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ethic write-ups

QUESTIONNAIRE

 

Swinburne University of Technology

Faculty of Design

 

Research Information Statement

 

Project Title: ________________________

 

Project Summary

“Are design lectures designed effectively?”

 

The lecture is the most widely used instructional tool for higher educational teachers. Despite this it remains one the least effective methods for imparting knowledge to students. There is a need to revise or at the very least reconsider the format of the lecture and the ways in which it is delivered.

 

Research

Our aim is to re-look at how the lecture is being used. The lecture is practical, but it is in no way ideal; after the first ten to fifteen minutes most students lose focus and turn their attention elsewhere. Universities know this. Students definitely know this. Little is being done. Why?

 

With this questionnaire we hope to come to a better understanding of how lectures work (or don’t work) in relation to student’s attention spans. We expect you to fill in this questionnaire, recording your experience throughout the lecture.

 

Privacy Protection

We do not collect your name for this research, so you will not be identifiable through your participation. If you feel uneasy and wish to terminate your involvement you should feel free to withdraw consent at any time and no further questions will be asked. By completing the questionnaire however you are allowing us to use the information in our studies.

 

If you are happy to proceed we will be asking you to sign an Informed Consent Form before completing the questionnaire.

 

Thank you for reading this and for your participation.

 

Further Information about the project:

Any questions regarding the project entitled ______________________________ can be directed to the Senior Investigator Dr Keith Robertson, Faculty of Design, Swinburne University. Email: krobertson@swin.edu.au  Phone: 9214 6092

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOCUS GROUP

 

Swinburne University of Technology

Faculty of Design

 

Research Information Statement

 

Project Title: ________________________

 

Project Summary

“Are design lectures designed effectively?”

 

The lecture is the most widely used instructional tool for higher educational teachers. Despite this it remains one the least effective methods for imparting knowledge to students. There is a need to revise or at the very least reconsider the format of the lecture and the ways in which it is delivered.

 

Research

Our aim is to re-look at how the lecture is being used. The lecture is practical, but it is in no way ideal; after the first ten to fifteen minutes most students lose focus and turn their attention elsewhere. Universities know this. Students definitely know this. Little is being done. Why?

 

With this focus group we hope to come to a better understanding of how lectures work (or don’t work) in relation to student’s attention spans. We expect you to participate in this focus group, and allow us to record your responses by electronic device.

 

 

Privacy Protection

We do not collect your name for this research, so you will not be identifiable through your participation. If you feel uneasy and wish to terminate your involvement you should feel free to withdraw consent at any time and no further questions will be asked. By completing the Interview however you are allowing us to use the information in our studies.

 

If you are happy to proceed we will be asking you to sign an Informed Consent Form before completing the questionnaire.

 

Thank you for reading this and for your participation.

 

Further Information about the project:

Any questions regarding the project entitled ______________________________ can be directed to the Senior Investigator Dr Keith Robertson, Faculty of Design, Swinburne University. Email: krobertson@swin.edu.au  Phone: 9214 6092

 

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONNAIRE

 

 

 

 

Swinburne University of Technology

Faculty of Design

 

Informed Consent Form

 

Investigators: Michael McMahon | Adit Wardhana

 

1. I consent to participate in the project named above. I have been provided a copy of the project information statement and this consent form and any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. 

 

2.         I acknowledge that:

(a)                  my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw from the project at any time without explanation;

(b)                  the project is for the purpose of research and not for profit;

(c)                  any personal or health information about me which is gathered in the course of and as the result of my participating in this project will be (i) collected and retained for the purpose of this project and (ii) accessed and analysed by the researcher(s) for the purpose of conducting this project;

(d)                  my anonymity is preserved and I will not be identified in publications or otherwise without my express written consent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By signing this document I agree to participate in this project.

 

Name of Participant: …………………………………………………………………………… 

 

Signature & Date: ……………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOCUS GROUP

 

 

 

 

Swinburne University of Technology

Faculty of Design

 

Informed Consent Form

 

Investigators: Michael McMahon | Adit Wardhana

 

1. I consent to participate in the project named above. I have been provided a copy of the project information statement and this consent form and any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. 

 

2.         Please circle your response to the following:

§  I agree to be interviewed by the researcher                  Yes                  No

§  I agree to allow the interview to be recorded by electronic device                  Yes                  No

§  I agree to make myself available for further information if required                  Yes                  No

 

3.     I acknowledge that:

(a)                  my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw from the project at any time without explanation;

(b)                  the project is for the purpose of research and not for profit;

(c)                  any personal or health information about me which is gathered in the course of and as the result of my participating in this project will be (i) collected and retained for the purpose of this project and (ii) accessed and analysed by the researcher(s) for the purpose of conducting this project;

(d)                  my anonymity is preserved and I will not be identified in publications or otherwise without my express written consent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By signing this document I agree to participate in this project.

 

Name of Participant: …………………………………………………………………………… 

 

Signature & Date: ……………………………………………………………

 

Lecture Visualisation Week 6

This stream of images was apart of one of my first year projects, collected to try and visually describe the word "CHEAP".

"The Design task is cheapened by its closeness to functionality".

The lecture this week focused on research methods. Again, as well as taking notes I used the opportunity to conduct a case study of the actual lecture.

Lecturer - Keith Robertson

Approx. Lecture Attendance - 30 students

Notes taken:

the design task is cheapened by its closeness to functionality

reinforce and legitimate

binaries

divide/opposites

categories/methodologies

qualitative/quantitative

evaluative/empirical

values and opinions/scientific approach

causal statements

hypothesis-proved through research

relational statements-working hypothesis

Deductive - a hypothesis derived from a previous theory before research commences

Inductive - hypothesis arose after research

Objective - empirical

Subjective - more concerned with individual

Breath - grander, sweeping statements

Depth - more of an understanding

Obtrusive - invasive, respondent knows, causing interruptions

Unobtrusive - observational, semiotic analysis, collection material, no ethical clearance

User Centred Design - user/reader's point of view, develop understanding of user

Design Centred

The Funnel Effect - broad concept/precise problem

Choose methods based on question - answer important

Resources - links, url's, methods and use

3 methods - one problem

clear questions - importance

Questionnaire - obtrusive

know the population - design students and design lecturers

research question. why are lectures, is the lecture the most effective form of educational delivery?

inform

consent

survey

demographic

gender

address central issue

essential issues of "gap"

bench marking questions - control

yes/no

multiple choice

like-it scale

open ended - check questions with staff and students

interviews - structured/unstructured

Focus Groups

beliefs/dynamics

need to control dynamic

1 hour = 6 questions

research question

4 or 6 areas/topics

plan session time

decide on candidates

level 6?

introduction

time factor

patience/understanding

review goals

explain topic

small introduction - neutral

wrap up - ethics form

list: Andrew Kean, Keith Robertson, Ray Graham ...

Delivery:

Slide projector/powerpoint]/ 50-60 slides, text based/little audience interaction/two questions from the audience

Response:

First 10 min -

A few note takers

Talking, interrupting other students

Sketching

iphone used for facebook

Next 20 min -

One question

more talking

no audience participation

approx. 6:40, presentation showed a random image of a women for a split second

laughter

positive response from students

Next 5 min-

mobile phones

talking, ignoring lecturer

impatient students

Another random image of an people in an interview

laughter

positive attitudes

great response from students

students spoke amongst themselves about random image

almost distracting from lecture content

----

Michael

Research Poster Text

Here is the transcript from our research poster. It summarises all of the main points covered in the research we have completed thus far. It discusses the gap we have identified and hints at the possible direction we might take after conducting more in depth research.

----

WE WON’T KIDNAP YOUR MUM

Now that this random tag line has grabbed your attention let’s talk about attention spans. We set out to investigate the effectiveness of lectures and the ways in which this particular educational method affects students’ attention spans. There is a lot of text on this poster. However, if you have a large attention span you will be able to read it all and we promise you will learn some interesting things along the way.

Our research showed us quite simply that when something is boring or is of no interest to you, you switch the channel or you switch off, and that lectures work in much the same way.

GRABBING YOUR ATTENTION

Attention refers to a cognitive process whereby a person selectively concentrates or grabs one aspect of their environment, and simply ignores the rest. Just like the way you are selectively reading this poster and disregarding everything around you.

In his book ‘The Principles of Psychology’ William James describes how attention “is the taking possession by the mind, in a clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration and consciousness are of its essence”. He outlines the basic notion that “it implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition, which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state, which in French is called distraction” [James, 1890].

The amount of time a person can concentrate on a task without becoming distracted is known as their attention span. The length of attention span varies depending on age. Typically, older children are more capable of longer periods of attention than younger children. Research shows that the length of human attention span ranges from 3-5 minutes per year of age in young children, to a maximum of around 20 minutes in adults [Zanden, 2009].

Spanning concentration over a period of time rests simultaneously on the individuals’ interests and the subjects’ ability to be interesting. Therefore it holds that the content and nature of an activity, such as a lecture, is equally important as maintaining attention. In short, if people find something more enjoyable or motivating they will pay more attention. William James draws a concise conclusion saying, “What we attend to and what interest us are synonymous terms”. This does not mean education should become a form of entertainment; however it could take a few cues. As Jerry Seinfeld put it “there is no such thing as an attention span. There is only the quality of what you are viewing” [Seinfeld, 2004].

Television has long been considered the box that shrank the world. Since its advent in the early 1940’s and its subsequent widespread adoption through out most of the world, television has become an inherent cultural object. It has become inseparable from our communities, allowing people to connect with each other in new and diverse ways. The commercial nature of television forces scheduled programmes to be broken up by short intervals of advertisements. A parallel can be drawn here between the 10 to 15 minute attention spans of students in a lecture and the time between commercial interruptions on television [Christakis, 2004].

In much the same way new, profound technologies are changing the way people see themselves and the ways in which people interact with each other. Education is susceptible to this change also.

 

iWANT

The net generation or generation y, born roughly between 1980 and 1994, are often associated with the steep progression of new technologies that ensued following the turn of the century. Currently this generation is in the process of leaving, enduring or entering higher education. Scott Carlson in his journal ‘The Net Generation Goes to College’ defined generation y as “smart but impatient”. He argues that this generation’s ability for the fast adoption of changing technology means “they expect results immediately”. This in turn may very well change the way classrooms are constructed, and the way educational institutes deliver degrees [Carlson, 2005].

New Media professor Clay Shirky agrees with this notion asserting, “The number of things that are available for short attention are increasing”. However, he points out “so is the ability to consume complicated, long-form information”. It is important to understand that the simple fact generation y is consuming various forms of fast media, does not preclude to the fact that longer, richer forms of media are also being consumed [Juskalian, 2008].

Richard T. Sweeney, a university librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as quoted by Carlson, implies that higher education was structured for baby boomers and previous generations “using an industrial-age model and that is not what [generation y] is about” [Carlson, 2005].

“One passes by tables of students huddled together working on homework assignments, with laptops and electronic gadgets spread out and plugged into walls and ears. Just outside [the] office sits a bank of public computers, where students check email, chat on instant messenger, use a math program, write a paper, or play the online game, often doing several at the same time…In some cases, they weren’t going to class. This was their class. They elected to work in a group and skip a particular class” [Carlson, 2005].

This indicates the significant changes in the ways in which people are engaged with learning. Students are choosing to study from each other with unconventional, technological methods, consuming the material as fast as possible, with the least possible hassle. Perhaps attributes of the adage ‘work smarter, not harder’, “the technology [is] a huge enabler for them to be able to do the things they do differently” [Carlson, 2005].

To try and critique certain methods of teaching, such as lectures, it is first important to understand the ways in which people learn. Educational psychology uses both quantitative and qualitative methods of research to try and formulate models of behavior and mental development, with the goal of trying to understand how we understand.

American Educational Psychologist Benjamin Bloom conducted a series of studies focusing on the thought processes of college students. Through his studies he formed ‘The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives’ of which is now considered a benchmark in educational design. The taxonomy identified three separate domains for learning: Cognitive (think), affective (feel) and lastly psychomotor (do). The cognitive process was further divided into six stages of learning: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create. These six stages formed the basic framework for instructional design and helped establish Cognitive Load theory. His classifications advanced the general psychological understanding of how the mind works in regard to education and learning [Bloom, 1956].

Cognitive load refers to an individual’s memory capacity given any one task. Australian educational psychologist John Sweller, author of Cognitive Load theory, introduced three separate cognitive categories - intrinsic, extraneous and effective cognition. His theory supports the notion that an individual’s ability to learn or their “cognitive load is influenced by the instructional designer. The manner in which information is presented to learners and the learning activities required of learners are factors relevant to levels of [effective] cognitive load”. The widely accepted theory supports the notion that a variety of engaging techniques are needed in order to learn effectively [Sweller, 2003].

“One explanation for the lapses of students’ attention is that the ‘information transfer’ model of the traditional lecturer does not match what current cognitive science research tells us of how humans learn. Research tells us that the brain does not record information like a videocassette recorder. Instead, it handles the volume of information by reducing it into meaningful chunks, that we call categories. Learning consists of fitting this reduced information into already existing categories or, sometimes, of forming new ones. Categorization determines how a concept is acquired, how it is retrieved from memory, and how it is put to work in abstracting or generating inferences” [Middendorf, 1995].

It is worth highlighting here that we can only design instruction; we cannot design learning. Learning is a natural human process, whereby education is the designed process of providing structured instruction.

Sweller points out that “cognitive load is also helpful in the online adaptation of learning tasks in computer-based environments”. Blended learning is a way of actively using Cognitive Load theory in a practical sense. Following on from this blended learning is a commonly adopted method of combining both digital and physical resources to allow a broader scope of learning possibilities; such as the use of computers in the classroom or the combination of online classes and face-to-face [Sweller, 2003].

Today there are increasing numbers of online course-management systems available, such as WebCT and Blackboard, to try and cater for the net savvy generation y. Recorded lectures and presentations are now digitally available, giving the students the option to subscribe to lecture pod casts as downloadable content.

It is evident that educational institutes are attempting to submerge themselves more and more into the familiar digital environment of the millennial generation, using forms of blended learning. Despite this the format of the lecture remains remarkably unchanged, as if it has somehow been neglected.

With all of these changing ways to engage with learning we asked, why is the lecture the preferred solution to education? Is there a method of learning that encompasses a broader scope of insight into a particular topic? Will a more profoundly interactive experience benefit all students?

‘What’s the use of lectures?’ The title says it all. Bligh argues in his recent book that lectures are an outdated pedagogy that has slipped through the ages because of their obvious economic advantages, but in all other aspects have essentially lagged behind the times.

To analyse lectures it is necessary to understand their place in the history of education. The 14th Century word ‘lecture’ came from the Latin word legere meaning “to read”. Schools, in the modern sense of the word, have existed since the time of classical Greece. Lectures as we know them today emerged in Medieval Europe as a way of collectively speaking to groups of students.

Lectures share a common history with that of ‘Ars Oratoria’ or the art of public speaking. Mastered by the Greeks and expanded upon by the Romans, the use of public speaking has been used through out history to incite social change. The 20th Century saw Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Adolf Hitler use public speaking to inspire and provoke action. It is a silly notion to suggest that University lecturers’ should inspire students, as did the likes of JFK; however, a single speaker uses lectures to impart knowledge to a larger audience in a similar, albeit much less profound, way.

Using the five basic elements of communication, “who is saying what to whom using what medium to what effect” [Miller, 2007], we can start to understand how a lecture is used. A teacher is imparting information to students using spoken words and slides [in most cases PowerPoint] to give insight into a particular subject-related topic. It should be noted that lectures are predominantly oratory. They engage our sense of audio over any of our other four senses.

If you are still paying attention and are still reading this let’s get back to basics. Lectures are simply a tool used for educational delivery.

“You may have found lectures boring at university, but consider what they are like for today’s students: when did they (or you) last listen to anything almost uninterruptedly for an hour, with little else going on? Blow all the stuff about “learning styles”; the lecture is basically the social technology of the Middle Ages.” [Bligh, 2000].

The problem may lie in the different mindsets of separate generations. Richard Sweeney uses a story to illustrate the clash between the older model of teaching and the ways in which new technology encourages students to learn.

A professor was teaching in a computer lab and saw one of his students sending email messages to someone during the lecture. The professor told him to pay attention.

“I’m listening,” the student said.

“Well, I would like you to turn and look at me,” the professor said.

“Why?” said the student, “I have an A in your course, and I can repeat back to you what you said.” While the professor dismissed this as simply rudeness, the student believed “why shouldn’t I [learn] in a way that works for me?” There is a clash between the traditional and changing methods of learning.

Written almost 40 years earlier, Richard Feynman acknowledged the lack of effectiveness when reflecting on his now famous lectures on physics. “There isn’t any solution to this problem of education other than to realise that the best teaching can be done only when there is a direct individual relationship between a student and a good teacher – a situation in which the student discusses the ideas, thinks about the things, and talks about the things”. In saying this, he implies that an idealistic situation where there is a ‘direct individual relationship’ would, of course, be ideal. Nonetheless, he realised that lectures are the most efficient way to impart knowledge to a large group of students. Conversely, he admits that lectures in no way encourage an active learning atmosphere. “It’s impossible to learn very much by simply sitting in a lecture or even by simply doing problems that are assigned” [Feynman, 1963].

Feynman hints at the notion of active, rather than passive, learning, which is in itself a major study. Instructional design is the practice of creating instructional tools and content to help facilitate learning most effectively. The aforementioned Bloom’s Taxonomy is an excellent example of an instructional tool. This practice uses what is called the ADDIE model to try and effectively appropriate different methods of education. Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation are the steps taken in this process. It is highly plausible that lectures could be structured more effectively using such model.

Seymour Papert’s Constructionism theory emerged from the instructional design movement. In part his theory suggests, “Education is the reconstruction, not the transmission of knowledge”. His theory goes against the idea of an instruction-based model, of which most Western schools conform to. As Papert principle states, “some of the most crucial steps in mental growth are based not simply on acquiring new administrative skills, but on acquiring new administrative ways to use what one already knows” [Minsky, 1988]. A perfect example of this is his inclination to “put art and math together”. Creating new, effective and creative ways of constructing learning is at the heart of the instructional design movement.

The lecture is considered “a conception of education in which teachers who know give knowledge to students who do not and are therefore supposed to have nothing worth contributing” [Bligh, 2000]. We believe that students should be considered as having somewhat more of a contributory role than this. Students can work very effectively amongst themselves; however, large collaborative student discussions rarely take place unlike weekly lectures.

The University of Oklahoma has developed a number of ideas on teaching to support the faculty in developing 21st century education. They proposed the idea of Enhanced Lecture Formats: Lectures with Periodic Pauses, Lectures with Immediate Tests, the Feedback Lecture, and Guided Lecture. All of these forms involve increased student participation with constructive inbuilt “interruptions” that serve to counter balance the requirements of filling a 60 minute time block, in much the same way advertisements break up a televised programme. In this way the content and duration of the lecture remain relatively similar, however the format is drastically enhanced to increase students’ attentions spans.

 

HEY RAY, NO ONE’S LISTENING

The lecture is the most widely used instructional tool for higher educational teachers. Despite this it remains one the least effective methods for imparting knowledge to students. There is a need to revise or at the very least reconsider the format of the lecture and the ways in which it is delivered.

 

I’M REALLY BORED

First consider the lecture as just another medium, like the newspaper or the television. As a medium, the lecture has been around for a long time. In the 13th Century, an instructor would stand in front of a lectern and recite papers to passive, note-taking students. 600 years later and very little has changed. The lecture is practical, but it is in no way ideal. After the first ten to fifteen minutes most students lose focus and turn their attention elsewhere. Speaking in front of an audience for 60 minutes is no piece of cake either. Lecturers tire around the 30-minute mark and they too lose concentration. Universities know this. Students definitely know this. Little is being done. Why?

SORRY SIMON, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT?

Our aim is to re-look at how the lecture is being used. The notion of changing the lecture is an old argument that has not been resolved. “Any complex system which continues for some time” such as the education system, “must respond to and accommodate changes in its environment”.

Lectures, in a similar way, must be responsive mediums that engage with students and allow for different learning patterns. The best medicine in this case is variety. The 60-minute time slot has the potential to become something more useful for students and teachers. Shorter, more concise, collective, active ways of learning that follow a constructionist approach are far more beneficial towards shaping cognitive load and improving student understanding.

Three separate methods of research will be undertaken to support our aims. Initially questionnaires will be used to gathered quantitative data about students’ perceptions of designated lectures. At the same time observational methods will be used to gain insight into student behaviour during the series of designated lectures. Comparisons of qualitative focus groups, conducted with students and lecturers’ will complete our triangulation of research. In this way we hope to better understand the effective use of University lectures.

 

THE ANSWERS AREN’T AT THE BACK OF THE BOOK

The answer isn’t about changing students’ attention spans, although the solution may very well do this. We aren’t simply going to look at the obviously boring effects of a boring lecture. We want to address the problem. The answer is getting students enthusiastic about gaining knowledge. The way to do this is to create engaging experiences. “What we attend to and what interests us are synonymous terms” [James, 1890]. Turning what is essentially a passive memory test, into a “cross pollination of thought” [De Bono, 1999]. Lectures at best address the two lowest forms of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, to remember and to understand. We hope to extend the potential of the lecture and embrace all six objectives: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create.

In this way we hope to reduce the negative stigma surrounding lectures making them something that is a little more than just a downloadable list of dot points on a PowerPoint slide. We aim to create a solution that will allow students to actually appreciate their hour of time by sharing in an experience of relevant content in a more thought-provoking way.

Research Poster

Our research poster presented in class.

After the presentations were given, every one was given the opportunity to read all of the posters in a group "feedback" session. Sticky notes were used to write anonymous messages about the posters design/the idea itself/the content and direction. Being anonymous, anything goes, so a few random comments made their way onto a few posters.

Here is a transcript of the sticky notes that made it onto our poster:

"7 variables, 2 colours - maybe bring slight variation into these areas - A. LA the pyramid?"

"I like the simplicity of the concept, I like the design! The heading grabs your attention + creates intrigue but doesn't tell us instantly what your poster is about. Maybe look at replacing powerpoint"

"Not a very consistent scale, it's deceptive as 45 minutes is the same as 5 mins....?"

"Awesome design, good simple idea, good use of language - easy to understand"

"I semi switch off reading the body text due to blue/white field"

"It looks good visually but doesn't work effectively. Type hard to read. Like the quotations "Hey Ray". Maybe explain them. Like the concept - it's awesome!"

"[dick]tation"

"Will you be getting lectures to implement your methods in actual student lectures. Try looking at what makes successful lectures. The content, if it is boring could always seem boring, so how would you table this?"

"You won't but I will"

"Burco 86"

"Michael McMahon rocks gym socks!"

"Where are your resources from? Good concept, nice topic, easy to understand. A little hard to read, you're right heaps of text. Glad it's easy to read, like the graphs."

"Pull quotes for some emphasis? Only two sizes of type"

"I dig it"

"Really dig the concept and am interested in how it pans out! Like looking at the lecturer's point of view, too often we focus on just being bored as students"

"Where's your Bib. Fail!!"

"Look at participation within lectures. Circle rooms - engagement"

"Too much info to read"

"Simon Jackson lectures = worst ever. He's been quoted as saying "The reason I talk slowly, is so you can digest all the information it's to help you" - I'd rather shoot myself"

"And where's my mum"

"Then who will"

lecture visualisation - wk4

adit

lecture visualisation - wk2

adit