This project worked to enhance undergraduate awareness of intercultural issues relevant to their life and studies in and beyond the university setting.
- Responsibilities: Instructional Design, eLearning Development, Content Development
- Target Audience: Ccollege Undergraduates
- Tools Used: Articulate Storyline
- Budget: Low
- Client: Purdue’s Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, and Assessment Research
- Year: 2018
Overview
The director of the Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, and Assessment Research requested a variety of portable learning modules that could the enhance students’ intercultural development. These needed to be easily integrated into existing academic courses using the campus LMS.
Westernized views of science and nature tend to dominate in academic offerings, risking alienation of others’ cultural views and establishing an overly narrow perspective of science and nature in graduating students. To align with Purdue University’s vision of being “globally recognized and at the forefront of innovation in higher education”, students require an increased awareness of and respect for the more traditional, indigenous, and non-westernized views of science and nature.
As a solution, I proposed a module examining science world views and alternate ways of knowing about science and nature. To improve engagement I suggested a more graphical approach, moving away from the text-heavy format commonly used across undergraduate courses.
The client acknowledged that their other existing portable learning modules were generally text-oriented, and agreed that an alternative approach would likely be well-received. They also appreciated the potential to expand their reach into into science-oriented courses, where they had to establish a foothold.
Project Origins
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Design Approach
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Process
This design project consisted of equal parts content development and instructional design. While relying on the intercultural expertise offered by the client, the research of and its application to science-oriented content was left to my discretion as the subject matter expert. To a large extent, research article related to recurrent multicultural issues in science provide the topical framework for this eLearning project.
Instructional Design
I developed learning objectives after compiling a collection of relevant topics from my literature review. These were extensive, and parsed down into three key areas that encompassed a broad array of differences between western and non-western views of science.
Subtopics were identified that aligned with the Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubric. Overall, design was informed by use of the ARCS model and Mayer’s multimedia principles.
Text-Based Storyboard
To make it easier for the client to digest the topical areas and how they related to the multicultural issues I identified, I produced a detailed storyboard illustrating the content and flow of the module. It highlighted clear linkages between key subjects and the VALUE rubric; a central tenet to all of the client’s work relating to multicultural development.
Prototype
Once the I received approval on the storyboard and cleared any remaining questions with the client, I prepared a working version of the first sub-module’s content for the client to review for functionality, flow, layout, and artwork.
Final Product
After minor adjustments to the prototype content, the remaining sub-modules followed.
Further discussions ensued regarding the best approach to illustrate community perspectives on important scientific issues. The client suggested some possible scenarios linked to recent world events.
After further investigation, I settled on a community meeting scenario that explored the various and often contrasting concerns and interests of constituents. It served to place these issues into concrete real-world terms, helping students better relate to them.
Client Testimonial
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Results and Takeaways
The final product was packaged for LMS distribution and delivered to the client for marketing and dispersal.
As a science graduate, I can attest to the need for increased awareness in this topic area. The decision to move the learning experience away from the typical text-heavy reading format should be beneficial considering the existing cognitive load carried by all learners in the university environment
Despite the increased globalization experienced by newer generations of learners, academics often retain their vestiges of isolationism when presented to large audiences. This project should have far-reaching positive impacts for learners who find themselves accepting careers serving increasingly multicultural audiences.
