Luo and Koszalka's presentation at 2011 AECT conference

1. Design Decisions Informed by
Theory
Applying the Case-Based Method in Designing Self-
Directed Online Instruction
Heng Luo (Patrick), Syracuse University.
E-mail: heluo@syr.edu
Tiffany A. Koszalka, Syracuse University.
E-mail: takoszal@syr.edu

2. The importance of
theory informed
design
Case-based
Discussion method in online
instruction
The design
decisions informed
Preliminary Results
by theory and
technology

3. The importance of theory informed design
Problem
The capacity of technology
• more interactive
• Customizable
• Multi-functional
• Easy-to-use
Technology integration in
education
• Minor supplement
• New tools in old model
• Used inconsistently and infrequently
• Little conclusive effect

4. The importance of theory informed design
Reason
Existing theory in ID
and psychology
The development and
refinement of its application
Their
contribution
Technology to an Rationale behind design
functions and existing decisions supported by data
affordances instructional
solution
Cutting-edge
technologies
Design implications

5. Design decisions informed by theory
Existing instruction
What
do we
Gap have
problem
What Design What Technology
Designed
we we can affordances
instruction need decisions do
solution integration
What
works
Theories

6. Case-based method in online instruction
Why the case-based method?
Well-established
theory
Easily supported
by technologies
The gap in
research

7. Case-based method in online instruction
What do we know about it?
Table 1: Preliminary results from literature review on the case-based method.
Definition It embraces an array of pedagogical practices with no precise connotation
(Dooley & Skinner, 1977). Some well-cited definitions include the ones
coined by Matejka & Cosse (1981), and Ertmer & Russel (1995).
Key characteristics Cases are used as exemplars, as opportunities to practice analysis and
contemplate action, and as stimulant for personal reflection (Merseth,
1996)
Theoretical roots It is rooted in the learning theory that sees human mind as a pattern
recognizer (Churchland, 1995; Clark, 1997, 2003; Elman et al., 1996); it is
also considered as a type of problem-based instruction (Jonassen &
Hernandez-Serrano, 2002).
Benefits It enhances learner’s understanding of concepts and problem-solving
skills, promotes discussion, reflection and critical thinking, increases
motivation and retention.
Limitations Cases are expensive and time consuming to develop; they place high
demand on teachers and can be inefficient, episodic, discontinuous and
unstructured in some contexts (Shulman, 1992).
Factors affecting Learner characteristics like self-awareness, goal-orientation, prior
technology-supported knowledge and leaning styles (Ertmer et al., 1996; Choi et al., 2008); case
case-based instruction modality, user control and instructor’s role (Baker, 2009).

8. Case-based method in online instruction
How to study it?
The research method is guided by the formative Phase One: Define key
research methodology proposed by Reigeluth and Frick characteristics of the
case-based method
(1999). The study will be conducted in the following four and provide
interrelated phases to address the research questions: implications for design
Phase Four: Revise the Phase Two: Develop a
theory of case-based self-directed online
method for designing tutorial as an instance
self-directed online of the case-based
instruction method.
http://entrepforkid.syr.edu/index.html Phase Three: Refine
the online tutorial
through iterative
cycles of tests and
revisions.

9. The current version of the online tutorial

10. Design decisions informed by theory
For detailed information regarding the design and development of the
Case-based online tutorial, please visit the International Journal of Designs for
Learning. http://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ijdl/article/view/1102/1296
content
layout
source
Case development

11. Content: five components
A typical online tutorial Case-based tutorial

12. Component 1: definition of entrepreneurial skills

13. Component 2 : multimedia cases
Component 3: text description of strategies, activities
and techniques

14. Component 4: interactive features

15. Component 5: guidance on how to use the tutorial

16. Layout: nothing is arbitrary

17. Layout: nothing is arbitrary

18. Layout: nothing is arbitrary

19. Source: where to find case materials
Curiosity Creek After School Program: What is it?
Curiosity Creek: why is it?
Many important entrepreneurial skills can be developed in the
program activities.
The club is based on the concept that students’ subject-
matter expertise and skills can be developed through fun,
hands-on and themed activities.
Curiosity Creek as a good example showing that an
entrepreneurship program can embrace different themes and
formats appropriate for children.
Our facilitating experience provided us with abundant first-
hand materials for case development, which made cases
more vivid, interesting and rich in context; it also made case
development much easier for us.

20. Case Development: what are effective cases
and how to create them?
criteria materials Presentation Purpose
• authentic • Conversation • image • grounded in
• representative • problems • video skill
• relevant • worksheets • animation development
• interesting • student works • based on
learning
• thought- • Reflection
objectives
provoking • other

21. A Case of Case Development:
brainstorming activity

22. Preliminary results: Cases
1. Cases to facilitate learning: most participants agreed
that real cases helped them comprehend abstract
concepts, and some cases furthered their
understanding of a specific concept, and inspired
new ideas for them. Artifacts such as worksheets,
sample works were also effective cases.

23. Ratings on the Case and Non-Case Features of the Online Tutorial
No Statement Sum Mean
N=11
1 The content in the tutorial presented specific knowledge within the 14 1.27
context of an after-school program for elementary and middle school
students.
3 The scenarios discussed in the tutorial helped me understand my 8 0.73
instructional design context better.
5 I often got bored during the tutorial. 1 0.09
(reversed)
7 The cases discussed in the tutorial helped me focus on designing for 11 1.00
entrepreneurial skills development.
9 My design ideas at the end of the tutorial were inspired by studying the 6 0.55
cases in the tutorial.
11 I learned useful lessons of how to develop entrepreneurial skills for 11 1.00
children by completing the tutorial.
51 0.77
2 I needed to memorizes many facts during the tutorial -1 -0.09
4 I needed to assess my comprehension of the content in one tutorial 4 0.36
before moving to the next.
6 I engaged in many hands-on activities during the tutorial. -6 -0.55
8 What I found the most useful in the tutorial were the definitions of key 6 0.55
concepts (e.g. entrepreneurial traits, innovation, etc.)
10 My learning heavily relied on the external information sources (e.g. -14 -1.27
websites, database, linked documents) provided by the tutorial.
-11 -0.2

24. Comprehension of tutorial content
“it is not above my head, it is something that I can connect at a
practical level and use that information to inform whatever my
design is going to come out to be.”
“I learned information from the context, and it also broadened my
limited view on this whole entrepreneurial theme. Because I think the
examples in the tutorial include doing something for the environment,
something with insects; and I am like: ‘Mm, why I was thinking of this
project in such a limited way!’ I didn’t even think of doing a project that
can be focusing on the environment, or promoting that aspect of it.”
Change on learning outcome
From “business presentation” to “science fair”
Artifacts like students’ work or instructional
worksheets are useful cases.

25. Preliminary results: Multimedia
2. Multimedia as effective delivery format: multimedia
cases were preferred by the participants, who spent
more time on pages with animations or videos. Many
participants identified themselves as visual learners
and claimed the use of multimedia activated multiple
senses for learning thus enhanced long-term memory.
However, some considered the use of images or
animations as “elementary” and were annoyed by the
“popped-up stuff”.

26. Rating on the Usefulness of Multimedia in the Online Tutorial:
No Statement Sum Mean
N=11
12 Multimedia elements (e.g. video, audio, images, and animation) 15 1.36
used in the tutorial increased the authenticity of the cases.
(authenticity: the quality of being real or true)
13 Multimedia elements like the help-aids and examples of student 13 1.18
products helped me better understand the concepts presented in
the tutorial
14 Some of my design ideas were inspired by studying multimedia 7 0.64
elements (video, image, or animation, etc.) presented in the
tutorial
15 I prefer cases to be presented in text with less multimedia. 13 1.18
(reversed)
16 I like how the cases were presented in an online tutorial. 7 0.64
17 Multimedia elements used in the tutorial made the cases more 11 1.00
interesting
18 I think the use of multimedia in the case descriptions was 9 0.82
distracting (reversed)
19 Use of multimedia enhanced my understanding of the cases. 12 1.09
20 Use of multimedia prolonged my process of studying a case. 5 0.45
(reversed)
92 0.93

27. During the interview, the participants described their
learning experience with both the paper-based tutorial and
the multimedia online tutorial. The common reasons
participants gave for their preference for the multimedia
one are 1) it fits their learning style; 2) it seems more
interesting and stimulating; 3) it activates multiple senses
and enhanced information storage and retrieval.
However, multimedia is not the solution for everyone.
“I didn’t need the ‘elementary’ part on the left; I felt like, you know, I am
not a little kid, I can understand from reading of what it is; I don’t need see
a picture.”
“Well, the only thing that I thought was weird was, when I was reading on
the tutorial; and later the picture on the side, you guys would have talking
bubbles (emerging captions) … I would be reading, and the talking bubbles
would start to appear, so I couldn’t keep up with reading what I was trying
to read on the side (laugh)...I want to see what they (bubbles) were saying,
but I wanted to finish reading the information first.”

28. Preliminary results: Interactive
features
3. Mixed findings about interactive features:
Participants were aware of the interactive features and
actively responded to them. The most appreciated
features were those providing learner controls.
However, participants considered the interaction as
inadequate to facilitate a two-way communication and
provide useful feedback.

29. Participants’ Ratings on the Usefulness of Interactions in the Online Tutorial
No Statement Sum Mean
N=11
21 The tutorial offered me a wide range of hints and help options to help me 9 0.82
understand the case.
22 I felt like I was having a conversation with the tutorial during my learning -7 -.064
process.
23 The case narrations included enough interactions to help me reflect on 6 0.55
my learning process. (Interaction can be defined as learner controlled
instructional engagement, such as controlling the learning progress,
reflecting on the prompting questions, etc.)
24 I responded to most of interaction cues offered in the tutorial during my 9 0.82
learning process. (an interaction cue is a sign for users to interact with
the tutorial)
25 I developed appropriate design ideas when responding to interaction 5 0.45
cues.
26 The tutorial offered me useful feedback on my learning. -3 -0.27
27 I was able to control my own learning speed during the tutorial. 15 1.36
34 0.44

30. learner control:
“because sometimes when you look at things you can’t really
(understand), you are like, ‘oh, how does this really relate to the step
before?’ so you can click and go back there again”.
“No problem controlling my learning” Versus “there I couldn’t control
anything; I wanted to hit 'next' when I wanted to hit 'next', and it
wasn’t letting me bring it (the 'next' button) up until I watched the
example... Yeah, I was getting annoyed.”
Get engaged:
“click through” the tutorial gave me“mental breaks to go through
more things in the next session”.
“You could interact with the tutorial... I got bored from time to time,
that helps to cut down my boredom”.
Summary Page
“because going through the first session of the tutorial, I wasn’t
thinking like, 'okay, what are the entrepreneurial skills?' like
communication, teambuilding... I didn’t really think about that when I
started to type stuff in, when I clicked on the summary page, that’s
when it occurred to me, like, “okay…” and I started to think in these
terms.”

31. Preliminary results: Navigation
pattern
4. Navigation pattern: generally participants would
follow the “top-down, left-right” natural tendency, and
constantly compared the text instruction with the
multimedia content. They actually spent more time on
text content; and were likely to skip images without
animated effects.

32. Without animated cues With animated cues

33. Studying cases without animated cues

34. Eye gaze within the first
second when an animated
cue appears

36. Proposed guidelines for designing case-based
online instruction
1. Artifacts such as sample products, worksheets, and help-aids can also be used as cases;
which provide evidence for instructional outcome and ready-to-use instructional
materials for similar contexts.
2. In general, cases should be presented in multimedia format, since multimedia cases
provide more stimuli, convey more information, and accommodate for different
learning preferences. However, the quantity, length and style of multimedia cases
should adjust accordingly based on the characteristics of the target users, if known.
3. Use animations with caution. Although animation is very effective to attract learners’
attention, it can cause a sense of confusion or surprise if not well designed.
4. Embed different interactive features to offer great learner control in online CBI.
Interactive features should allow learners to locate information, adjust speed, skim or
skip certain content with great ease. Instruction for using such interactive features
should be made explicit and visible.
5. Incorporate interactive features that provide feedback. Learners need adequate and
immediate feedback in online instruction, especially when instructors are not available.
Certain interactive feature should engage students in self-assessment, provide
evaluative result, and prompt reflection.

37. Questions?
Heng Luo (Patrick), Syracuse University.
E-mail: heluo@syr.edu
Tiffany A. Koszalka, Syracuse University.
E-mail: takoszal@syr.edu