In project development, learner acquisition occurs as learners gain knowledge and skills in an active learner-centered environment through an instructional process strategically shaped for problem-solving (Jonassen, 2012). The learner is the focus of the teaching and learning process evidenced through strategies designed, developed, and facilitated by the instructional designer.
Learner Acquisition in Project Development
Learner acquisition strategies can be implemented into project development for content knowledge attainment through inquiry. In inquiry, information is discovered through research or investigation for insight into complex subjects or issues. Content knowledge acquisition results in a combination of existing knowledge with information discovered.
In a learner-centered environment within project development, instructional designers develop methods for learners to gather information as they facilitate the learning process (Januszewski & Molenda, 2008), resulting in the construction of product-based solutions. In this approach, learners discover and curate information, including media (e.g., images, videos), from various sources to formulate ideas and form narratives (Mihailidis & Cohen, 2013), while progressing in skills, such as critical thinking and analysis.
Problem-Solving and Learner Acquisition Strategies
Knowledge and skills are significant for identifying issues in the context of the content. As the instructional designer facilitates learner acquisition strategies through inquiry and curation of information, the learner identifies an issue in the curriculum context, researches the issue, examines research findings, synthesizes data, and defines an authentic problem.
Since problem-solving is the focus of product development, effective inquiry approaches are critical to the process. Existing complex ill-structured problems rooted in the content context must be defined through a process that results in a gain of content knowledge, improvement in problem-solving skills, and the development of technological skills to provide effective solutions to societal needs on a global scale.
REFERENCES
Januszewski, A. & Molenda, M. (2008). Educational technology: A definition with commentary. Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203054000
Jonassen, D. (2012). Designing for problem solving. In R. A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (pp. 64-74). Pearson.
Mihailidis, P. & Cohen, J.N. (2013). Exploring curation as a core competency in digital and media literacy education. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 1(2), https://doi.org/10.5334/2013-02
