Instructional design/ARCS Learner Analysis

Analyzing Learners

As instructional designers, we have learned that instruction should not be created without any consideration being given to who the learners are on the receiving end. If you remember, a key focus of instructional design is to individualize learning experiences; in other words, it is important to know who the learners are. Remember we are not teaching to groups but to groups of individuals. Additionally, by knowing about the learners the learning environment can be better arranged to increase the probability of individual performance. With a learner analysis, learners’ abilities as well as the deficiencies in their skills are assessed. This will tell us how if they are ready to reach the learning goal, and where the instruction should start.

In general, learner analysis is the description of the target population. We analyze learners to discover their characteristics that impact learning and instruction. Common tools used to find out more about learners include

• surveys,
• observations,
• interviews,
• existing reports,
• test scores and so on.

On the other side, there are different approaches to learner analysis.

• The Dick and Carey Systems Approach Model describes the process of analyzing the learners and identifies a set of learner characteristics that affect learning: Apart from general characteristics (i.e. age, grade level, and topic), the characteristics of learners should be described as entry behaviors, prior knowledge, attitudes, motivation, educational and ability levels, group characteristics, and learning-styles preferences.
• The KEMP Model outlines three categories of learner characteristics: general characteristics, specific entry competencies, and learning styles.
• According to the Strategic Development of Talent, learning styles is one of the learner-related characteristics to answer the question of who the intended and appropriate learner is prior to preparing instructional strategies or materials.

However, do you know how many learning styles are there?

Fleming's VARK Model

Many of us recognize that each learner may prefer a different learning style and technique than others. Learning styles categorize common ways that people learn, but everyone may or may not a mix of learning styles. Among many models that describe learning styles, this lesson includes the VARK Model as an example. The VARK questionnaire was developed by Neil Fleming in order to determine the learner's preferred mode(s) of receiving and exchanging information in the context of learning. Similar to ARCS, there are also 4 components in the VARK model:

• Visual

This preference does not include still pictures or photographs of reality, movies, videos or PowerPoint. On contrary, it includes visual elements to highlight and convey information such as designs, whitespace, patterns, and shapes. It consists of the depiction of information in maps, spider diagrams, charts, graphs, labelled diagrams, all the symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and so on. For example, when new sales representatives are trained to understand the sales over the twelve months last year, use a line graph instead of showing a video clip of the department head making an annual sales report.

• Auditory

Instruction that is spoken or heard facilitates learning for this preference. Lectures, recordings, discussions and emails are all mechanisms that allow people with this modality to have conversations with others with regards to the content. For example, when new sales representatives are observing the line graph, the e-learning courseware provides narration to describe the sales trend of last year.

• Reading/Writing

Learners with a preference for the reading/writing modality learn best when receiving and returning information as text-based input and output. Their tools of choice include dictionaries, the Internet, PowerPoint, written responses and so on. For example, the e-learning courseware for the new sales representatives provides printable scripts of the narration for those who prefers text.

• Kinesthetic

Although kinesthetic may invoke other preferences, Fleming (2001) states the key is that learners who prefer this mode are connected to reality, "either experience or practice through concrete personal experiences, examples, practice or simulation." It includes demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of real events, as well as case studies, practice and applications. For example, in the e-learning courseware new sale representatives are presented with a real case of how their sales manager used interpersonal skills to communicate with clients.

Click this link to complete a questionnaire, find out about your learning-style preference now! Record your scores in the format below by clicking the "edit" tab. Keep in mind that this is a great example of using questionnaire or survey as an approach to conducting learner analysis and find about learners.

Name: Yi Zhang

Results: Visual: 2, Aural: 8, Read/Write: 4, Kinesthetic: 1

"You have a strong Aural learning preference."

Name: Phonebein (talk) 23:56, 22 April 2012 (UTC)

Relating to E-Learning

Multimedia learning principles by Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard Mayer define e-learning. Besides content and instructional methods that facilitate the learning of the content, e-learning courses are delivered via digital devices "using words in the form of spoken or printed text and pictures such as illustrations, photos, animation, or video." With most e-learning courses using multimedia to present information, typically, there is a mix of visuals and narration. It is not uncommon to use onscreen text, visuals as well as audio that elaborate the onscreen text to ensure that all kinds of learners can process information through their preferred sensory channel.

Keep in mind that there are many researchers who challenge the statement that visual, auditory, read/write, 
and kinesthetic learners definitely need visual, auditory,  reading/writing, and kinesthetic instruction. 
Daniel Willingham, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, states the decisions on presenting 
content through a certain mode should be taken based on the type of content. This lesson bases on the 
same statement. However, the key of this lesson to instruct you, when content should really decide the 
modality of presentation, to secondarily consider the possibility of a given piece of content being presented 
equally effective in more than one modality, based on the learning-style preference.

Another caution is that it is necessary to avoid placing too many demands on the learners’ capacity to process 
information. Two assumptions of multimedia learning principles is that 1) all people have separate channels 
for processing verbal and pictorial material and 2) each channel is limited in the amount of processing 
that can take place at any time. For example, using interesting or emotional background music may distract 
learners when they read on a computer screen.

In summary, while every learner has the own "style" for collecting and organizing information into meanings, and the e-learning environment can be particularly well suited to the personal learning-style preference and needs. As a result, learners are more likely to pay attention, establish relevance to the content, boost confidence, and increase their satisfaction to be motivated.

Practice