Building a Learning Community with Motivational Learning Activities

Grant program: New Ways of Teaching, New Ways of Learning

Grant recipient: Claudia Wong, Department of Linguistics

Project team: Pauline Tiong, research assistant

Timeframe: February 2021 to April 2022

Funding: $4,759

Courses addressed: 

• LING 360 – Introduction to Applied Linguistics
• LING 111 – Introduction to Words Analysis
  

Final report: View Claudia Wong’s final report (PDF)

Description: For this research project, I will compare three types of online instructional demonstration methods to teach physical prototyping and making in the context of interaction design.

While there are many techniques and pedagogical strategies for teaching a remote class online, teaching students actual hands-on modeling techniques in a physical prototyping class online remains challenging. In previous semesters, students in class observed the instructor demonstrating the different techniques, performed up close from an angle, which permitted students to interact with the instructor in real time to learn how these techniques are performed. However, in remote online learning students are now relying on online written instructions in the form of tutorials, pre-recorded instructional videos, or other online literature. Often these materials do not offer the same level of engagement and interactivity compared to real time synchronous demonstration.

My methods will include pre-recorded online instruction (asynchronous), live demonstrations with recording available to review (synchronous), and a pre-recorded demonstration with instructor interventions at key points (blended). My goal is to explore and compare these methods to see which methods promote better student engagement and help students to learn about the design and making of physical prototypes.  

Questions addressed: 

• What are some motivational learning activities that can be carried out asynchronously and synchronously?
• What are the impacts of motivational learning activities on students’ learning?
• Will motivational learning activities help build a better online learning community?
  

Knowledge sharing: I plan to first share my findings in the department meeting because other colleagues may teach this course in future. Also, these courses might be chosen as one of the pilot courses for blended mode in the long run, so my project findings will benefit everyone who may need help developing materials for teaching.

Keywords: Remote learning, Online learning community, Motivational activities, Linguistics