How Simulations/Games May be Appropriate to Enhance Learning

A simulation is a model of a real-world system whereas games like PacMan and Jeopardy uses trivia and make-believe places that tend to not use real-life aspects (Clark & Mayer, 2011).  Simulations allow the student to be dropped into a world that they may use after being out of the educational environment.  It provides them with real-life scenarios to think about before they are involved in the environment permanently.  This storyboard uses a simulation-type tactic that provides a real-life scenario to teach the student how to react when they are in a real situation.  This real-life scenario allows the student to be able to be prepared and engage in what could happen in the technology field of the everyday life at work and on a personal level.  Real-life scenarios allow the students to get involved, collaborate, and share their own ideas on how they would accomplish the subject/issue at hand by discussing amongst each other and handling a variety of issues as they arise.  The scenario that the storyboard provides is having the student think about what it would be like to help someone (you do not know) with a basic computer operational task -- such as sending an Email.  They are asked to explain their chosen task, write a dialog of what could arise when trying to complete this task, and collaborate with other students to see if their steps are easy to follow while taking suggestions on how to make their steps more clear.  They are to submit a detailed dialog as well as include a list of questions that could arise while completing the task as well as proper answers to the questions.

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction:
          Proven guidelines for consumer and designer of multimedia learning          
           (3rd ed.) San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Applied Research-Based Guidelines that Enhance Learning

This story board has applied research-based guidelines to enhance learning as per recommended by Clark and Mayer (2011).  The main idea of this storyboard is to allow the learner to progress at their own pace by going forwards, backwards, and pausing on one specific slide.  Clark and Mayer (2011) stated that the learner needs time to process in text on the screen by using forms like directions (Modality Principle).  This storyboard does just that by allowing the student to read the directions on how to turn on a computer.  They can take as much time as they need for the step-by-step process that also includes photos.  These photos are contained together and do not allow separation of visuals and text that describes the visuals - Contiguity Principle (Clark & Mayer, 2011).  The storyboard provides a relevant video that talked about how computers came about to benefit the Coherence Principle; it also teaches important concepts and facts before the learner dives into new material - Pretraining Principle.  The best part about this storyboard is that it breaks down the content into small chunks that can be accessed at the learner’s learning rate – Segmentation Principle.  The last principle the storyboard provides is the explanatory feedback through the rubric for the Feedback Principle.  This feedback avoids negative comments to direct attention to the student rather than the task.

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction:
          Proven guidelines for consumer and designer of multimedia learning          
           (3rd ed.) San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

Included E-learning Principles that Promotes Critical Thinking Skills

E-learning is known as either a self-study or an instructor-led educational format (Clark & Mayer, 2011).  Critical thinking is known as the process of actively applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information generated by observation, experience, reflection, and reasoning.  A critical thinker needs instruction on what is involved while learning, interesting content to learn, and needs the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned.  Some e-learning principles used in the Computer operation: Basic Knowledge storyboard that use critical thinking skills are known as segmentation, pretraining, learner controlled, contiguity, and feedback.  By using these principles in this storyboard, it allows the student to think about what they are learning and how they can use the knowledge they’ve gained to complete every day activities.  The storyboard used segmenting by breaking lesson up into manageable segments to allow the student to focus on one thing to not cause cognitive overload.  Pretraining principle in this storyboard involved a video that described how computers began their history.  This allowed students to become familiar with the subject without diving into hands on learning.  This video also allows the learner to control their learning.  When graphics and corresponding text is used, it allows the student to make reference to one another to gain knew knowledge; this is known as the contiguity principle and this storyboard uses a flowchart to show the proper steps of turning on a computer.  Lastly, feedback allows the student to grow in the instructed subject due to the communication with the instructor that instructs them on what is right and what is wrong.  This storyboard uses a rubric to quickly give the student proper feedback before they begin the project.

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction:
          Proven guidelines for consumer and designer of multimedia learning          
           (3rd ed.) San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.