Professor Ronald Smith
Robert Fisher, PhD
Digital Learning Interactive, a publisher of online educational materials, creates original online textbooks for students enrolled at colleges and universities. The company’s textbooks go beyond traditional textbooks to offer a variety of multimedia resources, such as dynamic maps, comparative artwork, slide-show presentations, and interactive learning modules that actively engage students in the learning process. By creating partnerships with faculty at America’s leading colleges and universities, Digital Learning Interactive seeks to combine the power of Internet technology with the latest research and scholarship in several disciplines and to provide students with a unique and pedagogically effective learning experience. This new and innovative approach to the presentation of information to students has been necessitated by several factors.
First, the standard textbook pedagogy places severe limitations on the classroom instructor, making him or her beholden to a particular approach and interpretation and organization of content. Instructors often find themselves compelled to fit their lecture to the textbook in order to make a clear connection for students between what is being read and what is stated in class. When exposed to this methodology, students are forced to learn the same thing in the same way, and, not surprisingly, man instructors have railed against this system of teaching and learning. As professionals who know the content and who have their own interpretations and teaching methods, instructors find that having to conform to the approach of a single authors, or a few authors, exceptionally restrictive.
Second, in many disciplines the traditional textbook methodology is becoming increasingly superfluous to the courses and to the students using them. Over the past three decades, social and technological changes in our society have transformed the way students access and process information. The computer revolution and the expansion of the Internet and cable TV have radically changed the way knowledge is disseminated. Students are accustomed to acquiring data rapidly and visually. The cultural act of reading has become increasingly less important, or even irrelevant, since new technology has made reading less necessary to the general attainment of knowledge. Although textbooks have been “dumbed down” over the past several years, students still fail to read them since these texts continue to fail to meet the new learning needs of the students or to aid the instructors in meeting those needs. It is no wonder, then, that reading skills have declined significantly over the past few decades. It is ironic that the very technological revolution that has encouraged and exacerbated these trends also holds the key to successfully confronting these challenges. Rather than perceiving these developments like a modern Luddite, it is vital that this technology be harnessed for the greater purpose of advancing these students’ education and their analytical skills.
Therefore, Digital Learning Interactive has strived to develop a pedagogical approach that takes advantage of the potentialities of Web-based learning and re-establishes the instructor at the center of the educational experience. Moreover, since most students learn visually, Digital Learning Interactive has sought to design its material so as to actively engage them in the learning process and to motivate them to learn. In devising strategies to achieve these goals, the company has developed and implemented several innovative pedagogical principles.
-2-
A key pedagogical innovation by Digital Learning Interactive has been to make the online textbook customizable on two levels. First, the instructor can add and/or delete any chapters from the adopted textbook. In addition, the instructor can then combine chapters from any other textbook offered by Digital Learning Interactive with his or her adopted textbook. The chapters can also be rearranged and re-titled. One adopting instructor, for example, rearranged every chapter in the default online textbook so that the course began with the present and proceeded backwards.
Second, using a customization tool presently undergoing design revision, e-TASä (Electronic Textbook Assembly System), instructors will be able to edit the content within a chapter itself, adding or deleting external links, glossaries, and primary sources, choosing images, creating online quizzes, moving interactive modules from one chapter to another, and incorporating their own views and interpretations. In short, instructors will be able to totally customize content to meet their pedagogical goals and to make the material appropriate to the level, interest, and specific needs of their students. Neither level of customization will require knowledge of HTML. Providing instructors with such customization enhances their academic freedom and they are returned to their proper place at the center of the educational process.
A fundamental pedagogical strategy in keeping students reading and engaged in the online textbooks is the interactive learning module. The key to a successful interactive module is to pay attention to the details of the information that is being conveyed and, therefore, to keep it rich in content. It is counter-productive to oversimplify complex issues. Students will lose interest. Rather, in creating an interactive learning module, careful deliberation concerning its design and pedagogical purpose is vital. Visual presentation of information, no matter how technologically sophisticated, without a concrete pedagogical underpinning is analogous to cotton candy: it looks great and tastes good, but when one bites into it, it is all air. Thus, in designing an interactive module, care must be taken not to be seduced by the technological “bells and whistles” to the detriment of its underlying purpose and detail.
At Digital Learning Interactive all interactive learning module concepts originate with the consulting author and/or the content developer, who holds a doctorate in the discipline. Since standard print and push technologies often have difficulty engaging students effectively in understanding complex issues, interactive modules are employed to present such issues using the Internet’s technological tools in a manner that heightens students’ interest and guides them to a fuller comprehension of that information, an approach that also makes them effective teaching tools in the classroom. Depending on the complexity of the issue being investigated, different levels of interactive modules are employed in the textbooks.
However, the distinction between interactivity as commonly used on the Web and an interactive learning module should be understood before examining some examples of interactive modules and of the visual representation of information in these textbooks. The former simply has the student passively perform an activity to access information: open a glossary term, link to an external web site or primary reading. An interactive learning module, on the other hand, employs some level of two-way activity that involves the student in investigating an idea, action, or artifact to arrive at a deeper understanding of the issue being presented. The interactive learning
-3-
module seeks to maintain the complexity of detail while visually depicting the material in a manner that is challenging and accessible to the student. Therefore, careful attention must be paid to the visual design and pedagogical purpose of an interactive module. Digital Learning Interactive has several examples of the effectual use of interactive modules, from interactive maps to more sophisticated modules that incorporate audio, visuals, and animation.
When used properly, the visual presentation of information can be a highly effective pedagogical tool. For example, to engage students in learning about and understanding historical geography and resultant relationships, Digital Learning Interactive developed online maps that are basic interactive learning modules.
Click here to go to the
Western Civilization I Sample Interactive Module
Web technology allows the development of a 20-permutation map that creates a powerful visual presentation of information to the student. This approach allows the student to see and to explore historical relationships and come to a clearer comprehension of cause and effect. For example, if one opens the map to 1560-Economy, the demarcation of the rising capitalistic system in Western Europe as opposed to the manorial/serfdom-based agricultural system in the east is clearly established. But what was the relationship between the two? If one clicks on the buttons on the map, it is quickly discovered that the East supplied raw resources and grain to the West. Without this trade, capitalism would have had a slower development, which would have had considerable implications for the evolution of modern society. The student can also open other maps and see which nation-states were in which zone, and how trade grew over time. The “ Map Info” option provides additional guidance for the student in interpreting the data in the module.
The Western Civilization II textbook employs a module about Napoleon’s invasion of Russia that incorporates an animated map, an information scroll bar, a box displaying temperature and the number of troops in Napoleon’s army at different dates, and audio segments (Cannons at the Battle of Borodino, Moscow burning, and the winter winds during the French retreat). This pedagogical approach, while simple in its execution, enables students to more fully understand the decisive factors in this significant campaign. The first page reveals the international character of the French army. The temperature/date/troop number box shows that it was not the winter that depleted Napoleon’s army, but the incredible heat of the Russian summer and the multi-national character of his army. By the time this module shows Napoleon’s forces limping back to Poland, the student has visually experienced the devastating results of this campaign.
Click here to go to the Western Civilization II Sample Interactive Module
Interactive modules can also make difficult intellectual and philosophical concepts more accessible to students. For example, Descartes’ philosophical views of man and God can, as one instructor noted, “drive students to distraction.” When concepts, such as Descartes’, are viewed graphically, combining animation with short textual explanations, they become more understandable.
-4-
A similar problem is presented by another concept that students find challenging: the definitions and visual differences of the artistic styles of the late-19th and early-20th centuries. This is addressed in a module that takes one object, in this case a chair, and displays it as depicted by the various artistic styles. Some commentary is included to elaborate the important characteristics of each style.
View the Styles of Modern Art module
Digital Learning Interactive’s modules continue to evolve.
The latest interactive module in development, Exploring a Renaissance Painting, is based on Raphael’s fresco, The School of Athens. (Should you be
interested in viewing this module in its present state, go to the Digital
Learning Interactive homepage, www.digitlearn.org,
click on the word, “Interactive”, and follow the instructions.).
This module will truly be an interactive, multimedia, learning module. In this module the viewers will be able to explore, interrogate, and investigate a collection of interrelated information that is not presented linearly, but rather in such a way that the viewers “uncover” the information they seek in accordance with their own interests or assigned objectives. In short, different users of this module can have very different learning experiences, depending on their goals. Exploring a Renaissance Painting will permit students to either pursue their own interests by interrogating the painting to discover things for themselves, or to use the navigation bar at the left to home in on a precise topic of interest.
The potentialities of this new type of interactive module are remarkable. As the module is developed, all types of questions can be asked of this painting: What is the relationship among the figures that appear on Plato’s side of the painting versus those on Aristotle’s side? Why is Plato pointing skywards and Aristotle palm down? What is Pythagoras writing on the slate? Why has Raphael included these particular people in the painting? What role does each element of the painting play in creating this masterpiece of Renaissance art? Eventually, every detail of this painting will be accessible. This approach will enable Digital Learning Interactive to incorporate “historical strings” stemming from this painting into other areas of western society. For example, if students mouse over Pythagoras they can see that Pythagoras is explaining the mathematical relationship of musical intervals. This concept is expanded by Plato to the “music of the spheres.” Students could follow this concept through the Middle Ages to Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, culminating with Einstein and the Theory of Relativity. Other lines of inquiry could be created from Einstein examining the impact on 20th-century society of theory. Pedagogically, this could become a powerful tool enabling students to uncover cause and effect and intellectual relationships in history. In the future it may be possible to teach all of Western Civilization from this module alone.
Exploring a Renaissance Painting is the prototype for most of the interactive modules that Digital Learning Interactive will be creating in the future. It can be applied to several disciplines. Since it is so expansive, myriad exploration routes and links can be created for the students.
-5-
Attention to pedagogical issues is not limited to customization and to the design of interactive modules. Each chapter in each textbook follows certain pedagogical
guide lines that are designed to support the goal of making the presentation of the material both Web- and user-friendly, and, therefore, more easily understandable and enjoyable to the student. For example, since reading long, detailed paragraphs is deadly on the Web, chapters are limited in length, paragraphs must be short with some activity by the student implanted in the text at least every two paragraphs. The most concrete and detailed terms are used when explaining material and abstractions are minimized. Color-coded words and phrases also appear throughout the Presentation, the heart of the stand-alone chapters. Different colors indicate to the student and instructor whether a word or phrase is a glossary term, a link to a primary reading, a picture, an external site, or an interactive module.
View a sample chapter from Western Civilization II
However, different disciplines present different pedagogical issues. Therefore, Digital Learning Interactive does not take a “one size fits all” approach. In addition to Western Civilization I and II and American History I the company has published online interactive textbooks for French and for Shakespeare. The French textbook, Dis donc!, concentrates on communication in the classroom, one of the most important pedagogical goals of any foreign language program. This text provides the students with the opportunity for excellent oral and written mastery of the core material and mechanics of the language, which leaves the class time free for communicative activities without having to refer to a printed textbook. Since this is a different approach to traditional language teaching, each chapter of Dis donc! includes an online instructor’s guide that provides sufficient practice material to cover several class periods. The result is that students spend more valuable class time using French to interact with each other and with the instructor and less time on the printed page, which distracts their attention away from real language communication.
Central to Dis donc! is the animated conversations produced by the French content team and the interactive designers at Digital Learning Interactive. This unique approach to presenting a conversation in a foreign language engages the students’ interest. The audio portions of these conversations, as well as every other audio component of each chapter, are provided by native-born French speakers. Along with these animated conversations are numerous ancillaries that include oral, reading, and writing exercises, pronunciation practice, and descriptions of relevant cultural aspects of modern French society. The entire text is dynamic and interactive and the writing exercises contain instant feedback designed to reinforce learning and to motivate the student to master their assignments. Dis donc! offers a unique approach to foreign language instruction that brings the language to life.
View a sample chapter from Dis donc!
Developing an online, interactive Shakespeare textbook presented a significant pedagogical challenge. Students approach the study of Shakespeare with great
trepidation. To
them, the Elizabethan syntax and vocabulary are difficult obstacles to overcome
while reading; references and words that have become archaic and obscure over
the years can be overwhelming and discouraging. Even the stories at the heart
of the plays can prove problematic for students since they often depend on
-6-
assumptions of a
common historical, cultural, or even geographical understanding that may not be
part of a contemporary student’s frame of reference. Additionally, since
language and poetry figure so prominently in Shakespeare’s writing, it is
important that his words be heard – a notion long acknowledged by many teachers
– but it can be difficult for a first-time student reader, already struggling
to understand the text, to instill these lines with a natural and comfortable
sound and meaning.
Standard collections
of Shakespeare’s plays attempt to increase the ease with which a student reads
by including academic introductions and voluminous footnotes, both of which
present their own challenges to the reader. The introductions are often brief
and cover the entirety of the play, making it difficult to integrate the important
points into the reading of a single scene. Juggling text and footnotes while
reading can become a confusing task as line after line a student looks from one
portion of the page to another in order to find a note.
Today many
institutions are de-emphasizing Shakespeare in their literature programs, in
some cases even eliminating him from their listed requirements. Recent success
of film versions of his plays (Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Titus, Hamlet)
and of films retelling the stories of his plays (Ten Things I Hate About You)
reveal that the plays not only feature some of the most stunning poetry in the
English language, but that they continue to offer relevant and interesting
insights into the human condition.
View a sample chapter from the
Shakespeare online textbook
The Shakespeare textbook has been designed to focus on the students and their experience of the text. At the heart of the Shakespeare collection one will find the plays themselves. Each play has been carefully laid out to encourage focused reading. Freed from the confines of the printed page, each of the comprehensive notes that accompany the text is quickly and conveniently accessed with a single click – looking from the line to the notes is rapid and easy since the student does not have to pick one note out of a jumble at the bottom of the page, and then try to find his or her place in the text again. Various modules have also been developed to illustrate material that students will find hard to comprehend.
The Tempest
module effectively illustrates how all the various characters in the play came
to be on the island as the play opens. Although Shakespeare has Prospero
provide this information in a speech at the very opening of the play, students
may find it confusing and difficult to follow. (Even Prospero’s daughter seems
to be falling asleep as he tells the tale!). This module makes clear who is on
the island and how they got there. With this information understood, the
student is better able to grasp the action and movement of The Tempest.
Click here to go to the Shakespeare Sample Interactive Module
Accompanying each play are six commentaries written to guide a student through the difficult points of the play and to highlight moments of particular thematic, poetic, and theatrical interest. For example, many students find it difficult to recognize the way in which Shakespeare’s punctuation and word choice can guide one to particular readings of a line – learning how the printed line translates into an
-7-
audible line is vital to a full appreciation of the plays. One example of this from the commentaries is an audio reading of a section of King Lear, in which the text subtly reveals Lear’s struggle for self-control. Having heard the lines aloud, rather than merely seeing them on the printed page, students can begin to recognize the delicate ways in which Shakespeare leads us to an understanding of his characters.
By helping students focus both on their reading and comprehension while developing their critical skills, the Shakespeare textbook provides instructors with a potent tool for exploring Shakespeare in the classroom. The less time instructors must spend recapping each scene for the students, the more time they can spend exploring the deeper questions these plays raise for their audiences, thus keeping the plays as vital and fascinating in today’s classroom as they are on the stage.
Digital Learning Interactive works and exists within a technological medium where change and innovation are the norm and not the exception. New concepts are in development, which will maximize the impact of the interactive learning module and as the Internet technology becomes more sophisticated, we will be challenged to harness this technology in pedagogically valid ways. But certain pedagogical concepts remain constant. Each component of each textbook in each discipline aims to take advantage of the Web as a two-way medium of interaction. Furthermore, each component should match the pedagogical goals of the instructor; that is achieved through our customization tool. Finally, learning must engage; and today there is no more engaging presentation than one that employs a multi-media approach. Digital Learning Interactive expects that ultimately the print textbook will go the way of the abacus, the eight-track tape, and the model-T. In its place will be the media-rich, customizable online textbook.