Technology: A Balance between Control & Convenience

Norman's article on technological design highlighted several interesting recommendations to take into consideration when developing and implementing new programs. Many of the components of useful design were relatively obvious: select a design that is intuitive, create visually appealing design, incorporate visual and audio components whenever possible to facilitate the use of the product. Norman explains that these elements of design are important because they enable the technology to be more user friendly. As the first computer manufactures experienced, no matter how advanced the technology may be, if it is difficult to understand and to apply, it will fail.

Norman continues, however, to point out another important element to consider when designing new technology--don't take control away from the user. I find this observation especially interesting. Here we are saying that we want technology that makes our lives easier, yet we don't want to relinquish control to the machine. I totally relate. We want to be sure that, while we appreciate the way that technology enables us to do our work faster, better, and more accurately, we want to know that we are in control of how it is produced. Don't surprise me by creating a machine that can be negatively altered (nevermind reset) with the simple push of a button. Don't let me think that I've saved something and then trash it as I close the program. Don't you dare let me feel like I've done exactly what the manual said but the program still didn't work. We want to feel that we are in control of the technology that we use everyday. Not only do we want to understand what we're doing (though we definitely don't feel the need to understand how it works necessarily), but we want to feel like we are in control of how it's done.

I find truth in the sentiment that good design enables the user to feel like they're in control of their actions and it's interesting to realize that, while we rely on technology so extensively in our daily lives, we really do want to feel like we are making the difference.

Constructivism? Yeah, I've heard about it. Now I get it...

Constructivism has been one of those words that I hear tossed around that I kind of understand, but never really grasped. As a student of affairs administration, no one actually spends time explaining instructional techniques. Sure, we present at conferences, so I'm sure someone's mentioned the notion once or twice, but it's never a focus. The word's kind of like that lace doily on grandma's table--I've seen it, but I've never actually looked at it. As a graduate student, I have spent the majority of my time learning about student development theory, identity association, diversity training, and leadership theories. Administrative awareness is clearly more important than learning (please hear the sarcasm dripping from my words).

That said, after reading Mayer's article, Theories of Learning and Their Application to Technology, it was like a world of understanding opened up t0 me. I felt like interrupting the lovely, bald-headed gentleman sitting next to me on the train to tell him that I finally get it. While the article may have been fairly basic for someone with any background knowledge of instruction, for me it was eye-opening. I was (and am) very impressed and interested with the distinction between the cognitive activity that is associated with constructivist instruction and behavioral activity that seems so apparent in the classrooms that I've observed/participated in. Furthermore, the concept of transferrable knowledge seems so obvious, so reasonable, yet it's not something that I've considered extensively. Of course you would want your students to be able to apply what you've taught them to other scenarios. It only makes sense that you would encourage them to see how what they're learning will help them in the future. Yet, it seems to me that many times that is not the case.

I'm interested to see how what I've learned about constructivist instruction will influence my work in this course. Mayer's description of the pro's and con's of simultaneous presentation vs. successive presentation in technology fit the experiences that I've had when working online (I can't tell you how many times I've skipped a page just because there is way too much going on) and I am hopeful that I will be able to apply what we've read to the webpage that I create to make it useful. We'll see, I guess...for now, here's hoping I pull it off!

Can you believe it? I'm blogging. Here goes nothing...