Spring 2005

Online teaching & learning

From video games to visual learning

To appreciate the potential power of learning objects just visit any computer or video store, writes DENIS GOODRUM. Harness the successful attributes of video games to learning objects and you have a powerful tool to facilitate science learning.

THE CHALLENGE OF teaching science is to help students understand scientific concepts so that they can apply these ideas to new situations.

Stimulating and interactive computer-based learning objects can engage the mind of the student in such a way as to assist them develop a richer understanding of difficult science concepts. It should be stated from the outset that computer-based learning objects are no substitute for direct, hands-on experience.

Students need to use all the senses to learn about the physical and biological world in which they live. They need to feel, hear, smell, see and taste things in a real and varied way to fully appreciate their immediate environment. But with real experience as a basis, the power of the virtual world can extend and enhance the concrete experience in a profound and enriching manner.

Helping teachers improve learning

Quality learning objects have the potential to significantly assist the teacher in the challenging endeavour of improving student learning. We know that science learning is much more than memorising the meaning of scientific terms. Students develop understanding by constructing meaning in the mind. In many cases meaning is represented by a picture or mind model. The visual potential of quality learning objects can enhance these mind models. Good learning objects tend to be visually appealing with a minimum of words required to describe the nature of learning objects. If a learning object involves considerable reading on behalf of the student, then the learning object tends to have limited value. This is especially true in the initial engagement stage of the learning object. After a student has developed a rapport with a learning object, the student is more willing to read further to extend his or her understanding—but not at the beginning. A good example of this is the simple but engaging ‘Mixing colours’ learning object developed by the Le@rning Federation.

Besides stimulating curiosity, the visual dimension of learning objects can relatively easily act as a conduit to the world outside the classroom. Video clips or animated pictures can expand the opportunities for students to observe the world about them. The use of time-lapse photography can compress events that normally take a long time into a short sequence that can be readily observed. Equally, fast events can be slowed down so that detailed observation can occur. The use of microscopic and telescopic features can reveal the small and universal world in ways the teacher struggles to provide in the classroom.

Besides the value of pictures, learning objects also provide the potency of replication. Normally in a classroom, students can carry out an investigation in which the effect of a particular variable is examined. This examination may occur during one lesson or a series of lessons. Time is required to obtain the equipment; set up the equipment; and collect, record, tabulate and possibly graph the data. In learning objects these investigations can be simulated. Each of the steps of the investigations can occur much more quickly. With the touch of a button, data can be tabulated and graphed. In many learning object investigations students can relatively easily examine many variations of one variable or extend the investigation to examining different variables. In a short space of time students can carry out a complex investigation, and as a result enhance their understanding. This is well illustrated by the ‘Prisms’ learning object.

While a teacher can use learning objects in different ways with a class, each learning object has been developed so that it is stand-alone. In other words, it can be operated by the student alone. In an education climate that appreciates the importance of developing independent student learning, learning objects have the potential to foster this independence. The student is in control of the learning. They can determine the pace of the interaction. They can repeat aspects that are not understood or skip repeated operations that are understood.

The fact the students can control the learning object does not decrease the importance of the teacher, but rather enhances it. The teacher can focus their energy on student difficulties. In other words, students seek out the teacher when they have problems or cannot understand. These are the critical times of learning. The teacher helps the student through these periods with the result that more effective learning occurs.

The power of dynamic pictures

As explained, the power of learning objects lies in the dynamic pictures that can be provided to students. To help students learn, teachers continually provide simple pictures, models or analogies. To help students understand the unknown, a teacher offers ideas in terms of what is known. For example, to understand the mysteries of electricity flow, the analogy of water flow is used. With the emphasis on the visual, learning objects also use pictures and analogies to help students construct their understanding.

While we appreciate the value of these pictures and analogies, we also understand their limitations. The reality is that every simple picture or analogy distorts the science concept that is being presented.

In using an analogy to help a student understand a concept, the following teaching approach is encouraged. Initially, introduce the analogy, emphasising the points of similarity between the analogy and the concept—for example, between water flow and electricity. Extend the analogy in different ways. For water to flow there needs to be pressure. This is also true for electricity. The concept of voltage is similar to water pressure. It takes time for a student to develop an understanding of the new concept in terms of the analogy. After the student has a reasonable understanding of the concept, the teacher should help the student understand the limitations of the analogy. That is, the differences between the concept and the analogy. If, however, the teacher emphasises the differences as well as the similarities when the analogy is first introduced, the student is generally confused. The skill of teaching is to know when to introduce the analogy, when to elaborate on the analogy and when to emphasise the limitations. Good learning objects appreciate the learning sequence for the use of analogies and have these built into the sequence of activities and questions for the student. An example of a learning object that has been constructed on the basis of a commonly used analogy in science is ‘Food chains’.

Good quality learning objects capture student attention and effectively engage students. They provide a challenge or problem to solve that captures the imagination of the student. These challenges also tend to unfold in ever increasing degrees of complexity. Learning is sequenced in a natural way from the simple to the more complex. To develop such engaging learning objects requires much creativity and an appreciation of how students learn.

Conclusion

Quality learning objects have much in common with quality video games. They are stimulating, engaging and challenging. Both entertain and educate. The difference, however, is that while the main aim of video games is to entertain, the prime purpose of learning objects is to educate.

Learning objects are expensive to develop. Besides trying to meet the challenges of student engagement and sequence learning, developers have had to solve a variety of technical problems. But when creative learning strategies come together with creative computer technologies, magic happens. And students benefit from this magic.

Denis Goodrum is head of School of Education & Community Studies, University of Canberra.

The author owns the copyright in this article. For information related to the reuse of this work in any form please contact the publisher denise.quinn@curriculum.edu.au