Instructional design in definition is the practice of systematically designing, developing and delivering instructional products and experiences, both digital and physical, in a consistent and reliable fashion. In order to ensure you abide by consistent and reliable methods, you must create pillars of learning goals to follow throughout your instruction. Setting clear learning goals is by far one of the most important learning engagement strategies. Why one may ask, because it allows the learner to know whether or not they are on track and is immediate proof of their retention of the topic on hand. Chris Deason developed the Hip Hop Pedagogy which allowed learners to use music to increase knowledge retention. There are various learning products that can fall into the category of showing clear learning goals. Even non learning products include such goals.
Deason, Chris. [Chris Deason]. (2008, November 04). Dr. Deason's Hip Hop Pedagogy Part II (cdeason123@gmail.com) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXjRlSUj1yY
Fun opens the door to learner motivation
The Hip Hop Pedagogy uses an intriguing way to make education not only fun but impacting. Early in part I of the video series, it is stated that the goal of this process is for the target audience to learn key information of United States history for an upcoming assessment. Standard textbook study methods can be challenging. Adaptive and interactive activities can monitor the activity of each participant and infer specific needs amongst those participants. Throughout time, these needs can change in pace or complexity to dynamically facilitate learning (McGregor, K. K., Marshall, B. A., Julian, S. K., & Oleson, J., 2019) Chris Deason tasks the participants to research a topic of history and then changes the pace of the task by having the participants produce their own lyrics based off of the research that they have conducted. Although the Hip Hop Pedagogy is not outright a game, it has many elements of one which can motivate learners to produce better content throughout their involvement.
Impact on student engagement
Clear learning goals are outlined by Chris Deason’s Hip Hop Pedagogy. As stated in the previous point, a learner chooses a topic, studies it, and produces their own lyrics. This is part of the process before audio recording takes place. However, this alone has already impacted the student as the goal has the learner’s attention from the beginning all the way through to the end. Not only are learner’s producing their content, the constant repetition and melody embeds the information into their minds. Chris Deason had touched base in stating that after listening to a participant’s song three or four times you wouldn’t be able to get it out of your head. Because the lyrics of the song are in relation to history, you now have history that you cannot get out of your head (Deason, 2008). By learners showing engagement they are able to abstract harmonic rules from the topic they are researching and through producing their own lyrics, transfer them to new musical material (Lappe, C., Trainor, L. J., Herholz, S. C., & Pantev, C. , 2011).
Expansion on more than just one skillset
Although the Hip Hop Pedagogy is set out to have learners take a bigger understanding on United States history, the actions the target audience take throughout the process actually allows them to increase their digital literacy, research, writing, performance and collaboration skills (Deason, 2008). The goals set throughout this process not only provide expansion on multiple skillsets but gives the learners proof that their efforts are paying off and shows the immediate impact through their production. The clear learning goal to have a deeper understanding on United States history. When the students have the songs, they created stuck in their heads it is proof that they successfully reached their goal, but throughout the journey they’ve managed to improve their analytical skills that may assist them in retaining information in the future through similar methods. Schubert details how learners in the 21st century have certain expectations. One of them is to follow their own interests and passions along with creating and using the tools of their time (Schubert, 2015). By allowing creative freedom these learners have the ability to expand additional skillset, their ability to learn.
References
Deason, Chris. [Chris Deason]. (2008, October 28). Dr. Chris Deason's Hip Hop Pedagogy Part I (cdeason123@gmail.com) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94dXyn_UPnw
Deason, Chris. [Chris Deason]. (2008, November 04). Dr. Deason's Hip Hop Pedagogy Part II (cdeason123@gmail.com) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXjRlSUj1yY
Iacovides, I. (2011). Digital games: Exploring the relationship between motivation, engagement and informal learning. Psychology of Education Review, 35(1), 21–24.
Lappe, C., Trainor, L. J., Herholz, S. C., & Pantev, C. (2011). Cortical plasticity induced by short-term multimodal musical rhythm training. PloS One, 6(6), e21493. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1371/journal.pone.0021493
McGregor, K. K., Marshall, B. A., Julian, S. K., & Oleson, J. (2019). Learning While Playing: A Randomized Trial of Serious Games as a Tool for Word Mastery. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 50(4), 596–608. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1044/2019_LSHSS-VOIA-18-0121
Merrill, M. D.; Drake, L.; Lacy, M. J.; Pratt, J. (1996). "Reclaiming instructional design" (PDF). Educational Technology. 36 (5): 5–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
Schubert, D. (2015). Goal-based Scenario Theory in Educational Game Design. Journal of Applied Learning Technology, 5(3), 31–38.
Wen, J.-R., Chuang, M. K., & Kuo, S.-H. (2012). The learning effectiveness of integrating e-books into elementary school science and technology classes. International Journal of Humanities & Arts Computing: A Journal of Digital Humanities, 6(1/2), 224–235. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.3366/ijhac.2012.0051
McGee’s case study takes an interesting look at how an instructional designer can use an interdisciplinary approach in their teaching so that students not only create clear learning goals, but they can also use their personally unique curiosity and creativity to learn skills, concepts, and tasks. In this study, McGee uses the Hip Hop Pedagogy as an example of how one instructional designer helped students master historical knowledge, but in an untraditional, interdisciplinary way. Students were tasked with creating hip-hop lyrics based on research on historical topics (McGee, 2020). By creatively connecting two seemingly unrelated topics, students were able to foster a creative spirit to learn material that might otherwise be irrelevant and boring to them (McGee, 2020).
The Creative…
Interdisciplinary Learning
According to McGee (2020) “Instructional design in definition is the practice of systematically designing, developing and delivering instructional products and experiences, both digital and physical, in a consistent and reliable fashion” (pp.1). In the world of education, it is invaluable to create engaging lessons for students. Students vary on their learning styles and thus curriculum should also vary to meet those needs. When content extends to cross-curricular engagement, educators are able to impact a wider range of learners. Certain subjects do not attract students, so it is important to find ways to excite students about learning. In addition, students love to see educators collaborate and create a cohesive learning environment. When they see the content stretches beyond their…
Case Study - Clear Learning Goals
I found Joshua Mc. Gee Case study enlightening and very informative. I was introduced to a new learning format called Hip-Hop Pedagogy. The Instructional Design and Technology aspect of the program is clever and unique with its use of Hip-Hop and Rap as a tool.
1. Arousing Curiosity
For an Instructional designer, one of the goals is to arouse free-thinking and curiosity for the learner. According to Dempsey and Keller, “Curiosity is aroused by uncertainty or a desire to close a perceived gap in one’s knowledge due to such things as unanswered questions or unresolved conflicts” (Reiser, Dempsey. 2018, pp.78-86). Content must be engaging and intriguing enough for the learner to develop the urge…
2.2 Project: Review of Case Study -- Clear Learning Goals
David Kobliska
Full Sail University
Strategies for Learner Engagement – Online
Dr. Chris Deason
October 7, 2020
Introduction
In this post, Joshua McGee zeros in on the effectiveness of Chris Deason’s Hip Hop Pedagogy and its power to motivate students through its unique metacognitive goal of music production (Deason, 2008; McGee, 2020). While one strength of this approach is its clear articulation of goals, this review will highlight other advantages of Deason’s approach while comparing it to a study of Taiwanese students using augmented reality to engage their environment (Chen et al., 2016).
Key #1: Sensory Experiences Engage Metacognition and Mitigate Boredom
As the students in the video faced their…
Clear Learning Goals
Chris Deason’s Hip Hop Pedagogy encourages students to engage in interdisciplinary learning, providing a well-rounded educational model that motivates students to learn. Hip Hop Pedagogy is an innovative project that allows students to create content that addresses general education standards to original Hip Hop music.
Interest
On page 80 of Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology, Reiser and Dempsey briefly address that interest-level plays a role in learner engagement. Students who are interested in an activity are more motivated to participate in it. When referencing Dewey, Reiser and Dempsey (2008) state that “effort by itself might lead to accomplishment but it does not lead to motivated goal pursuit unless there are high levels of interest…