Basis of the project
The aesthetics of perception has always fascinated me, especially with regards to how people experience the world and how they connect with the environment around them. According to Howes and Classen (2014):
Each of the senses has its own particular characteristics. Touch is intimate and reciprocal…sight, by contrast, operates at a distance and
requires no physical interaction…sound, in turn, is dynamic. We can see things that are completely still but when we hear something,
we know an activity is taking place. There are no still sounds. These different characteristics affect how the senses are used and ascribed
meanings in different cultures (p. 8).
I spent the last few years working with university students and one of them had a hearing impairment. However, that did not stop him from enjoying music and he told me he wanted to be a DJ in the future. When the music came on, he would place his hand on the speaker and enjoy the rhythm through its vibrations. Cox (2017) studied the impact of environmental spatiality on informal learning, he emphasized the importance of engaging the body in the learning process. He found that participants were more mentally engaged in a highly variable sensory space and even though privacy and distraction played a major part in the experience, their individual preferences helped them picked a space where they felt comfortable about what they were seeing and how they were seen (p. 1084). The multi-sensory aspect of his experimental environment had an impressionable effect on how the students utilized the space because they involved their bodies in setting up their learning spaces. This simple act showed that physicality has a part to play in enhancing the meaning-making process.
I recognize that some issues may arise when there are multi-sensory inputs occurring at the same time, because the brain may prioritize on sense over another. Hecht and Reiner (2008) showed that majority of the individuals in their study tended to focus on visual stimuli when they were presented together with auditory and tactile cues (p. 311). That is why learners should have the agency the choose how they want to take in particular information without having multiple forms of stimuli thrown at them. Of course, some sensory modalities may complement another but for the purpose of this project, I would like to focus on individual senses. Gorjian, Hayati and Barazandeh's (2012) study showed that young students learned English more easily if they participated in more visual and tactile activities. Even though it took them a longer time to get used to kinesthetic methods of teaching (because it was somewhat novel to them), results showed that they eventually found their learning experiences pleasurable with the inclusion of tactile modalities. Vannini, Waskul and Gottschalk (2012) eloquently explained:
Sensations act when others bring them into conscious reflexive awareness and/or affectivity and respond by manipulating their
environment…sensations always have performative potential, but such potential is only actualized through somatic work (p. 129).
After looking through educational policies related to accessible learning and instructional design strategies used in some Canadian provinces, I could not find concrete examples of how institutions could focus on sensory modalities to make learning more enjoyable for students. I was also surprised to learn that most institutions require students and/or their parents to apply for learning support resources. I understand why electronic assistive devices have to be signed out but the process just to get extra educational support may serve as a deterrent to students. There is significant material on accessibility and the rights of every student to get equal opportunity to learn, but it is often exclusive to a specific group of learners. That is why I decided to embark on this endeavour - to see if creating an easy-to-follow learning support guide that focuses on sensory experiences would improve a learner's educational venture and could be adapted to each learner's preferences and abilities.
The goal of this project was to see if I could create something that gives the student more agency with regards to how they process and take in knowledge, so their perceptions of learning would be gratifying. At the same time, the hope is that the potential product would not have high financial costs, increase accessibility and can continually be revised and improved based on technological advancements and resource availability. I created a list of criteria and design concepts that are simplified and based on the combined learning concepts addressed in Vygotsky and Bloom's theories, with an overarching reference to elements from the SAMR, SECTIONS and ADDIE models. I addressed the advantages and disadvantages of each theory and model in the other pages of this webpage, but the overall conclusion is that all of them have strengths that serve to supplement the weaknesses of the others. These criteria are meant to simplify the studying process for learners and open up teaching method possibilities for educators. The design of this product should allow learners to create their own experiences that is specific to their learning preferences and affinity to specific sensations.
Base Criteria for Design Concepts
All the design options should be able to answer the questions below.
Accessibility for learners:
Acknowledging Issues
With regards to potential learner-related problems that could arise, these resource designs are not yet suitable for all ages. The target ages are 9 years old to mature learners and should not be used by unsupervised students between the 3 to 8 years old. I did not include any research related to the capabilities of children belonging to different age groups so its efficiency may change depending on how the designs are implemented. The designs do not specify how they can be modified for learners with exceptionalities, but the first expectation is that the application would have a simplified layout for screen readers.
The aesthetics of perception has always fascinated me, especially with regards to how people experience the world and how they connect with the environment around them. According to Howes and Classen (2014):
Each of the senses has its own particular characteristics. Touch is intimate and reciprocal…sight, by contrast, operates at a distance and
requires no physical interaction…sound, in turn, is dynamic. We can see things that are completely still but when we hear something,
we know an activity is taking place. There are no still sounds. These different characteristics affect how the senses are used and ascribed
meanings in different cultures (p. 8).
I spent the last few years working with university students and one of them had a hearing impairment. However, that did not stop him from enjoying music and he told me he wanted to be a DJ in the future. When the music came on, he would place his hand on the speaker and enjoy the rhythm through its vibrations. Cox (2017) studied the impact of environmental spatiality on informal learning, he emphasized the importance of engaging the body in the learning process. He found that participants were more mentally engaged in a highly variable sensory space and even though privacy and distraction played a major part in the experience, their individual preferences helped them picked a space where they felt comfortable about what they were seeing and how they were seen (p. 1084). The multi-sensory aspect of his experimental environment had an impressionable effect on how the students utilized the space because they involved their bodies in setting up their learning spaces. This simple act showed that physicality has a part to play in enhancing the meaning-making process.
I recognize that some issues may arise when there are multi-sensory inputs occurring at the same time, because the brain may prioritize on sense over another. Hecht and Reiner (2008) showed that majority of the individuals in their study tended to focus on visual stimuli when they were presented together with auditory and tactile cues (p. 311). That is why learners should have the agency the choose how they want to take in particular information without having multiple forms of stimuli thrown at them. Of course, some sensory modalities may complement another but for the purpose of this project, I would like to focus on individual senses. Gorjian, Hayati and Barazandeh's (2012) study showed that young students learned English more easily if they participated in more visual and tactile activities. Even though it took them a longer time to get used to kinesthetic methods of teaching (because it was somewhat novel to them), results showed that they eventually found their learning experiences pleasurable with the inclusion of tactile modalities. Vannini, Waskul and Gottschalk (2012) eloquently explained:
Sensations act when others bring them into conscious reflexive awareness and/or affectivity and respond by manipulating their
environment…sensations always have performative potential, but such potential is only actualized through somatic work (p. 129).
After looking through educational policies related to accessible learning and instructional design strategies used in some Canadian provinces, I could not find concrete examples of how institutions could focus on sensory modalities to make learning more enjoyable for students. I was also surprised to learn that most institutions require students and/or their parents to apply for learning support resources. I understand why electronic assistive devices have to be signed out but the process just to get extra educational support may serve as a deterrent to students. There is significant material on accessibility and the rights of every student to get equal opportunity to learn, but it is often exclusive to a specific group of learners. That is why I decided to embark on this endeavour - to see if creating an easy-to-follow learning support guide that focuses on sensory experiences would improve a learner's educational venture and could be adapted to each learner's preferences and abilities.
The goal of this project was to see if I could create something that gives the student more agency with regards to how they process and take in knowledge, so their perceptions of learning would be gratifying. At the same time, the hope is that the potential product would not have high financial costs, increase accessibility and can continually be revised and improved based on technological advancements and resource availability. I created a list of criteria and design concepts that are simplified and based on the combined learning concepts addressed in Vygotsky and Bloom's theories, with an overarching reference to elements from the SAMR, SECTIONS and ADDIE models. I addressed the advantages and disadvantages of each theory and model in the other pages of this webpage, but the overall conclusion is that all of them have strengths that serve to supplement the weaknesses of the others. These criteria are meant to simplify the studying process for learners and open up teaching method possibilities for educators. The design of this product should allow learners to create their own experiences that is specific to their learning preferences and affinity to specific sensations.
Base Criteria for Design Concepts
All the design options should be able to answer the questions below.
Accessibility for learners:
- Can the learners use this resource without having to spend time learning how to use it?
- Can the resource be used for a variety of subjects or are they specific to certain subjects?
- How does the learner take in the information?
- Does the resource allow learners to interact with each other and/or mentor?
- What materials do the learners need to get the most use out of this resource?
- Can the resource be modified for learners with exceptionalities?
- If teachers wanted to implement this resource for their students, would schools and school boards have difficulty making this available to their student body?
Acknowledging Issues
With regards to potential learner-related problems that could arise, these resource designs are not yet suitable for all ages. The target ages are 9 years old to mature learners and should not be used by unsupervised students between the 3 to 8 years old. I did not include any research related to the capabilities of children belonging to different age groups so its efficiency may change depending on how the designs are implemented. The designs do not specify how they can be modified for learners with exceptionalities, but the first expectation is that the application would have a simplified layout for screen readers.
Design Concepts
For learners who have access to a computer or a smart phone, they will be able to download and use a application. This application caters to all three sensory modalities (visual, auditory and tactile). Ideally, learners who download this app get to access all three options, depending on the content they are trying to learn.
I have divided each category into two options:
Interactivity in these designs require the learners to approach a mentor in order to present what they've done to get feedback. I did not add a share function for that very purpose, because it forces the learner to initiate person-to-person contact in order to get feedback or share their work.
For learners who have access to a computer or a smart phone, they will be able to download and use a application. This application caters to all three sensory modalities (visual, auditory and tactile). Ideally, learners who download this app get to access all three options, depending on the content they are trying to learn.
I have divided each category into two options:
- Option A – Functions through an application that can be downloaded onto computers and mobile devices.
Interactivity in these designs require the learners to approach a mentor in order to present what they've done to get feedback. I did not add a share function for that very purpose, because it forces the learner to initiate person-to-person contact in order to get feedback or share their work.
Landing page of the application. The privacy of the learners will be kept anonymous because they are only required to come up with a unique username and a password in order to save their files.
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This is what the page will look like once they sign in. If the learner decides to to create account, they can still use the tool but their work will be erased once the window closes.
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Visual Learning Experience Design Option A:
Visual Learning Experience Design Option B (Flip Book):
These print-outs would be made available in different colours and students can print them out, with two concept blocks per A4 page. Alternatively, they can be ordered in a set, whereby each flip book would contain 25 double-sided pre-cut and laminated pages (with a dry erase marker).
Tactile Learning Experience Design Option A:
Once the learner inputs the information under each category, they can save the information and quiz themselves under the "Mix and Match" option. When the click the [Concept List] link, it would list all the notes that they have saved into the application.
Tactile Learning Experience Design Option B:
This product would come as a set, with shapes pre-cut and laminated. The yellow circles represent punched holes so learners can use the book rings to put their notes together. Teachers can even make their own versions of this resource, however, it may be time-consuming on their part.
Aural Learning Experience Design Option A:
Aural Learning Experience Design Option B:
Dimensions of the learning sound cards would be 3 by 5 inches. They would come in packs of five.
Future study potential
In terms of cost on the part of the learners and/or organizations that choose to use them, Visual Design Option B is the only one that can be easily printed at home or as long as the learner can access a printer. If this proposal were to be put into action, the cost should cover the development of the application, but I hope that I could apply for governmental bursaries or get private investment to fund this project. Once it has been completed, learners can purchase the product through donation. Donations received would be put towards further development towards the products. This project wasn't conceived with a financial plan in mind so the main direction is just to be able to make this available to learners at minimum cost. Ideally, these designs and its prototypes should be reviewed by educators and learners alike, to see if they are even feasible to implement.
Since this just serves as a design proposal, the ultimate objective of this project is to provide concrete examples of what active engagement of sensory modalities looks like with the learner at the center of the design. There are, however, many factors that still need to developed and revised pending approval from stakeholders and ideally, other instructional designers. Real world prototypes have to be made and tested by multiple bodies in order to determine the full utility of these designs. Each learning design option could be entire standalone studies and have potential to become their own assistive products aimed at a large body of users. Even with regards to theoretical analyses, there is room for the inclusion of how these tools play a role in different cultural settings as well as take Kimberly Crenshaw's theory of Intersectionality into account. If we want to reach a wide range of learners, we must make sure that these tools are inexpensive, easy to use and can be delivered to learners from different backgrounds. Incorporating intersectionality into future studies related to this project is essential because we get more acquainted with the learner as a person and their view of the world. This in turn, would impact how they want to learn and how their privilege or lack of privilege would impact the support that they are given.
References
Cox, A. M. (2017). Space and embodiment in informal learning. Higher Education, 75(6), 1077–1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0186-1
Gorjian, B., Hayati, A., & Barazandeh, E. (2012). An evaluation of the effects of art on vocabulary learning through multi-sensory modalities. Procedia
Technology, 1, 345–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protcy.2012.02.072
Hecht, D., & Reiner, M. (2008). Sensory dominance in combinations of audio, visual and haptic stimuli. Experimental Brain Research, 193(2),
307–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1626-z
Howes, D., & Classen, C. (2014). Ways of Sensing: Understanding the Senses In Society (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315856032
Vannini, P., Waskul, D., & Gottschalk, S. (2012). The Senses in Self, Society, and Culture: A Sociology of the Senses (Contemporary Sociological
Perspectives) (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203805985
Since this just serves as a design proposal, the ultimate objective of this project is to provide concrete examples of what active engagement of sensory modalities looks like with the learner at the center of the design. There are, however, many factors that still need to developed and revised pending approval from stakeholders and ideally, other instructional designers. Real world prototypes have to be made and tested by multiple bodies in order to determine the full utility of these designs. Each learning design option could be entire standalone studies and have potential to become their own assistive products aimed at a large body of users. Even with regards to theoretical analyses, there is room for the inclusion of how these tools play a role in different cultural settings as well as take Kimberly Crenshaw's theory of Intersectionality into account. If we want to reach a wide range of learners, we must make sure that these tools are inexpensive, easy to use and can be delivered to learners from different backgrounds. Incorporating intersectionality into future studies related to this project is essential because we get more acquainted with the learner as a person and their view of the world. This in turn, would impact how they want to learn and how their privilege or lack of privilege would impact the support that they are given.
References
Cox, A. M. (2017). Space and embodiment in informal learning. Higher Education, 75(6), 1077–1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0186-1
Gorjian, B., Hayati, A., & Barazandeh, E. (2012). An evaluation of the effects of art on vocabulary learning through multi-sensory modalities. Procedia
Technology, 1, 345–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protcy.2012.02.072
Hecht, D., & Reiner, M. (2008). Sensory dominance in combinations of audio, visual and haptic stimuli. Experimental Brain Research, 193(2),
307–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1626-z
Howes, D., & Classen, C. (2014). Ways of Sensing: Understanding the Senses In Society (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315856032
Vannini, P., Waskul, D., & Gottschalk, S. (2012). The Senses in Self, Society, and Culture: A Sociology of the Senses (Contemporary Sociological
Perspectives) (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203805985