easeeaseDesign PrinciplesDesign Principles

Tim KellyTim Kelly

University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick

Today’s TalkToday’s Talk

What is ease?What is ease? Design principles behind ease Design principles behind ease Methodology / ProcessMethodology / Process Examples from ease discsExamples from ease discs Not necessarily in that order!Not necessarily in that order!

What is ease?What is ease?

Essential Academic Skills in EnglishEssential Academic Skills in English Series of interactive CD-ROMs Series of interactive CD-ROMs Target users – tertiary students whose first Target users – tertiary students whose first

language is not English but who study in an language is not English but who study in an English speaking environmentEnglish speaking environment

Designed as self-access materials to Designed as self-access materials to improve academic English of usersimprove academic English of users

ease CD-ROMsease CD-ROMs

Listening to LecturesListening to Lectures Seminar Skills 1 PresentationsSeminar Skills 1 Presentations Seminar Skills 2 DiscussionsSeminar Skills 2 Discussions ((English for International ConferencesEnglish for International Conferences))

Why develop ease?Why develop ease?

A lack of availability of good / authentic A lack of availability of good / authentic academic English listening materials for pre-academic English listening materials for pre-sessional studentssessional students

Commercial potential (finance)Commercial potential (finance)

ease: Design Principlesease: Design Principles

Research basedResearch based Data-drivenData-driven

ease: Research Basisease: Research Basis

Identified target users Identified target users Questionnaire – about difficultiesQuestionnaire – about difficulties

ease: Data-Drivenease: Data-Driven

Do not assume you know the target Do not assume you know the target languagelanguage

Create a video corpus as a database of Create a video corpus as a database of authentic language useauthentic language use

ease: Creating the Corpusease: Creating the Corpus

Filmed across facultiesFilmed across faculties 30 + different departments30 + different departments

ease: The BASE Corpusease: The BASE Corpus

200 hours academic speech events200 hours academic speech events Transcribed into 1 million + words of Transcribed into 1 million + words of

academic Englishacademic English Analysis using concordancing softwareAnalysis using concordancing software Able to know what authentic language use Able to know what authentic language use

actually wasactually was

Ease: Development ProcessEase: Development Process

Survey of user needsSurvey of user needs Corpus of authentic video materialsCorpus of authentic video materials Start development properStart development proper

Why bother?Why bother?

Why not simply make up our exercises? Why not simply make up our exercises? Research evidence reveals differences Research evidence reveals differences

between authentic corpus and published between authentic corpus and published materialsmaterials

Research EvidenceResearch Evidence

Professor Hilary Nesi Professor Hilary Nesi Published materials vs. authentic corpusPublished materials vs. authentic corpus Differences – lexical density, speed of Differences – lexical density, speed of

delivery, interactivity, redundancy etc.delivery, interactivity, redundancy etc. Therefore without the data you can get it Therefore without the data you can get it

wrong.wrong.

AnalysisAnalysis

Watch video clipsWatch video clips Use concordancing software to analyse Use concordancing software to analyse

transcriptionstranscriptions Variation between functions dealt with in our Variation between functions dealt with in our

materials and existing published materialsmaterials and existing published materials e.g. Comparing & contrasting / Referring to e.g. Comparing & contrasting / Referring to

and evaluating sourcesand evaluating sources

Content DevelopmentContent Development

Map out structureMap out structure Unit headingsUnit headings Select video clipsSelect video clips Materials writing – activities and feedbackMaterials writing – activities and feedback Editing video clipsEditing video clips Add audioAdd audio

ProgrammingProgramming

Agree authoring software in advanceAgree authoring software in advance Work closely with programmerWork closely with programmer Programmer’s interests Programmer’s interests ≠ content developers≠ content developers Maintain controlMaintain control ““It can’t be done.”It can’t be done.” ““It can!”It can!”

Error IdentificationError Identification

Error identificationError identification RewritingRewriting ReprogrammingReprogramming

PilotingPiloting

Get feedback from usersGet feedback from users Via questionnairesVia questionnaires Watch users working with your softwareWatch users working with your software The floating vs. fixed windowThe floating vs. fixed window Architect & arrowsArchitect & arrows

Pedagogical Criteria: GeneralPedagogical Criteria: General

Scope & aimsScope & aims Appropriacy of materialsAppropriacy of materials Authenticity of materialsAuthenticity of materials Integration of materialsIntegration of materials Variety of exercise typesVariety of exercise types Appropriacy of exercise types Appropriacy of exercise types Gradual build up of skills (follow-up Gradual build up of skills (follow-up

exercises) exercises)

Pedagogical Criteria: Exercise LevelPedagogical Criteria: Exercise Level

Clarity of Instructions Clarity of Instructions Key language highlighted Key language highlighted Answers provided Answers provided Feedback provided: & quality of feedback:Feedback provided: & quality of feedback:

– explanations of why an answer is wrong?explanations of why an answer is wrong?– staged feedback?staged feedback?

Technical CriteriaTechnical Criteria

Tour / explanation of how to use courseware Tour / explanation of how to use courseware Navigation – easy to find your way around? Navigation – easy to find your way around? Design: aesthetics & function:Design: aesthetics & function:

– user friendly?user friendly?

Visuals: clarity & quality Visuals: clarity & quality Audio: clarity & qualityAudio: clarity & quality HelpHelp