Reflection Tools in Teaching the Design of Interactive Learning Objects: A Case Study

Abstract

To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers’ decision making was analyzed both through statistical tests and qualitative methods. The data analysis showed that reflection tools, to a large extend, assist teaching objective design decisions in learning object development. The paper discussed how the reflective toolkits contributed learning of designing learning objects.