Learning design Rashomon II: exploring one lesson through multiple tools

Abstract

An increasing number of tools are available to support the learning design process at different levels and from different perspectives. However, this variety can make it difficult for researchers and teachers to assess the tool that is best suited to their objectives and contexts as learning designers. Several of the tools are presented elsewhere in this issue. In this article, the aforementioned tools are used as lenses to view the same learning design narrative Á an inquiry-based learning lesson on healthy eating aimed at secondary-school students Á from different perspectives, in a manner inspired by the plot structure of Kurosawa's film ''Rashomon''. In modelling the lesson on five tools, we uncovered similarities and differences in relation to the challenges posed by modelling a particular learning scenario, the ease of implementation of the computer-interpretable products' output by the tools and their different target audiences and pedagogical specialities. This comparative analysis thus illustrates some of the current underlying issues and challenges in the field of Learning Design.

Learning design Rashomon I - supporting the design of one lesson through different approaches

“…Hence, it stands to reason that tools, which support the designers' choices throughout the development phases up until enactment, providing a complete environment supporting the whole process, will further facilitate designers, especially those with few technological skills. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the Rashomon II paper, companion of this paper (Prieto et al, 2013), focuses on a range of existing tools that allow designers to represent, share, and in some cases, enact their plans with students. The logical continuity of the two phases investigated by the two Rashomon papers of this issue is evident, but their actual integration into one coherent theoretical framework and its practical feasibility into one digital system is still the object of research in learning design.…”

“…In any case, none of these approaches aims to automate the implementation of a delivery environment for conducting the learning activities with students. This differentiates them from other design approaches, such as the ones described in Prieto et al (2013), that focus on lower level design phases and are embedded in tools that provide support towards the delivery of teaching and learning activities. The choice of applying the approaches described in this paper to the same lesson example is meant to facilitate the reader in appreciating the differences and similarities between them.…”

“…In Rashomon I, this paper, a single design is captured using a variety of learning design approaches. In Rashomon II (Prieto et al, 2013), the same design is used to demonstrate a number of tools for learning design. Both papers are aimed at fostering reflections about the differences and similarities among the chosen approaches and tools.…”

“…Together with the companion Learning Design Rashomon II (Prieto et al, 2013), devoted to existing tools to support the same process, it aims to provide a view on relevant research results in this field. The common thread followed in these two contributions is inspired by Kurosawa's Rashomon film, which takes multiple perspectives on the same action.…”

Supporting collaborative design activity in a multi-user digital design ecology

“…For example, significant problems emerge if there are mismatches between preferred ways of thinking about educational issues and the functionalities of the tools and formal representations made available (Prieto, Dimitriadis, Craft, Derntl, Émin, Katsamani, Laurillard, Masterman, Retalis, & Villasclaras, 2013;Prieto, Tchounikine, Asensio-Pérez, Sobreira, & Dimitriadis, 2014). There can also be mismatches in terms of the alignment between what tools do and the mix of expertise available in a design team.…”