Human-Centered Design for Wicked & Urgent Problems: Online Learning in Higher Education
Rapid Response Design Team, July 2020
Authors: Laura R. Murphy, Nigel P. Melville
Contributors: Matthew Nelson, Samarth Mendke, Grace Burleson
Design Science, University of Michigan
Colleges and universities moved to Mars in 2020. Well, not literally. But a hearty welcome anyway from those of us who have been living here for years, learning about Martian ways and documenting our findings. We know there’s a lot of anxiety and fear during an interplanetary move. And from what we hear, you may be here for another year, so hang in there! It’s not so bad. And in some ways, it beats Earth. Mars can definitely be a dynamic and even volatile environment. Just when you think you’re all set, the ground shifts and new risks and opportunities emerge. Those of you who’ve been living here a while have developed a sense for this. We call it — “adapting to adapt.” This means we’ve developed new structures and approaches for getting things done in a dynamic and uncertain Martian world. For example, assessing and evaluating in small groups called “committees” works well for the requirements of Earthly lifestyles. On Mars, not so much. Our adapting to adapt principle led to the use of rapid response design teams for developing insights using rigorous design methods in short periods of time. To get you started on a solid Martian footing, here are insights we’ve gathered in our design studies of Martian ways.
Our approach to understanding the impact of online learning
The global pandemic beginning in 2020 is a wicked problem that is also urgent and largely unanticipated. Human-centered design (HCD) is well suited to exploring such a context, including observation of behavior in context and developing insights. Our six-week study methodology included more than 25 semi-structured interviews with learners and educators chosen to span different contexts (MOOCs, big-switch online teaching, virtual programs, and online learning prior to the pandemic). We recorded and transcribed many of these interactions, supplemented by extensive researcher notes. Coding schemes were developed to capture themes, and themes were shared among researchers for discussion and refinement. So, what did we learn?
1. Emergency remote learning is not the same as high quality, integrated online learning
Effective online learning is so much more than uploading slide decks and lectures that were meant to be presented in person. While emergency remote learning is what got universities through the winter semester, it is not sustainable for the fall. Interviewees cited concerns for instructors at all levels: instructors who teach well will have challenges in the fall; instructors who don’t teach well will have even more challenges; the biggest problem is the instructors who think all they have to do is put their content online. We recommend development of short, narrative-based training on the basics of online learning to all instructors, like limiting long lectures, promoting community building, and creating engaging assignments. Narrative-based means first-person descriptions rather than features, functions, and bullet lists.
2. Success in online learning depends on understanding students’ needs
Students’ needs may vary based on age, race, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, home environment, professional status, geographic location, and much more. These factors influence students’ access to internet, technology, time and space to attend class and study, ability to work outside of designated class time, and physical and mental safety and wellness. We recommend involving students as co-creators of course delivery. Incorporating student needs into course design can improve their engagement and overall learning outcomes. Students can be a resource to help make collective decisions on how to facilitate online learning.
3. A sense of community and trust is key to effective online learning
Our study informants emphasized a need for community and trust as precursors to their successful online learning experiences. For example, “The most important thing in learning is that you feel safe,” suggesting the need for trust and respect. Others include: “The goal is not a perfect, polished course. The goal is deliberateness and authenticity,” and “I want to engage however you are able.” This insight emphasizes that the precursor to successful online learning is social engagement, but social engagement doesn’t happen naturally or automatically online. Pedagogically, interactions need to be intentionally designed to support building community. Instructors across all courses have to make time to check in with students in a way they may not typically do for in-person instruction. We suggest that instructors structure assignments, reflection papers, small groups, office hours, and debrief sessions in order to support community building.
4. Students and instructors don’t have assumed social norms online (as they do for in-person classrooms).
What does the instructor do if a student has an emergency on screen? What happens if the internet drops? How does a student get the instructor’s attention if they have a question? Does “attending class” mean having the video on? How does the instructor keep students engaged? In person, open-ended iClicker questions were key to adjust a lecture accordingly — is this type of polling still the recommended pedagogy for online teaching? We recommend the establishment of organization-wide norms for things like safety procedures. In addition, provide recommended norms for classrooms based on universal learning pedagogy (camera encouraged but optional, perhaps an organization themed virtual background, attendance flexible, best ways to make courses interactive, etc.).
5. There are opportunities unique to online learning.
Moving classrooms online presents unique opportunities for universities to improve their accessibility, inclusivity, and outreach. Framing online learning as worse in quality and learning experience than in-person learning is ableist, damaging, and limiting. Framing online learning as a negative consequence of COVID-19 limits pursuit of the opportunities unique to online learning, such as increasing accessibility and supporting global connection. Framing online learning as a worse substitute to in-person instruction affirms an implicit set of myths, such as that online learning is just uploading lectures and slides online. We recommend leaning into opportunities unique to online learning, like virtual exchange programming, asynchronous learning, and informed experimentation for enhanced learning.
6. Information provided to instructors is too general, there’s too much of it, and it’s not informed by pedagogical concerns of instructors.
Instructors had concerns regarding the lack of appropriate support while making the daunting transition online, claiming: “I’m stunned by how simplistic the guidance is,” “It would be best to learn it from someone who has done it before, because then they’d be an authority on it,” and “The recommendations …. were so general they were almost insulting. Best advice were tips directly applicable to having success in class…” We recommend development of one cohesive online space for instructional resources which are teacher-informed and directly applicable to online teaching. Moreover, we recommend provision of contextualized approaches specific to instructor needs, in narrative forms.
7. Software and technology are not the main barrier to successful online learning.
“With great teachers comes great teaching” regardless of the technology available to them.
Technology that constrains or prescribes pedagogy can limit instructor agency and flexibility. We need to ask faculty what they need for their particular courses, rather than imposing software. Technology can facilitate pedagogy, but the much bigger barrier is instructors trying to teach content without establishing social engagement and connection within an online classroom. Invest in connecting instructors to the particular resources they need rather than imposing new software packages as if software was the universal solution.
These seven insights resulted from phase one of our design research. We are planning a second phase which moves from exploring behavior in context to development of and experimentation with rapid prototypes. Stay tuned for more on those “Martian lifestyles”!
Ultimately, it is imperative that universities provide their instructors with accessible and relevant resources for creating engaging online learning experiences. Although times are unprecedented and uncertain, university instructors have unique opportunities to take part in the upward progression of higher education. Be intentional with course designs, deeply understand student needs, and press forward with an open mind. At this point, some of you may be thinking: “I want my Earth back.” We understand. Believe it or not, we’ve been there. But we’re on Mars now. Why not make the most of it? Our students deserve no less.
