Abstract

60 Patel
that of the learning domain (Ardito et al., 2004). Applying the concept to designing
children’s multimedia means using knowledge a child already possesses to introduce
new and unfamiliar ideas; sometimes whole paradigms. It has ramifications
to the design of Web site navigation, interface design, and the multimedia content
itself, both in terms of the mode of delivery of the content and how the content is
structured for the learner.
Learner-Centered Design
“From edutainment to context-sensitive help systems, the need to support learners is
well recognized” (Soloway et al., 1996, p. 189). Drawing on the work of user-centered
design, Soloway (1996) outlined three main tenets of learner-centered design:
growth, diversity, and motivation. Growth is seen as a primary goal of education.
Thus, designs for learners should enable growth. Before the question, How does one
design for growth, can be answered, the question of How do people grow? How do
they learn? must be addressed. As Ardito et al. (2004) put it: “It is necessary to rely
on an educational theory driving the designer.” Learner-centered design is steeped in
constructivist learning philosophy, whereby learning is seen to occur when people
make meaning by actively engaging in authentic, culturally valued tasks (Soloway
et al., 1996). Diversity acknowledges the social milieu of our times, and children’s
wide-ranging developmental abilities, cultural mores, practices, and individuality (a
principle that can be seen through Caroline’s writing). Designing for diversity also
means, in educational terms, differentiation. In other words, scaling the language
usage, topic scope and depth, presentation, information visualization, and activity in
developmentally appropriate terms. Motivation—though lacking in a unified model
or theory—is specified here in the reflection that a learner’s motivation should not
be taken for granted.
Reeves’ (1999) conception of learner-centered design emerges from the cognitive
approach whereby principles of cognition are applied to the design of informationrich
environments. It is a way to manage the complex information a user meets in
an interactive information field (such as a product, information system, or a workspace),
the computer-mediated system being a major example. The information
age has brought about cognitive complexity whereby the efficient use of artifacts
becomes unclear; cluttered by environmental factors and societal forces. There are
three conceptual tools to help learners manage cognitive complexity. Understandability
is derived from usability, as understanding a product or system. In LCD, it
comes with the added caveat that both the (1) design of a technology and (2) content
delivered by such a technology must be easy and apparent to understand. Design
elements that help beginners and novices understand how to use an artifact bring
about learnability. Scaffolding builds in learning supports that assist the learning
process.
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