Learning Strategy
Looking for innovative study methodologies, the Rudolf Steiner School believes the implementation of technology can be a key factor to improve the learning experience of its students, so it decided to carry out a pilot test by adapting one of the most important topics of a 4th grade Biology book, the animal cell and its different parts.
In order to test this pilot, the 4th grade class would be divided into two groups. The first would study the subject relying mainly on the book, and the second would study with the learning module. To assess the success of this project, not only would the students' knowledge be assessed, but also their perception of the learning experience.
Design and Development
Designing this module was a fun experience. I worked side by side with the primary biology teacher, who helped me by making a summary of the content found in the book, content I modified in order to make some style and language adjustments that would better adapt to the desired product and the target audience.
For this module, I considered it appropriate to implement a voice over format, where an animated character would be the guide in charge of narrating the content of the course. This idea was well received by the client, so I ended up adapting the script to a first-person narration format. Following up, I designed the storyboard, emphasizing the interactive components that can be used to present the content in a more creative and easy-to-understand way, where most of the theory is found on the same slide. In order for the students to learn about each part of the animal cell, they must click on each different component. The structure of this course is this:
0. Cover
1. Presentation of the course
2. Theory (parts of the cell)
3. Memory game
4. Questionnaire
5. End
Parts 3 and 4 make up the evaluation segment of this module. For the memory game, a card format was used in order to reinforce the names and visual characteristics of each different part of the cell. For the questionnaire, we made a multiple choice format in which each correct answer will make the animated narrator advance in a running race, and a move back if the answer is incorrect.
As for the visual identity of this project, I tried to use bright colors, pastels, similar to those usually used in children's tv programs. Also, I was in charge of designing the graphics and illustrations. It was nice to have good feedback about this, since I am not an illustrator, perhaps, for the upcoming projects, as suggested by me, a dedicated illustrator was in charge of making all the visuals and characters, really enhancing this key part of the learning experience. In the case of the narration of the presenter, I selected a narration actor who managed to interpret a jovial, interesting and friendly voice, accompanied by a fun and childish soundtrack that reminds
of the jungle.
Implementation and results
Finally, it was time to put the educational material to the test. The methodology would be the following: the 22 4th grade students would have a normal class, in which they would be taught about the parts of the animal cell. Then, the class would be divided into two groups: group A would review the topic through the Biology guide book, while group B would have to complete the module that we designed. The next day all the students would have a small written exam to test the acquired knowledge. The result for this experiment was that, on average, group B scored 15% higher than group A.
For the client, it was not only important that the group B students obtain a similar or even higher grade than those who did not take the course (group A). The client’s main objective was to make this a more immersive and entertaining learning experience for their audience, something that definitely happened, because each of the students expressed that it is more fun to learn with interactive learning instead of learning only by reading books and having regular classes.
Due to the success of this pilot, we continued with the project by adapting more than 40% of the content of the biology guide book, managing to develop 10 interactive modules. Also, the school is planning to expand this type of education to other classes and grades, including innovative learning formats, like virtual reality experiences and even console games, like Minecraft Education.