Learning Systems and their Design

Learning system is an organized combination of people, materials, facilities, equipment, and procedures that interact to achieve a goal. Instructional situation.

Why learning system is called a system?

Its elements are put together based on some plan

What is a system?
Is an entity viewed as a whole because its parts are all interacting, interdependent and interrelated as they work towards attaining a goal or set of goals.

What is Systems Concepts?

Systems thinking

Is part of general systems theory, which is already considered a specialization in itself because general systems theory looks at all disciplines, fields or specializations as interrelated, forming one whole body of knowledge and approaches.
Points out that reality is complex

Beauty of systems thinking

It guards us from making narrow, hasty conclusions about reality. Recognizing the complexity of reality, systems thinking shows us that solving problems, such as problems in human learning, does not simply require changing one element in the situation. Makes us appreciate the order in knowing about the complexity of reality.

Purpose for being of system thinking

Philosophy behind the concept of the learning system

Recognizing that learning is neither affected not just by the teacher/trainer, nor just by the learner. The educational communicator sees to it that each element in the learning situation fails in its right place. He recognizes that each element in the learning system has a goal of its own, which must converge towards ultimately inducing the learning process.

A). Materials
Handouts and visuals

B). Facilities
Barangay hall or public school room

C). Instructional procedures

Demonstrations and discussions

Wholeness
The learning system is viewed in terms of its wholeness, and not by its parts. This means that while educational communications recognizes the said learning system to have parts or elements, they are concerned with the way these elements make up the whole. Merely putting these elements together does not determine the effectiveness of the whole, but how each element interact with one another to create a harmonious meaning.

Interaction, interdependence and interrelatedness of parts

A learning system has 3 minimum parts: (a) learner, (b) instructional procedure, (c) learning outcome. in a learning system, these parts are interacting. Meaning that each part acts on one another and vice versa. The parts of a learning system is interdependent because each one counts and has a role to play, which the others rely on to be able to perform their respective functions well.

Each parts is interrelated because when a change in one part brings changes in other parts causing a change in the entire learning system.
Learner

Instructional procedure

Learning outcome

Goal Orientation

A basic element of a system is the goal. The goal is the reason for existing. In the same way, the learning system exist so that they will induce the learning process.

Levels

Systems may be viewed at various levels. These tell us that each system may be broken down into parts or subsystems that are complete in themselves. Likewise, each system is part of a larger system and as such, is related to other systems making up this larger or suprasystem.

Balance
As a system, every instructional situation strives to maintain its balance. A state of balance implies that the various elements of a system are performing their respective functions and are effectively contributing towards achieving the system goals.

Closed system, which does not interact with its environment. Attains static balance. e.g. nonliving things. Open system, can attain dynamic balance. e.g. living things, social entities.

Recognizing dynamic system balance as an important quality of learning system points out that:
1. When in a state of imbalance, a learning system would naturally strive to become balanced; and 2. A learning system need not remain the same to attain a state of balance; it may change.

Boundary

Every system has a boundary that defines its limits.

In managing learning system, identifying its boundary not only delimits ones operations to the learning system concerned but also helps determine if problems affecting it lie within or outside of it.

-The boundary of a closed system is easy to define, because it does not allow the system to interact with its environment. -boundaries of open systems, such as learning systems, are harder to define. As a general guide, its goals and objectives, its audience, or its scope, or all of these may define the boundary of a learning system.

Conversion Process
-A learning system is primarily designed to induce the learning process. This implies that between the time that learners enter and leave a learning system, change takes place in them. Such a conversion process takes place in a system so that its subsystems can serve its goals and objectives

Shrode (1974) pointed out two (2) dimension of a system.

The first dimension.

The learning system as an entity but viewed as a whole because its parts are all interacting, interdependent and interrelated as they work towards attaining a goal or set of goals.

The second dimension.

the systems approach is essentially the scientific method (Shrode, 1974). Applied to learning systems, this pertains to the design of learning systems.

1. Rationale 2. Audience capabilities and limitations 3. Resource analysis 4. Instructional goals and objectives 5. Evaluation plan 6. Learning task description and analysis 7. Learning strategy/ies including media materials 8. Budget 9. Timetable 10.Work assignments

A learning system plan consists of the following parts:

2.Carrying out and; 3.Evaluation in a learning system involves the following steps:

1) Preparation of resources both human and nonhuman 2) Carrying out activities as scheduled 3) Carrying out the evaluation plan 4) Analysis of evaluation findings and reporting these to the learning system staff and others concerned 5) Making necessary adjustments as the learning system takes place or redesigning it afterwards

RATIONALE
Before even deciding to design a learning system, the educational communicator must first determine if and why one is needed. Specifically, s/he must find out the needs, problems or interests of potential learners.

1. How familiar are the intended learners with the learning tasks? How much previous experience do they have with respect to the learning tasks? What are their attitudes, cultural norms and values that may affect how they perform it? 2. Do the learners environment or resources performing the learning tasks hard or easy? make

3. What communication skills do the intended learners possess? Can they read, write and perform simple mathematical equations? Can they understand certain visual symbols? What non-verbal symbols are meaningful to them? 4. How many are the learners? How similar or varied are their capabilities and limitations?

Human Resources to be considered:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Nature of work and staff qualifications needed Availability Skills and knowhow Credibility of resource persons or facilitators Similarities or differences between the resource persons or facilitators and the learners.

Guide questions in analyzing the resources for a Learning System:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What resources are needed? Which among these are available? Which need to be acquired? Which resources cannot be acquired? What adjustments are called for the lieu of limited resources?

Goal

The goal/s and objective/s of a learning system are the proposed answer/s to learning needs, problems, or interests earlier identified. It should be attainable and realistic

Is a general statement about the intended outcome of the must be considered from the point of view of a learner, not from a communicators viewpoint thus, an instructional goal must tell what a learner should be able to do at the end of a learning system, and not what a communicator is going to do
learning system.

A goal should state if the learner should be able to understand, to know, to grasp, to appreciate, to master, or so on and not to inform, to train, to disseminate information, to persuade because these are phrases indicating what a communicators intends to do Its purpose is to be able to arrive at behavioural objectives that are specific and measurable
The rural housewife must (be able to) appreciate the value of boiling water for drinking.

 The qualities of the behavioral instructional objectives are the following:

Time-bound; Observable; Measurable; Achievable; and Simply stated.

To use action words that are easy to observe is the practical guideline in coming up with the behavioral objective

Words used in learning goals Understand Know Familiarize Learn Grasp Realize Appreciate Be convinced Master

Words used in instructional objectives Discuss Describe Explain Cite Identify List Enumerate Perform Demonstrate Show Classify Summarize Tell Write Operate Give examples Design Compare Follow Practice Use

 3 Major Instructional Objectives according to Mager

Performance Conditions Criterion

Setting instructional objectives that posses the TOMAS qualities is important if the learning systems designer is to come up with a streamlined, focused learning system. Being definite and specific in objective writing also helps learning systems designers to assess how realistic and achievable their intended outcomes are.

 Further, TOMAS objectives give learning system designers a clear idea about how much or how little their efforts and their learning program or material will really contribute to higher systems goals.

Finally, writing not only TOMAS objectives but also those complete with a performance, a condition, and a criterion makes a assessment of the success or failure of a learning system easier.

 Evaluation is defined as a continuous process of collecting and interpreting information in order to assess decisions made in planning and carrying out a learning system. Importance of Evaluation
It determines if the learning system plan is on the right course, as it is carried out, to reduce a learning problem or reach the objectives. It points out why a learning system succeeds or fails. It tells how to improve a learning system before, while, and after it is carried out. It makes learning system managers and participants conscious of improving their performance.

1. Appropriateness whether or not the learning system or its components answer the real and felt needs of intended participants, at their level of readiness 2. Effectiveness whether or not the learning system or its components meet its objective 3. Efficiency whether or not the combination of resources used in planning and carrying out the learning system or its components requires the least or realistic costs to achieve objectives 4. Cost effectiveness whether the outcomes of the learning system or its components sufficiently or more than compensate for the cost of the resources used

5. Adequacy whether or not the components of the learning system are sufficient to attain its objectives

6. Side effects whether the learning system or any of its components has good, bad, anticipated and unanticipated effects that are unintentional 7. Comparison with other related learning systems how two or more related learning system compare in terms of appropriateness, effectiveness, efficiency, cost effectiveness, adequacy and side effects 8. Achievement of individual participants the extent to which individual participants are able to perform the instructional objectives

9. Information needed

Information needed in evaluating learning systems and their importance 1. Knowledge, experience, attitudes and /or skills of participants before the learning system takes place
IMPORTANCE: Help determine if the learning system is appropriate to
learners needs and readiness or if it needs changes Tell if participants are adequately prepared to take part in and gain from the learning system Provide a baseline for evaluating if participants gain from completing the learning system Help determine which learning system strategies, communication channels and message treatments are appropriate

2. How the learning system progresses?

2.1. Knowledge attitudes and/or skills participants as the learning system progresses
IMPORTANCE:
Tell if the participants are learning or achieving specific instructional objectives according to plans Provide feedback to participants regarding their progress Help determine if specific project components, learning strategies, and communication channels are effective Tell if the learning system components that are still to be carried out need revision

of

 2.2. Participants suggestions/ opinions and reactions about the learning strategies, communication channels, specific messages, and their treatments.
IMPORTANCE:
Help determine appropriateness, adequacy, side effects and efficiency/ cost-effectiveness of learning strategies, communication channels, specific messages, and their treatments Tell if learning strategies, communication channels, specific messages need to be revised

 3. Knowledge attitude and/ or skills of participants after completing the learning system
IMPORTANCE:
Determine if the learning system meets its objectives

4. Proportion of participants achieving the objectives in learning system 5. Resources used in planning and carrying out the learning system
4-5 IMPORTANCE:

Help determine if the learning system is efficient or cost-effective

 6. Participants perceptions/ opinions about and reactions to the learning system

IMPORTANCE:
Help determine appropriateness, efficiency/ costeffectiveness, adequacy, and side effects of the learning system

7. Behavior of participants in their usual surroundings after some time has lapsed from the time the learning system is completed
IMPORTANCE:
Help determine impacts of the learning system, whether intended or unintended

10. Information gathering

Ways of information gathering:
Tests or exercises- may be written, oral, practical or simulated, these are used to determine the knowledge, attitudes and/ skills of intended learners. Surveys- may be carried out by using self-administered questionairs or interview schedules administered by evaluator. Informal discussion- evaluators may find out participants opinions and perceptions of a learning system when they meet informally, such as during coffee or meal breaks and socials.

 Group discussion- if the learning system participants are in a group, a meeting among them, communicators, and evaluators may be arranged to evaluate the learning system. The evaluator may prepare guide question to facilitate the discussion. Advantage of this method is that the learning system staff members can immediately clarify questions or act on suggestions and complaints. Observation- as the learning system progresses, an evaluator may observe and record how participants behave. Media equipment such as the camera, video camera and the tape recorder may also be used as observation tools. Documents Analysis- an evaluator may examine existing records about expenditures, participants and other relevant information.

1. The objectives do not sufficiently help reduce a learning problem or need. 2. The subject matters is not well organized. 3. The learning strategies and communication channels are not effective and appropriate. 4. The learners do not have enough preparation. 5. The staff, the use of time, money, materials, equipment, and facilities are poorly coordinated. 6. Negative side effects cancel out accomplishments due to designers lack of familiarity with participants social, cultural, economic or political environments

TASK DESCRIPTION

Once learning system designers have clear specific instructional objectives that they have crosschecked through an evaluation plan, they need to draw up the tasks to be learned. The tasks are the specific actions that lead to the ultimate actions desired as described by the instructional objectives. In communications, communicators prepare their message by first mastering it. Based on the three behavioural domains three types of learning tasks may be identified: cognitive, affective and action tasks. Cognitive and affective tasks are essentially in the head tasks and need be translated into action. Action tasks are easy to observe.

 As in any communication, cognitive and affective tasks (or messages) are described through a content outline or a narrative description. Once learning system designers have described the learning tasks, they may translate these into ENABLING OBJECTIVES. An enabling objective is just another behavioural instructional objective that pertains to a specific learning task or action that would lead to the attainment of the instructional objectives of the learning system. If the terminal objective of a learning system is to enable rural women to prepare herbal medicines for simple ailment, the enabling objectives may consist of the following:

1. List some herbal medicines commonly found in their locality. 2. Match the appropriate herbal medicines with the common illnesses for which they may be used as cures. 3. Describe the procedure in preparing a herbal cure for each common ailment.

Types:

Expository Approach - non-participative end of teaching; the information is presented for the learners to process Inquiry Approach - learning strategy is placed under the learners control

PRESENTATION

One-way flow of information from a teacher or authority to learners Primarily useful in increasing the learners knowledge and understanding (cognitive domain) Achieved when the learners attend to and are able to process the stimuli presented to them

DISCUSSION
Stimulation of thoughts and free-flowing exchange of ideas among learners in a group Used to enable learners to arrive at their own conclusions or solutions to problems Also enables learners to internalize principles and gain insights (cognitive) Can raise interest in certain issues and move the learners to act with regard to an issue or problem (affective)

SHARING
Learners present their own experiences, conclusions, and ideas to other members in their group or even to other groups Useful in enabling learners to internalize what they have to share (cognitive and affective) and in helping others gain further insights, too, in receiving others reactions to their own ideas and experiences (cognitive)

DOING

A chance to try or practice a task Because of high level of doing or participation, learners can acquire not only better understanding (cognitive) and new skills (psychomotor) but also new attitudes (affective) through the doing strategy.

FEEDBACK

Places emphasis on informing individual learners of their progress in reaching the terminal objectives of a learning system Important in all domains

Budget, Timetable, and Work Assignments

make up the work plan preparatory to carrying out a learning system

BUDGET
The learning system plan in monetary terms Consists of personal services, maintenance and other operating expenses, and equipment (and building) outlay

 Personal Services. The regular staff positions needed to make the necessary preparations, carry out, and evaluate the learning system. Here, salaries and personal fees are indicated. Maintenance and other operating expenses. Includes allotments for travel, supplies and materials, and other miscellaneous expenses. Equipment (and building) outlay. The expenses to be incurred in purchasing new equipment an furniture and in constructing a new building or renovating a room. While the budget shows how the funds are to be allocated in a learning system, the timetable shows how time is to be allocated.