IDC theory: interest and the interest loop

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that learning is enhanced when students show interest in the subject matter. However, educators continue to grapple with the challenges, or simply do not recognize their potential roles, in the development of students' academic interest and interest in learning in general. This conceptual paper is written under the auspices of the interest-driven creator (IDC) initiative, a theoretical synthesis effort carried out by a group of educational researchers in Asia. The intention is to co-construct a holistic developmental/design framework to guide the students in fostering their learning interests, capabilities in creation, and learning habits-the three anchored concepts of IDC theory. This paper focuses on delineating a three-component "interest loop" to guide the design of a coherent learning process that encompasses a series of learning tasks. The three components are triggering interest, immersing interest, and extending interest. Underpinned by the rich literature on interest development, we will propose suitable design strategies for each of the three components, namely, curiosity, flow, and meaningfulness, respectively. We will then explicate their respective design considerations/principles to maximize the intended effects.

Relationship between interest and mathematics performance in a technology-enhanced learning context in Malaysia

“…mathematics teacher. In the same vein, it should not be neglected that it is a primary priority for students to develop interest as imposed in the interest loop (Wong et al, 2015), before they can be facilitated for creation process in learning mathematics, especially for students with low mastery level of mathematics. This could be achieved by stimulating curiosity through presenting knowledge deficit with mathematics problems, allowing students to tackle the problems, and presenting practicality of the learning content.…”

“…Firstly, the interest loop comprises three coherent components which are triggering interest, immersing interest, and extending interest (Wong, Chan, Chen, King, & Wong, 2015). In the IDC theory, stimulating curiosity is one of the processes in triggering situational interest; however, presenting attractive learning subject matters is inadequate for this purpose.…”

“…To provoke situational interest, teachers or instructional designers should scaffold knowledge deficit, which subsequently can help students be immersed or fully engaged in the learning process by providing optimum levels of challenging learning tasks. As for the final component in the interest loop, it explains that utility implications of the learning content are crucial for sustaining students' interest (Wong et al, 2015). In relation to mathematics learning, students' interest can be promoted by firstly presenting a mathematical problem that is able to provoke and confront students' prior knowledge, and scaffold students to tackle challenges that help students gain successful experiences and finally present the practical value of the learning content.…”

Interest-driven video creation for learning mathematics

“…IDC theory is a general design theory that was proposed by a group of researchers in Asia. It proposes a holistic developmental/design framework for technology-supported learning activities and environments in twentyfirst-century education to guide and nurture young students as lifelong creators by develop their learning interests, capabilities for creation, and learning habits, which are the three anchored concepts of IDC theory (Chan et al 2015(Chan et al , 2018Wong et al 2015). Interest is important for learning because students enjoy the learning process when learning is relevant to their interests (Chan et al 2018).…”

“…Additionally, interest-driven creator (IDC) theory (Chan et al 2015;Wong et al 2015;Chan et al 2018) suggests that the design of any learning activity should consider how students' interest in a creation activity can be nurtured. It has been increasingly emphasized that students learn according to what they are interested in and thereby actively participate in learning.…”