Authentic Activities in Web-based Training

This week’s reading assignments about authentic activities was very interesting. Though I read both articles, Authentic Activity as a Model for Web-based Learning, by Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver (2002) caught my attention. What I do currently is search for new ideas for incorporating these types of authentic activities to enhance my training.

The article discussed 10 characteristics of Authentic Activities, which are:

1. Have real world relevance
2. Ili-defined, requiring students to define the tasks and sub-tasks need to complete the activity
3. Comprised of complex tasks to be investigated by students over a sustained period of time
4. Provide the opportunity for students to examine the task from a different perspectives, using a variety of resources
5. Provide the opportunity to collaborate
6. Provide the opportunity to reflect and involve students beliefs and values
7. Can be integrated and applied across different subject areas and extend beyond domain specific outcome
8. Are seamlessly integrated with assessment
9. Create polished products valuable in their own right rather than as preparation for something else
10. Allow completing solutions and delivery of outcomes

The examples used in this articles were cute and apparently from 2002. The first Research Methods Course was well organized, colorful, and engaged the learner to move around the office / research center as they would in a real world environment. When I read this article, I could not help but think of what I do as an instructional designer.

As stated in our class forum discussion, I am not a teacher, but I have incorporated authentic tasks into the corporate classroom. One way I have done this is by including real world and on-the-job type training exercises.

For example, At Eli Lilly, I developed several health and safety courses. In a course about safety harnesses, I had the students learn the reasons why harnesses were important by watching video featuring real employees who did not wear their harnesses as they were instructed. This video showed the harsh reality of not following proper safety regulations. After the video, the course was designed to include easy-to-follow steps, practice exercises, and then the students were graded on their ability to apply their harness. The reason these authentic tasks were valuable is that it saved lives.

As an instructional designer, I strongly believe that it is crucial to create as much of real world environment as possible. Another example of us of authentic activities I have created for a course is one I am currently developing for computer application for AT&T Billing Representatives.

The web-based course allows students to first watch a realistic demonstration, and then perform the same steps on their own in a controlled online environment. I created helpful hints, and error messages that lead the student through out the task. There are assessment questions, and build-in challenges the student must perform to successfully complete the course.

To develop this course, I am using an AT&T learning management system and other software applications, such as Flash and Captivate. Using these applications, I can actually make the task in more of a game that the learner wants to complete, and move on the next level.

In conclusion, even though this article was written in 2002, I agree with Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver's Ten Characteristics of Authentic Activities. The themes and issues they noted are still true today in the ever-changing world of Web 2.0!

References:

• Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver, 2002, Authentic Activity as a Model for Web-based Learning, paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in New Orleans, LA, USA April 1-5, 2002.