From: Brett Patterson (BP) BP - Okay, first this part of the answer. There are different types of ways that people learn. I suggest reading: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/how-do-you-learn.htm
CM - That's a very simplistic theory of how people learn and it's actually a communication theory that, maybe because it's really simple, became accepted as a learning theory. That link is a simplification of what I learned as AVK (Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic) from NLP. I thought AVK was the answer to all until I reflected on it, taught it, applied it and found it... fun but useless. The educational system rewards those that learn visually so many have adapted to learning visually. Everyone learns better by doing/experiencing/feeling so everyone's a Kinesthetic. Auditory seems to be the only optional preference, but the cost of meeting auditory learning preferences is very high. Also, it seems that offering high auditory experiences tends to be negatively received by those that don't have an auditory preference, so it's best as an option. No one really seems to know what AVK is based upon. It seems to me it may be based on what's usually quoted as Mehrabrian's 7/38/55 communication rule which is in incomplete interpretation of his findings http://www.coachteam.no/Documents/MytenOmNonverbalKommunikasjon.pdf Somewhere this myth got started and it should be ignored. CM - NLP does offer some clues about writing content for web display, aka communicating concepts.. You can write so that people can "hear" the words singing, "feel" the punch of an idea, "see" the interaction of concepts. What is learning other than communicating, even selling, someone the need to learn, to change what they "know"? Flash s/b used when it increases communication, not just because it's the only way someone knows how to put content on the web. "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hammer BP - or http://www.google.com/search?q=types+of+learning&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UT F-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS301US303 CM - Multiple Intelligence is also another learning theory that seems to ring true but I've been unable to figure out how to apply all types of intelligence into organizing and displaying content on the web. CM - As far as learning theory, I'm a Constructionist. Very simply that means that I believe people construct their own learning framework by seeking out resources that meet their needs. If what they need isn't presented in a way that matches their preferences, they'll adapt to whatever is available, as long as they can find it. Making content findable seems to parallel making it accessible. CM - For more useful learning theories, look at Kolb (Active Experimentation, Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation , Abstract Conceptualization) http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm and Soloman/Felder/Silverman (Active <--> Reflective, Sensing <-->Intuitive, Visual <--> Verbal, Sequential <--> Global) CM - What I've really learned about all the learning theories and styles, after more than 20 years of involvement not a quick search, is that none of them are practical because people change their learning style based on environment and what they're trying to learn. What I've found most useful is personality/communication styles. Seems that all the personality style matrixes, and most learning styles, that I've seen can be boiled down to task <-> social and detail <-> whole picture preferences. I can match those preferences on the web by offering short overviews with opportunities to drill out to more detail (which c/b video/Flash/audio) and/or offer social interaction opportunities - like this forum. BP - Interaction is one the greatest styles of learning there is, in my opinion...Flash can help tremendously with interaction, although that is not the only way. An excellently developed Flash eLearning solution will add a lot of different types of learning solutions to it. Most do. In an excellently developed site, you will have "links" to different portions of the file, where one may be to read what needs to be read, one may have one spoken to you, and another may ask for questions and answers. CM - Interaction is more than clicking on a link or moving things around on a screen. Those "links" are easier to develop and manage with HTML, plus there's still the additional cost of developing/maintaining Flash plus addt'l costs to make it as accessible as text/graphics. Yes, Flash can be used but it should never be the only tool that's used. If a concept can ONLY be understood if the learner HAS to SEE it in action then even adding all the accessibility add ons to Flash won't help. In addition, I've found that need to be rare and certainly no reason to justify putting all content into Flash. BP - Flash is a way to do learning online, just like the combination of HTML/CSS/JS/AJAX, etc. And if instructors do want to use Flash for whatever reason, then by all means, make accessible Flash. You cannot change all the teachers in the world, it is impossible, and Flash is here to stay. CM - At last, something to agree with. Flash is just one way to offer content. Where we disagree is that Teacher/trainers can change, if they're willing to learn from their students/learner. Instead of pie in sky theories, try offering content as text/graphics and as Flash then solicit feedback, watch the logs, see what is used and preferred. That's how web developers, not designers, learn what works. Long ago web developers learned that putting all content in Flash wasn't useful Anyone remember some of the early eCommerce sites with verbal avatars? What works is to start simple, then layer in the complex only as needed. CM - Plus people "read" the web differently than they read a book or watch a movie (from 1997 but still true http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html) People scan the web, people can't scan Flash. CM - Think about this discussion thread. Email based discussions are another face of eLearning. In what way could using Flash have improved this discussion? Would this discussion even have happened if all participants would have had to create Flash files to "interact"? Christie Mason ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: memberh...@webstandardsgroup.org *******************************************************************
