DLI Project (COPY)

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DLI Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design

Samantha Markham

Assignment: Identifying Bias in Academic Research

06/10/18

REFLECTION

PROTOTYPE

STORYBOARD

SCREENPLAN

WiREFRAME

SCOPE

Reflection

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1

How?

What?

Why?

Who?

Analysis & LX Design

01

The 'Who' of Learning

Learner Personas

David Lee

Aisha Khatri

Maria Mootry

• Benefits from concise, practical resources, like short video lectures, infographics or downloadable checklists.
• Appreciates a flexible learning approach and opportunities to access course material online.

Learning Preferences

• Has an Android tablet and mobile phone.
• Access to computers in the university library.
• Internet connection in her student house can get crowded if everyone is using it.

Main goals and drivers:

• Wants to learn practical strategies for identifying bias in literature quickly and efficiently, so she can complete her assignments on time.
• Needs clear deadlines and time-saving resources specific to literary analysis

Barriers to learning:

• With a lot on her plate, she might find it difficult to stay focused.
• Could struggle with the fact that literary analysis can be quite a lengthy process.

Perception of digital learning:

• She finds it appealing due to its flexibility and accessibility.

Technology

Goals & Aspirations

Name: Maria MootryShort bio: First in her family to attend university. She's juggling multiple responsibilities: work, family commitments, and a heavy course load. Has limited time for research. Who is it?

• Age: 18
• Studying: Literature
• Location: Living off campus with other students.

Personal Data

• Benefits from clear step-by-step explanations and practical examples.
• Thrives in small group settings, especially with international peers, where she can ask questions and receive personalised feedback.

Learning Preferences

• Owns a new laptop with Windows operating system.
• Access to high-speed internet on campus.

Main goals and drivers:

• Wants to avoid plagiarism, and complete assignments to a high standard.
• Craves clear instruction and reassurance that her understanding of research and bias aligns with the expectations of her course.

Barriers to learning:

• Cultural differences in communication style might make her hesitant to ask questions.
• Noisy environment in halls, so will need to do self-paced work in the library.

Perception of digital learning:

• Cautious about the potential for cultural differences in online learning and the lack of hands-on guidance.

Technology

Goals & Aspirations

Name: Aisha KhatriShort bio: First-year international student. Excited about her studies, but overwhelmed by the university environment and adapting to a new culture. Has basic research skills, but struggles with academic language and referencing styles in the UK. Who is it?

• Age: 18
• Studying: Biology
• Location: Halls of residence.

Personal Data

• Thrives on interactive learning activities.
• Appreciates the opportunity for independent research on specific topics related to historical bias.

Learning Preferences

• Tech-savvy, he owns a brand new laptop, and a tablet for on-the-go learning.

• Utilises various productivity tools and extensions to streamline workflow.

Main goals and drivers:

• Wants to learn advanced techniques and become a more critical consumer of historical information.
• Interested in explaining how historical context influences bias and how it shapes our understanding of the past.

Barriers to learning:

• May find basic explanations repetitive.
• Might be sceptical of authority figures and challenge the course content or methodologies.

Perceptions of digital learning:

• Positive about the independence of self-paced digital learning.

Technology

Goals & Aspirations

Name: David LeeShort bio: A confident, independent learner who is very comfortable with technology. He enjoys questioning information and wants to develop a deeper understanding of how bias manifests in historical narratives. Who is it?

• Age: 19
• Studying: History
• Location: Lives with family, local to the university.

Personal Data

After analysing the learner personas, some key considerations are:

• Course flexibility is crucial to cater to different timetables, workloads and non-university commitments.
• Choice over how to consume the information is also important to appeal to different learning preferences.
• Needs will differ depending on the student’s degree course and type of research involved.
• Some learners will need and/or want additional support, while others will favour exclusively self-directed learning.

Observations

The 'Why' of Learning

The Problem & The Need

The Need

The Problem

Bloom's Taxonomy (Image Created by the Author)

Considering the broad spectrum of students who would benefit from the course, and the diverse subjects they're studying, the learning gap varies. Some students lack even lower-order thinking skills (understanding and applying) regarding bias in academic research. However, for others, the gap lies in higher-order thinking skills, such as analysing and evaluating. The gap sits between understanding (knowing what bias is) and evaluating (judging the overall impact of bias in research). The aim of the course will be for all students to be at least capable of successful analysis-level thinking about bias in academic research texts.

The Learning Gap

5. Develop a research plan that minimises bias in the learners' own work.

4. Critically evaluate the credibility of sources used in academic research.

3. Effectively communicate their findings while acknowledging potential limitations due to bias.

2. Analyse research articles for potential bias and its impact on conclusions.

1. Identify and explain different types of bias in academic research.

Learning Outcomes

MODULE 1: Introduction to Bias in Research

LOs 3 & 5

LO: 2

LOs: 2 & 4

LO: 1

MODULE 4: Mitigiating Bias in Your Own Work

MODULE 3: Evaluating Source Credibility

MODULE 2: Analysing Research Methods

The 'What' of Learning

Course Structure

• Lesson 1: Bias-Free Designing Strategies for designing research questions and hypotheses to minimise bias.
• Lesson 2: Diverse Methods Importance of selecting a representative sample and diverse research methods.
• Lesson 3: Blinding Techniques Techniques for blind analysis.
• Lesson 4: Know Your Limitations Methods for acknowledging limitations and potential biases in your research.

• Lesson 1: The Source Landscape Types of academic sources - their strengths and weaknesses.
• Lesson 2: Credibility Evaluating the credibility of online sources.
• Lesson 3: Sources to Avoid Identifying and avoiding predatory journals and misleading websites.
• Lesson 4: Diversity and Perspective Importance of source diversity and considering alternative perspectives.

• Lesson 1: Reading Critically Techniques for reading (SQ3R method, active reading strategies).
• Lesson 2: Bias in Questions and Methods Identifying bias in questions, hypotheses, methodology, etc.
• Lesson 3: The Power of Words Recognising biased language and framing.
• Lesson 4: The Author The importance of considering author background and potential conflicts of interest.

• Lesson 1: What is Bias? Definition of bias and its different types.
• Lesson 2: How Bias Shapes Research How bias can influence research design, methodology, and interpretation.
• Lesson 3: Impact on Research Conclusions How bias affects research conclusions.
• Lesson 4: Real-World Consequences Examples of bias in famous historical studies.

Four: Mitigiating Bias in Your Own Work

Three: Evaluating Source Credibility

Two: Analysing Research Methods

One: Introduction to Bias in Research

Modular Framework

Additional optional elements

Module Content Map

Knowledge check

Knowledge check

Knowledge check

Knowledge check

Workshop

Intro

Module

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Intro

Intro

Intro

Intro

Content

Activity

Content

Content

Activity

Activity

Activity

Content

Resources

Forum

Synchronous

Asynchronous

Modes of Delivery

Live Workshops

Interactive Forum

Downloadable Toolkit

Online Content

Formative assessment

• Quizzes
• Peer Assessment
• Checklists
• Skills assessment

Summative assessment

• Research analysis assignment

Feedback

• Automated
• Peer
• Tutor (workshop only)

• Knowledge check MCQs
• Case study - CCAF
• Peer discussion
• Self-reflection

• Virtual classroom (workshop only)
• LMS
• Collaboration tools

Facilitation Technique

Assessment & Feedback

Building Blocks

Activites

• Multimedia eLearning
• Instructional videos
• Interactive presentations
• Infographics
• Reading materials
• PDF summaries

Content

The core course content will follow a linear pathway - dealing with progressively more challenging knowledge and skills acquisition.Each module, meanwhile, offers a core and spoke approach - providing the main digital learning material alongside optional additional resources and activities.

Learning Flow

Module

Core Content

This digital course on identifying bias in academic research is a concept piece, designed for a fictional university. However, it is influenced by my experiences working in tertiary education. Throughout the project, I use “student” to refer to someone attending the university and “learner” to refer to a participant of the course. Structuring the course began with building the learner personas to help identify the kinds of first-year students who might benefit from the material. These personas were based on my observations working as a university lecturer and helped me to ‘gain insights into what [the] learners truly need and how [to] meet their expectations.’ (Ordorica, 2023)Considering the different needs, motivations and preferences of the learner personas, there were some key takeaways mentioned in the 'Observations' slide of this presentation.•

Reflection

The next step was to identify the learning gap. As with the personas, the learning gap was based on my observations and experiences. First-year university students often struggled when it came to choosing reliable sources for their research and reading between the lines of those sources to spot bias. Utilising Cathy Moore’s “Will Training Help?” flowchart, it seemed clear that the problem in the vast majority of cases was a lack of knowledge and skills, rather than student motivation or any issues related to the university environment. The learning outcomes were written to address these knowledge and skills gaps. Bloom’s taxonomy was helpful in determining the LOTS (lower order thinking skills) that all learners would need to master, and the HOTS (higher order thinking skills) that some learners might want to only get acquainted with, while others would want to practice and develop further. Action verbs were used to ensure that the learning outcomes were clear, specific and observable. As Julie Dirksen points out, ‘Ultimately, since we care not about what they know but about what they can do, the learning objectives should reflect that.’ (Dirksen, 2016).As mentioned in the presentation, the SMART approach was also adopted for the learning outcomes.

The course design takes a top-down approach, taking into account the different levels of prior knowledge and aiming to make the course as efficient as possible, so learners can immediately put any newfound knowledge to use in their assignments. As the course develops into the latter stages, micro-level understanding will help learners to deepen their understanding and focus on the details within their specific degree subjects. The modular framework was developed with this in mind. The structure is intended to be learner-centric; keeping the format simple and the content relevant. This is intended to ensure the course is efficient and useful, and that learners are engaged throughout. The course has been divided into four modules: 1. A macro view of bias; how it impacts research and conclusions, and real world examples of bias in studies. 2. Beginning the analysis process, encouraging learners to ask questions about their academic research materials. 3. Discussing credibility, giving learners a deeper understanding of how to identify credible sources of information. 4. A deeper look into how learners can mitigate bias in their academic research and their own work. This framework offers a comprehensive yet succinct approach, addressing the foundational knowledge and specific needs of each learner persona. By including dedicated modules for analysing research methods, source credibility, and mitigating bias, the course equips learners with a well-rounded skillset for critical evaluation of academic research.

The choice over mode of delivery was relatively straightforward. The learners are a predominantly young, digital-native cohort and, with their differing timetables, it seemed logical to offer the bulk of the material as self-paced, digital content. However, it was also important to acknowledge the importance of social learning and the preferences of learners who favour more support. The inclusion of an online peer forum and tutor-led workshops would fill this gap. Selecting a variety of content and activities was important to ensure that learners are offered multiple means of engagement, action and expression, and representation - following universal design for learning guidelines. Often, during the modules, it would be possible for learners to acquire the same knowledge as their peer by taking a different approach. The autonomy of the learner is key to enhancing their motivation and encouraging independent thinking. With this in mind, the modules needed to take a core and spoke approach. The core consisting of the asynchronous digital content, while the spokes would offer the online forum, the additional optional resources, and the workshop. Meanwhile, the course as a whole would adopt a linear flow to ensure that the content is scaffolded. Increasing the level of difficulty gradually as leaners move through the modules would ensure that even those with little to no prior knowledge are confident in their abilities by the time they reach the more challenging tasks.

Dirksen, J., (2016) Design for How People Learn, New Riders, Pearson Education. Kindle Edition p109Moore, C., (2017) 'Will Training Help?' Cathy-Moore.com Retrieved 28th June 2024 from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/cathymooremedia/will-training-help-A4.pdf Ordorico, A., (2023) 'Bring Your Learners to Life Through Personas' The Times Higher Education. Retrieved 1st July 2024 from: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/bring-your-learners-life-through-personasAll images sourced from Pexels via Genially, unless stated that they were created by the author.

References

Micro Design & Development

02

For Module 2:

• Analyse research articles for potential bias and its impact on conclusions.

• Critically evaluate the credibility of sources used in academic research.

First-year university students who wish to improve their knowledge of bias in academic research. Typically young adults who are transitioning from secondary to higher education. They are likely to be:

• New to academic research
• Developing critical thinking skills
• From diverse backgrounds
• Enthusiastic about exploring their fields
• Open to new ideas

Learning Outcomes

Target Audience

Why?

Who?

Scope

The Author

Bias in Questions and Methods

The Power of Words

Reading Critically

'Analysing Research Methods': Lessons

Module 2: Sections & Topics

Quiz

Critique

Case Study

The following are optional, so learners can elect to do whichever actitivity/activities best suit their learning preferences.

End of Module Activites

Adapted from the Digital Learning Institute's Multimedia eLearning Course Wireframe Template.

Wireframe

Adapted from the Digital Learning Institute's Sample Screenplan.

Screenplan

Storyboard

Prototype

Implementation & Evaluation

03

Student satisfaction surveys demonstrate an increasing number of students find expectations surrounding research for their first-year assignments confusing. Lecturers have reported issues surrounding first-year students' research, specifically finding credible sources and knowing how to assess research critically. Subsquently, the teaching staff has felt pressure to devote lecture time to explaining these core concepts.

Frustrated students and pressure on lecturers

This section will delve into the importance of considering the author's perspective and background when evaluating research. Students will learn to assess author credibility, identify potential conflicts of interest, and understand how authorial biases can impact research findings.

This section will focus on the role of language in shaping research and public discourse. Students will learn to critically analyse how word choice can influence meaning, and how to identify potential bias in the use of language.

Additional considerations include:Accessibility - Ensure all platforms and materials are accessible for those with sensory disabilities or learning differences.Technical Support - Provide clear instructions and offer technical support for all digital platforms and tools.

A blended approach has been chosen for the course; the bulk is asynchronous, catering to different learning styles and the needs of independent learners (like David), and learners with busy schedules (like Maria). The inclusion of synchoronous workshops offer greater support and scaffolding for learners who favour a more tutor-led approach and opportunities for social learning (like Aisha).

This section will introduce students to the concept of critical reading, providing them with essential skills and strategies to actively engage with texts. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify key arguments, evaluate evidence, and recognize potential biases in written materials.

The course is designed to be self-paced, so learners are permitted to take as long as they need to complete. However, the optional workshops will be conducted once a fortnight. So, learners wishing to participate in these sessions should aim to complete a whole module's material every two weeks in order to get the most value from the workshops. If learners are able to work through a module per fortnight, the course should take eight weeks to complete.

1. Present a complex research case study.
2. Learners analyse the case for potential biases in research questions, methodology, data analysis, and interpretation.
3. They should propose strategies to address identified biases.

Learners can post their responses on the forum for peer feedback.

The university wants to help equip students with the tools and strategies necessary to assess the credibility of academic sources. This includes examining:

• Author credentials.
• Publication sources.
• Looking for evidence of balanced perspectives.

Evaluate source credibility

The university recognises that the vast amount of information readily available online can be overwhelming, making it difficult for students to distinguish between credible sources and biased ones. This can exacerbate the spread of misinformation, further hinder students' ability to conduct objective research, and lead to lower than expected grades.

The information age presents challenges

• An assessment, which can be assessed automatically and provide learners with immediate feedback.
• Test learners' understanding of key concepts from the module.
• Include a mix of question types (multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, matching, ordering, etc.) to assess different learning levels.

This section will explore how research questions and methodologies can be influenced by bias. Students will learn to identify potential biases in research design, data collection, and analysis, and understand how these biases can impact research outcomes.

1. Learners choose a research article or a piece of creative work (e.g., novel, film, artwork) to analyse.
2. They will apply the module's concepts to evaluate the chosen work for evidence of bias.

This option can cater to students in a variety of academic fields. Learners can post their response on the forum for peer feedback.

The university has noticed a growing number of first-year students lack the critical thinking skills to identify and evaluate bias in academic research. This can lead to:

• Misinterpretations of information.
• Plagiarism by unknowingly incorporating biased sources.
• Inability to form well-supported arguments in their own work.

First-year students struggle to identify bias

The university recognises the need for students to learn how to analyse research for potential bias, including understanding different types of bias (confirmation bias, cultural bias, etc.) and how these can influence research methods, results, and interpretations.

Develop critical thinking skills

The course will have four modules: Each module consisting of four asynchronous digital lessons, a toolkit and an optional workshop. The variety aims to meet learners' preferences, availability and personal objectives. The toolkit will offer additional resources for those learners who need extra support or who wish to take their learning further. The workshop will provide support for those students who need it or prefer to learn with peers.

The learning outcomes aim to address the different learning gaps. Some LOs focus on the LOTS (understanding and applying), while others aim for the HOTS that more advanced learners require (analysing, evaluating and creating).The LOs are SMART:Specific - Clearly state what learners will be able to do by the end of the course. Measurable - Can be assessed with quiz questions, assignments and participation in discussions. Achievable - Focus is on realistic skills for first-year university students. Relevant - Equips learners with critical thinking skills necessary for evaluating information and structuring well-supported arguments. Timely - The Los are achievable within the timeframe of the course, with increasing complexity as learners progress.

The university realises that students need to understand how to mitigate the impact of bias in their own research. This involves employing:

• Diverse sources.
• Acknowledging limitations in existing research.
• Forming their own well-reasoned arguments based on evidence.

Develop strategies to mitigate bias