MicroMasters® Program in Instructional Design and Technology
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT
The signature assignment explains the learning gap that the digital content will help to overcome and the instructional strategy on how the contents can be infused into a learning experience. The digital content that is developed and OERs that are supporting the content development are also included in this assignment.
Learning Gap
Active learning is a concept that is emerging in post-secondary teaching. The complex active learning techniques and concepts have to be simplified to a form that is more understandable and applicable at a personal level. I plan to improvise the learner’s (post-secondary instructors) skills in teaching by discussing a mix of different active learning techniques depending on the size of the classroom they will be applied, the availability of the students, and the learning outcomes of the course. I plan to demonstrate how they can use active learning techniques in the classrooms, like co-structuring the concepts, using interactive video resources and screencast videos, Mentimeter quizzes & polls, trivia quizzes on contemporary topics, group discussions listening to students' relatable experiences, short presentations in pairs, role-playing, and other active learning activities.
Instructional Strategy
We will discuss the instructional strategy below on how the content developed in this course can be infused into a learning experience to address the learning gap.
Digital Document
Comments, Key Aspects & Lessons Learned
Learning Objective – The digital document is to be used as a handout in the classroom. The visual design is integrated with text content to convey a certain message and achieve a learning objective from the IDD. The infographic supports the learning objective of describing the teaching framework for adult learners that support active learning in post-secondary classrooms. The infographic was designed keeping the purpose of the document and the needs of the audience in mind. It is geared towards adult learners (Andragogy), where they are intentional about their learning, and want to be able to apply it in problem-solving. I opted to continue creating material for my online course on Active Learning (capstone project).
Visual Design & Communication Consideration – To add more visual interest I added soothing colors. I avoided using yellow color on the shade of white used in the background which would not be legible. The main focus is on communication while trying to make it aesthetically pleasing. The color contrast is rooted in shades of black and white keeping consistency with the portfolio. The infographic includes bite-sized information, graphical illustrations, and minimal text to maintain unity and balance. While creating the digital document, graphical illustrations that are free for use on Canva are integrated with the text.
Completed Digital Media Checklist – The updated Digital Media Checklist is applied to ensure the intended use of this developed digital content to enhance the learning experience.
Licensing – This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. I have used icons to represent it in the digital document that matches the graphic style.
Learning Objective, Module Goal & the Client
Learning Objective – By the end of the educational video, the learners will be able to describe the teaching framework that supports active learning as it is the foundation of the entire course. This learning objective well aligns with the online course (Capstone Project) as outlined in the IDD.
Alignment of Module Objective – The goal is to create an educational video (2-4 minute duration in mp4 format) content that makes learners better understand and connect with the topic of active learning. I have already created some digital content on active learning from the EdTech start-up RS Learning and this video is expanding on those. The video is published on YouTube and Closed Captioning is included and edited to make it more accessible.
The Client – The client RS Learning is an EdTech start-up focused on creating learning experiences integrated with technology. Their motto is “Learn & Excel” and they aim to train community college instructors in pursuit of making their classrooms engaged and active. The use of an educational video introducing and discussing strategies of active learning will make the online course more engaging.
Tools Used – Canva Pro for the graphics designing, MS PowerPoint for the slides, Blackboard Collaborate for the video recording, and YouTube for publishing and editing the video.
Licensing – The educational video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Learning Objective, Module Goal & the Tools
Learning Objective – By the end of the screencast video, the learners will be able to describe the Mentimeter application used to create presentations with real-time feedback or voting from the audience. The screencast video gives an intro and summary of a practical active learning tool (Mentimeter), which can be used effectively to interact with learners in a diverse classroom. This learning objective well aligns with the online course (Capstone Project) as outlined in the IDD.
Alignment of Module Objective – The goal is to create a screencast video content (2-4 minute duration in mp4 format) that makes learners understand how to create an account and how to use the Metimeter application in classroom interactions. A Creative Commons license is also used and indicated in the screencast video. This video expands on the other digital content on active learning created for the online course. The use of a screencast video introducing and discussing strategies for using Mentimeter will make the online course more engaging. The client RS Learning is an EdTech start-up focused on creating learning experiences integrated with educational technology.
Tools Used – Canva Pro is used for graphics designing, Screencast-O-Matic for the screencast and video editing, and YouTube for publishing and editing the video.
Licensing – The screencast video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Digital Images (Logo & Flyer)
 A Logo of RS Learning is created using the Canva which will be used in the Course Materials |  This Digital Image is before editing - Photo Source is free Canva images URL: https://www.canva.com/photos/MAEJdpw8kfc-multi-ethnic-adults-education-classroom/ |
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 This Digital Image is after editing - Color Tone Adjustment, Greyscale Conversion, and Image Sharpening |  This Digital Document (Flyer) is designed to introduce RS Learning and the Online Course on Active Learning |
Comments, Key Aspects & Lessons Learned
About RS Learning & Logo Ideation – RS Learning is an EdTech start-up focused on creating learning experiences integrated with technology. Their motto is “Learn & Excel” and they aim to train community college instructors in pursuit of making their classrooms engaging and active. Learning methods are connected with psychology and R-S resembles the relationship between response and stimulus. In business, RS stands for Relative Strength which is a strategy used in investing in identifying value stocks. The blue color of the logo represents both the sky and the sea and is associated with openness, intuition, imagination, and inspiration. Blue also represents depth, wisdom, confidence, and intelligence.
Digital Design Standards & Communication Consideration – Canva Pro allows its users to use images from the library (URL: https://www.canva.com/photos/MAEJdpw8kfc-multi-ethnic-adults-education-classroom/). The image chosen is of a community college classroom where adult learners are seen actively participating in the classroom. The subject of the image resonates with the Capstone Project. I adjusted some of the values on the image such as the color tone adjustment, greyscale conversion, image sharpening, and cropping. The final edit of the image matches the tone of the rest of the flyer. The blue color used is on the cool color spectrum, which creates harmony with the blue of the logo. The white background is a reference to the classroom whiteboards.
Learning Objective Addressed – The digital image of an engaged classroom used in the flyer supports the learning objective of establishing the value of active student engagement in a college classroom. The flyer introduced RS Learning and its offerings. RS Learning will focus on community college instructors like myself.
Licensing – The digital flyer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Learning Objective, Interactivity & Authoring Tool
Learning Objective – The Learning Objective for this module is to describe the teaching framework that supports active classroom learning in community college settings. It also discusses the adult learning theory of Andragogy and explains how it supports active learning.
How this Module Supports the Learning Objective – This module supports the learning objective by providing learning material in a variety of ways that are engaging and allows learners to get immersed in learning about active learning. They are not just reading, they are also doing things such as watching videos, listening to audio podcasts, using infographics and digital images, clicking through the accordion tabs, doing a multiple-choice quiz, and doing drag-and-drop activities. It is infused with digital media content created in earlier activities.
Interactivity – The learner will be able to scroll through and click to navigate. They have activities such as drag-and-drop to sort which will test how much they have retained or understood. This is something done a lot in game-like activities which adds a fun element that can increase the learner’s motivation.
Authoring Tool Used – Rise 360 by Articulate is the authoring tool used. I chose this tool because it is one of the most reputable tools on the market and had a free trial for 30 days. It is ideal for Rapid eLearning development and is web based so no software has to be downloaded. It is also quite simple and intuitive to use. It is responsive and the prebuilt learning blocks are useful. It enables infusing interactivity easily. There is also a lot of help and tutorials available online.
Licensing – The interactive module is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Open Educational Resources-1
Comments after Applying Digital Media Checklist
The OER is suitable for use as intended. Applying the Digital Media Checklist, the OER in discussion meets the expectation. Some of its setbacks include the unavailability of multiple formats of the resource, the images not having alt-text, also there is no easy assessment/quiz to test the understanding of the learners. There are no video or audio media used in the OER. The OER illustrates the active learning teaching framework. The aim is to describe teaching frameworks that support active learning in the classrooms. The links are used in a meaningful context within the material.
Open Educational Resources-2
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​Comments after Applying Digital Media Checklist
The OER discusses the neuroscience of learning to understand why active teaching styles may lead to improved student outcomes. The OER is suitable for use as intended. Applying the Digital Media Checklist, the OER in discussion meets the expectation. Some of its setbacks include the resource is not updated after Oct 15, 2015, the unavailability of multiple formats of the resource, the images not having alt-text, also there is no easy assessment/quiz to test the understanding of the learners. There are no video or audio media used in the OER. The links are used in a meaningful context within the material.
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Creative Commons License
The e-portfolio and all the developed digital media content are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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