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Principles and Indicators to Assist in the Development
and Evaluation of Technology-based Materials: A Design Framework
for Multimedia Development in Adult Literacy
Heide Spruck Wrigley for the Adult Literacy Media
Alliance—COABE 2001
- Adult learning requires a clear focus.
Indicators:
- Objectives and/or potential outcomes are clearly explained
- There are various paths for students to follow
- Activities appear as part of skill bundles or are connected
to themes
- Student work culminates in projects or products
Examples:
- Adult learning requires that learners take "ownership"
of what is to be learned.
Indicators:
- Learners can explore their own interests and set goals
- Learners can design their own learning plans and follow
a path that leads them to success
- Learners can choose from a set of skills, an array of themes
and/or various modes of learning (inductive; deductive; controlled;
exploratory)
- Group projects are offered as a possibility
Examples:
- The goal of adult learning is to help adults apply knowledge,
skills and strategies in real life contexts.
Indicators:
- Knowledge, skills and strategies are contextualized and
connected to learners' lives
- Application activities encourage learners to use skills
beyond the course and report back (e.g, planning a trip, making
a budget, etc.)
- Learners see how things work (through photographs; animation
or streaming video) without having to get mired in print
Examples:
- Language and literacy development require fluency and accuracy
(but not at the same time).
Indicators:
- Learners get the opportunity to write what's on their mind,
using their own language
- Learners have access to resources such as spell checks,
dictionaries, thesauri, and encyclopedias
- Learners get a chance to edit and correct earlier drafts
Examples:
- Language and literacy development are social processes that
depend on interaction with others.
Indicators:
- Learners get to know each other and are part of a community
- Learners can communicate with each others via email or through
developed projects
- Learners tell their stories and listen to or read the stories
of others
- Surveys and polls allow learners to see what others think
Examples:
- Language and literacy development require hypothesis testing
and risk taking.
Indicators:
- Students are invited to discover principles of writing,
grammar rules, or spelling conventions by looking for patterns
(task-based learning)
- Students get a chance to move from a zone where they are
relatively comfortable to new areas that are a bit scary (posting
an email, sending an electronic post card; posting a story;
creating a video)
Examples:
- Language and literacy processes are nonlinear and develop
in fits and spurts.
Indicators:
- Texts are highly engaging and propel students forward
- Information is recycled and instruction is layered so that
knowledge, skills, and strategies are reinforced through various
themes
Examples:
- Language and literacy are multidimensional.
Indicators:
- Materials offer various modalities (visual, musical, analytic,
naturalistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal)
- Learners are encouraged to move beyond print in their work
Examples:
- Language and literacy grow through both serendipitous learning
and explicit learning.
Indicators:
- Learners get a chance to immerse themselves in interesting
work (reading, writing, problem solving)
- Demonstrations illustrate how things work
- Learners have access to information on an as-needed basis
Examples:
- Language and literacy learning require both success and challenges.
Indicators:
- Learners get a chance to what others have done (models)
before attempting their own work
- Learners are invited to use learning strategies with material
that becomes progressively more complex
- Learners see or read how others process or create texts
(cognitive apprenticeship)
Examples:
- Language and literacy develop more deeply if ideas are situated
in a specific context or theme.
Indicators:
- Skills and strategies are contextualized
- Learners are invited to explore a theme from various angles
- Learning materials can be accessed by skill area or by themes
Examples:
- Language and literacy grow through both emotional engagement
and cognitive involvement.
Indicators:
- Needs assessment seeks to determine themes that matter to
learners (parenting; health; money)
- Some themes address controversial topics that a teacher
may not want to address (AIDS; cancer; domestic violence)
- Learners have opportunities to discuss issues, share information
and ask questions
Examples:
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