evaluation research (Topping, 1992). Sharpley and Sharpley (1981) and Cohen, Kulik, and Kulik (1982) found strong evidence of cognitive gains for tutees and tutors and some evidence for improved attitudes and self-image (which are, of course, more difficult to measure). They also found that training improved outcomes, structured procedures improved outcomes, and that same-age tutoring was as effective as cross-age tutoring. (Ehly, 3).

   • Murrad & Leppard’s theories on peer-to-peer learning

     Cognitive Apprenticeship

     A cognitive apprenticeship supports learning in a domain by enabling students to acquire, develop, and use cognitive tools in an authentic activity. Cognitive apprenticeship methods try to enculturate students into authentic practices through activity and social interaction in a way similar to craft apprenticeship.

     Similar to a traditional apprenticeship, a learner works under a teacher who models the behavior in a real-world context as well as explains the thought processes and actions behind those behaviors. As the cognitive apprentice listens, observes, and models those same behaviors, he or she identifies the relevant behaviors and develops a conceptual model of the processes involved. The apprentice is then given an opportunity to rehearse those behaviors and obtain feedback from the teacher, who provides coaching, tips, and pointers. The idea is that the apprentice learns to solve problems in the context that produced them. (Murrad, 33).

   • Lepper Instructional Design Theories

     Mark Lepper, a researcher from Stanford University, proposed a series of design principles for promoting intrinsic motivation in instructional activities to avoid having to rely on extrinsic motivational techniques. Lepper lists four principles:

     • Control - Provide learners with a sense of control over the learning activity

• Challenge – Create an activity that is continually challenging to learners.
• Curiosity: Appeal to the learners’ sense of curiosity.

• Contextualization: Use an authentic context and environment to stress the utilitarianism of the learning.

• Johnson & Johnson’s approach to peer-to-peer online-learning
• Advantages of combining Murrad and Johnson’s approaches.
• Approachable and have insights into learning difficulties.
• Master of the subject may have difficulties seeing the novices’s obstacles.
• They call for independent preparation and critical thinking.
• Immediate feedback
1. Project introduction (overview)
   • Definition of peer-to-peer learning
   • Describe how peer-to-peer learning works

2. History of peer-to-peer learning

3. Piaget Views
4. Vygotsky Views
5. Bruner Views
6. Rogoff Views

7. Current trends

8. Peer-to-peer Education
9. Peer-to-peer Monitoring
10. Peer-to-peer Assessment
11. Invisible interface design: definition and usability in peer-to-peer learning
12. The role of social interaction in peer-to-peer learning

13. Project description (details)

14. How a combination of peer-to-peer education, monitoring and assessment can help establish efficient peer-to-peer learning
15. Invisible interfaces & peer-to-peer learning, implementation to fit this approach.
16. Build collaborative knowing knowledge building or knowledge creation.
17. Learners need to be able to think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions as a team.
18. Keys to effective Learning effective in Online Learning Environments based on Leppard’s theories
    • Encourage Participation
    • Maintaining Social Grounding
    • Support Active Learning Conversation
    • Support Promotive Interaction

19. Reception of your project

20. Feedback.
21. Areas of improvement (if any)

22. Conclusion

23. Verify that the goals have been achieved.
24. Verify implementation of Johnson & Johnson Approach
25. Verify implementation of keys to efficient online peer-to-peer applications

Thesis Outline

1. Introduction

   • Thesis statement:

     Invisible interfaces can be used to create effective peer-to-peer learning in an online environment by facilitating “learning by doing” while also building social interaction.

   • Problem: Effectively creating peer-to-peer learning in an online environment.
     • Characteristic of effective peer-to-peer learningin conventional environments
     • Problems of current online implementations
   • Solution
     • Why peer-to-peer learning works
     • Murrad & Leppard’s theories on peer-to-peer learning
     • Johnson & Johnson approach to peer-to-peer online-learning
     • Advantages of combining Murrad and Johnson’s approaches.
   • Project introduction (overview)
     • Definition of peer-to-peer learning
     • Describe how peer-to-peer learning works

2. History of peer-to-peer learning

   • Piaget Views
   • Vygotsky Views
   • Bruner Views
   • Rogoff Views

3. Current trends

   • Peer-to-peer Education
   • Peer-to-peer Monitoring
   • Peer-to-peer Assestment
   • Invisible interface design: definition and usability in peer-to-peer learning
   • The roal of social interaction in peer-to-peer learning

4. Project description (details)

   • How a combination of peer-to-peer education, monitoring and assestment can help establish efficient peer-to-peer learning
   • Invisible interfaces & peer-to-peer learning, implementation to fit this approach.
   • Build collaborative knowing knowledge building or knowledge creation.
   • Learners need to be able to think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions as a team.
   • Keys to effective Learning effective in Online Learning Environments based on Leppard’s theories
     • Encourage Participation
     • Maintaining Social Grounding
     • Support Active Learning Conversation
     • Support Promotive Interaction

5. Reception of your project

   • Feedback.
   • Areas of improvement (if any)

6. Conclusion

   • Verify that hte goals have been achieved.
   • Verify implementeation of Johnson & Johnson Approach
   • Verify implementation of keys to efficient online peer-to-peer applications

7. Quotes

   • “The students are responsible for one another’s learning as well as their own. The shared learning gives students an opportunity to engage in discussion, take responsibility for their own learning, and thus become critical thinkers” (Totten, Sills, Digby, & Russ, 1991).
   • “Robert Bandura in the late 1970s articulated the concept of social learning theory as a method by which individuals learn from one another in the context of a social situation through observation. Social learning theory is based on the premise that observation and imitation lead to learned behavior. Research in this area indicates that, indeed, human social model scan be effective in influencing another person to change behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes, as well as social and cognitive functioning”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).
   • “Another method of looking at motivating learners was proposed by Mark Lepper, a researcher from Stanford University, who proposed a series of design principles for promoting intrinsic motivation in instructional activities to avoid having to rely on extrinsic motivational techniques”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).
   • “A cognitive apprenticeship supports learning in a domain by enabling students to acquire, develop, and use cognitive tools in an authentic activity”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).
   • “Games can better appeal to the human need for social interaction when players have a stronger sense of one another’s presence”(Common Motivation, Ferrera).

Bibliography

Dillenbourg P. (1999) What do you mean by collaborative learning?. In P. Dillenbourg (Ed) Collaborative-learning: Cognitive and Computational Approaches. (pp.1-19). Oxford: Elsevier

Ferrera, John. Playful Design. Rosenfeld Media. May 16,2012.

Kapp, Karl. The Gamification of Learning and Instruction:

Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Pfeiffer. May 1,2012.

Sanders, Mark. “Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking.” Journal of Technology Education 7.1 (1995): n. pag. Virgina Tech Digital Library and Articles. Web. 22 Aug. 2012.

Schlossberg, Edwin. Interactive Excellence: Defining and Developing New Standards for the Twenty-first Century.Ballantine Books, 1998.

Stewart, Ehly, and Keith Topping. Peer-assisted Learning. London: LEA, 2009. Print.

Rogers Yvonne, Sharp Helen, Preece Jenny. INTERACTION DESIGN: beyond human-computer interaction. John Wiley & Sons. Jun. 21,2011.

Yang, S. J. H. (2006). Context Aware Ubiquitous Learning Environments for Peer-to-Peer Collaborative Learning. Educational Technology & Society, 9 (1), 188-201.

Thesis Abstract

Interactions with social media can provide more to a site than just spreading information and attracting new visitors. The established communication can be utilized beyond user engagement. The inclusion of social media tools in game-based learning applications can allow us to create more intuitive interfaces that help the learning process.

The user model, a preconceived representation of the user, is obsolete the “typical” user doesn’t exist. The user model should be replaced with observation of the user situated in an environment of use. Invisible interfaces are a powerful for tool for observational learning because the interface appears only when needed reducing the cognitive load, reducing the investment required to learn the application, and making it easier for the user to focus on the task at hand.

In this thesis, I will create a game-based learning application with an invisible interface following Mark Lepper’s instructional design principles for intrinsic motivation. The game interface will begin only with the fundamentals and evolve and adapt along side the user. The invisible interface will allow the user to have control over their own learning process, while the inclusion of social media will allow the learners to create social interaction and learn from their mistakes.

Thesis Outline

1. Introduction
   1. Thesis statement:

The “typical” user of a system does not exist; simple classification schemes based on stereotypes are inadequate because they become dependent on a particular context rather than applying to users globally (Fischer). In this thesis, I will create invisible interfaces for observational learning for games-based learning application. Incorporation of social media tools build social interaction; allowing learners to become more aware of their own learning process, encouraging them to take ownership of learning and then apply it to their jobs.

2. Problem: The stereotype user model, a preconceived representation of the user, is obsolete the “typical” user doesn’t exist.

• Learning application that follow a user model need an internal representation of the user to foresee their needs.
• Stereotype based user models are based on statistics and do not take into account that personal attributes may not match the stereotype.

3. Solution: The user model should be replaced with observation of the user situated in an environment of use. Game-based learning application will use an invisible interface that can be changed not to how each user wants it, but to how each user needs it. By incorporating social media tools the application allows learners to become more aware of their own learning process, encouraging them to take ownership of learning and then apply it to their jobs.

4. Project introduction (overview)

The user model, a preconceived representation of the user, is obsolete the “typical” user doesn’t exist. The user model should be replaced with observation of the user situated in an environment of use. Invisible interfaces are a powerful for tool for observational learning because the interface appears only when needed reducing the cognitive load, reducing the investment required to learn the application, and making it easier for the user to focus on the task at hand. The game interface will begin only with the fundamentals and evolve and adapt along side the user. The invisible interface will allow the user to have control over their own learning process, while the inclusion of social media will allow the learners to create social interaction and learn from their mistakes.

1. History of user-centered design & game design
   
   1. Predecessor of user-centered design
   2. User-centered design advantages.
   3. Game design theories
   4. Game-based learning applications.
2. Current trends
   
   1. Invisible interface design.
   2. Inclusion of social tools in game-based learning applications.
3. Project description (details)
   Solutions to immediate problem
   1. Invisible interfaces allow user to learn from their mistakes. They don’t overwhelm the user with unnecessary tools. They provide a basic interface that grows with the user and accommodates to their needs.
5. Relevant processes (extra information such as survey questions and polls might be more appropriate as an added addendum)
6. A user-center approach for game-based learning application provide learners with a skill-set based on an aware program that motivates the learner to continue the learning process.

• Reception of your project
  
  1. Shortcomings of user models allow visible interfaces to be a powerful tool for game-based learning applications.
  2. The world has gone social. Social learning can help learners become aware of their learning process.
• Conclusion
  Quotes“Robert Bandura in the late 1970s articulated the concept of social learning theory as a method by which individuals learn from one another in the context of a social situation through observation. Social learning theory is based on the premise that observation and imitation lead to learned behavior. Research in this area indicates that, indeed, human social model scan be effective in influencing another person to change behaviors, beliefs, or attitudes, as well as social and cognitive functioning”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).“Another method of looking at motivating learners was proposed by Mark Lepper, a researcher from Stanford University, who proposed a series of design principles for promoting intrinsic motivation in instructional activities to avoid having to rely on extrinsic motivational techniques”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).“A cognitive apprenticeship supports learning in a domain by enabling students to acquire, develop, and use cognitive tools in an authentic activity”(Theories Behind Gamification, Kapp).“Games can better appeal to the human need for social interaction when players have a stronger sense of one another’s presence”(Common Motivation, Ferrera).
  1. Highly effective interface is one that can be changed not to how each user wants it, but to how each user needs it. Game-based learning application will benefit from keeping up with the learner skill-set and adapting to their needs.
  2. Social media tools build social interaction by allowing the learners to share with their knowledge with others through FaceOff providing user with a sense of community and satisfying their social needs.
• Bibliography

Facebook Demographics Revisited. Ken Burbary. March 7, 2011. http://www.kenburbary.com/2011/03/facebook-demographics-revisited-2011-statistics-2/

Ferrera, John. Playful Design. Rosenfeld Media. May 16,2012.

Google, “An Update to Google Social Search.” Last modified 2011 17,02.http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/update-to-google-social-search.html.

Kapp, Karl. The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. Pfeiffer. May 1,2012.

Schlossberg, Edwin. Interactive Excellence: Defining and Developing New Standards for the Twenty-first Century.Ballantine Books, 1998.

Rogers Yvonne, Sharp Helen, Preece Jenny. INTERACTION DESIGN: beyond human-computer interaction. John Wiley & Sons. Jun. 21,2011.