Yunrong Zhu's Portfolio

Name: Yunrong Zhu

Student ID: 2358417

Email: Yunrong.Zhu23@student.xjtlu.edu.cn

Major: Digital Education

Education Experience: Bachelor in the University of Pannonia

In the first semester, I have achieved the learning outcomes of this module: 

A. Understand and apply a range of approaches to the design of online and offline courses;
B. Critically evaluate these approaches via an understanding of philosophical and theoretical bases;
C. Select, design and share media, learning activities and assessment tasks appropriate to each approach;
D. Design and build course components appropriate to institutional and educational contexts.

In EDS431, I learned three concepts that I think will be helpful and applicable to my future educational practice: Education 4.0, Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy, and Sustainable Development Goals.

In this course, I learned that we are now at a stage of education called Education 4.0. Mukui stated that the concept of Education 4.0 revolves around the futuristic framework and ideology of teaching and learning, emphasizing utilizing advanced digital technologies, personalized data, open-source content, and seamless connectivity to achieve maximum efficiency. The concept of Education 4.0 is aimed at preparing students to face the challenges and opportunities of the rapidly evolving digital age. This new form of education equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a globalized economy and emphasizes developing essential future-ready skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and digital literacy. In my future educational practice, I will explore and integrate various digital tools, such as interactive presentations, multimedia content, educational apps, and online learning platforms, to enrich my teaching materials and make the classes more engaging and interactive for students. I will also adopt a blended learning approach, which combines traditional face-to-face and online learning, providing students with online resources and developing virtual classrooms to facilitate independent learning.  Digital literacy will be an integral part of my teaching, and I will offer opportunities for students to develop their digital competence by integrating digital technologies into the classroom. This will include specialized digital skills courses and hands-on opportunities to help students become more proficient in using digital tools.

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy is an extension of the original taxonomy that outlines a hierarchy of learning activities in a digital environment. Obiageli Sneed (2016) stated that it combines classroom teaching techniques with digital technology to guide instructors on how to use technology and digital tools to enhance student learning experiences and outcomes. In my future practice, I plan to choose and apply various frameworks and tools based on different learning activities to help students construct technology-rich learning environments.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a global initiative to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that everyone can enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The UN reiterates the importance of ESD by establishing the SDGs4 Quality Education, the seventh goal of which (4.7) mentions ESD: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and culture's contribution to sustainable development” (UN, 2015). I have developed three plans to incorporate the SDGs into my future practice. Firstly, I aim to teach the SDGs in my classroom and integrate them into the school's culture to encourage sustainable development activities. Secondly, I plan to encourage my students to analyze each SDG critically, considering the obstacles that hinder the attainment of each goal, the relationships between different goals, and their role in overcoming these obstacles. Lastly, I intend to leverage technology to teach the SDGs. I can engage the students deeply with these goals by utilizing online resources, digital media, and virtual platforms.  

Considering learners' needs and characteristics is crucial to the learning experience. Education 4.0 curriculum is designed to be learner-centered, primarily focused on enhancing students' learning abilities. Two methods that can help teachers consider students' needs and preferences are question forums and VARK. Every student has different learning styles. From the cognitive aspect, learning style can be referred to various methods in perception creation and information processing to form concepts and principles (Fleming & Baume, 2006). According to Marcy et al. (2001), one simple-to-use tool that might help pupils discover how to maximize their learning is the VARK inventory (VARK stands for visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic learning modalities). VARK assists teachers in understanding students' learning preferences. By designing courses based on students' preferences, teachers can cater to diverse learning needs, improve student engagement, and achieve better learning outcomes. The question forum provides a platform for students to express their queries and needs. Teachers can use the feedback from students to adjust their teaching methods and provide effective and personalized instruction to promote students' learning growth and success.  

This semester, we had to turn our proposal into a curriculum, but I had trouble creating a prototype and which technologies to use for different levels. My group was confused about which structure to use and which H5p technology to choose when making the prototype. Dr. Lina gave us some guidance and direction to help solve these problems. She explained the content of H5p and helped us understand what we needed to do. Additionally, while designing the curriculum, we wanted to create a 3D image showing a panoramic view of the Canary Islands, but we couldn't find that technology in H5p. We wanted to use the Nibiru technique we learned in week 11 to achieve this, but we couldn't find a video of the Canary Islands' landscape. In the end, I used H5p to present the location information in text form.

Looking back on my learning experience in EDS431, I can say that several interesting activities helped me better understand digital education curriculum design. One of the most valuable experiences was the speech delivered by the principal of Renai School. He introduced a lot of intelligent teaching methods for children with AIDS, which helped me understand that developing such tools can provide special children with a better learning experience. I learned that specific digital tools are particularly helpful in teaching children with special needs, and I appreciate the efforts made to improve their education. According to Garg & Sharma (2020), the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in education can be a beneficial resource for students with learning difficulties, as well as those who experience impairments in hearing, vision, and mobility. These intelligent teaching aids can provide personalized learning support, create a positive learning environment, offer customized educational programs, and provide various assistive features to help children with special needs overcome learning disabilities. They help these children realize their learning potential and promote their development and success. Designing a curriculum was also an interesting experience. The curriculum is essentially play-based learning, so implementing this course gave me the feeling of designing a game. The process was similar to preparing for a class but not boring, and it was fun. I also gained many digital skills in this process, which gave me a sense of accomplishment when I applied them.

In conclusion, I have acquired digital literacy and digital competencies through this course. I appreciate the course content and its digital and student-centered approach. Teacher Li Na not only acknowledges our diverse academic backgrounds but also effectively applies what we learn, enabling us to feel a sense of accomplishment and move forward.

https://yunrong.h5p.com/content/1292138887553182068

Course: H5P and Moodle practice module | Learning Mall Core (xjtlu.edu.cn)p---Group One

There are many factors that motivate me to pursue independent self-development related to the creation of a student-facing resource. Technology has become an integral part and distinct feature of modern societies (Fraillon, Ainley, Schulz, & Friedman, 2014). As an educational practitioner in the future, I hope I can apply my knowledge and ability to develop and provide student-oriented, student-centered digital learning resources. Sailer et al. (2021) discussed that digital technologies can balance classroom learning activities by focusing on constructive and interactive learning activities, which can effectively be initiated and guided with the help of digital technologies. With these independent self-development skills, I can develop digital resources tailored to students' characteristics and learning goals based on my professional knowledge and experience. Moreover, according to Wahyuningsih (2021), teachers can create customized learning resources using various applications and software. This allows them to tailor the material to their students' needs and save money in the process while also enhancing their professional role as educators. In this process, we can obtain professional growth and learning opportunities, and we will have an in-depth understanding of the latest educational technologies and methods to further enhance our abilities and knowledge.

During my exploration of EDS321, I developed the skill of independent self-improvement, which was demonstrated by my direct contribution to developing a resource for students. I had an offline course on H5p and Articulate 360 to create a curriculum prototype. During the course, I gained extensive knowledge about H5p, which we ultimately chose as it is incredibly user-friendly, even for me, who lacks basic computer skills. The H5p digital tool provides plenty of 'how-to' videos and instructions, making it easy to comprehend and utilize. Following the instructions, we could select the most appropriate tools for our design and present our ideas in the H5p content. H5p has an intuitive interface and easy-to-use features that enabled me to get started quickly and create interactive content. It provides many predefined templates and interactive elements, such as Memory Game, Quiz, Single Choice Set, Summary, etc. Content creators can combine and customize different interactive activities, making H5p an ideal tool for designing engaging learning content. Additionally, H5p offers a variety of interactive elements and activities, which help make the learning process more exciting and enjoyable. Through interactive videos, learners can actively participate and gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge, resulting in better learning outcomes and increased engagement.

Looking back on my independent self-development experience, I found that actively participating in practice and seeking feedback and guidance from my professor is effective in learning and applying new skills and knowledge. The activity that we learn from finishing a project is the project-based learning. A wide range of learning experiences, from small ‘project options’ or exercises to a ‘project orientation’ which forms the basis of an entire university education (Morgan, 1983). Guided by the completion of the prototype project, we continue to learn new knowledge and new skills in the process of gradually improving the project and applying them to our actual operation to reflect the knowledge and skills in the prototype. PBL emphasizes the combination of theory and practice, cultivating my practical application ability and encouraging me to apply what I have learned to practical problems. PBL helped me connect my learning to real problems and develop problem-solving and collaboration skills as a group. In addition, I changed my negative attitude towards learning by solving specific problems and becoming more active in learning. The findings align with the research conducted by Yew, Elaine & Goh, Karen (2016), suggesting that it enhances the standard of education by cultivating students' abilities to engage in reflective, evaluative, and cooperative practices.

During the creative process, we followed a clearly defined division of labor based on different roles. My role in the team was to serve as the content expert responsible for designing H5p content. Our aim was to create a highly engaging and interactive learning experience for our users. To achieve this, we developed three levels of learning, each with carefully crafted videos that provided learners with the knowledge they needed to progress. In addition to videos, we also utilized a range of H5p tools designed to help strengthen the learners' memory and understanding. These tools included Image Hotspots, Multiple Choice, Image Sequencing, Image Choice, and Drag and Drop. However, although H5p is easy to use, it cannot offer complex and personalized activities and doesn't provide a continuous learning experience as Articulate Storyline does.            

Despite lacking a Computer Science background, our team was able to utilize the knowledge we gained from class to construct and develop our prototype. The creative process was collaborative and efficient, with each team member contributing ideas and brainstorming methods to enhance the learning experience. There was a sense of harmony and productivity among our members, fostering a relaxed atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. However, acquiring additional digital competencies is crucial, whether in this course or future educational practices, as we live in a digitalized society and technology is revolutionizing the world.

Effective teamwork is important for coordination, collaboration, and communication (Mickan & Rodger, 2000). Group collaboration is a significant component of EDS431. Previous studies have indicated that the degree of students' engagement and participation in the classroom is closely related to their academic progress (Chen & Looi, 2011). Learning in a group can be more efficient than learning individually (Mejias, 2006). Collaboration within a group setting can facilitate interaction and cooperation among students. Through sharing and discussing ideas and viewpoints, students can gain a thorough understanding of course material and assist each other in approaching problems in new and innovative ways. This diversity of thinking promotes critical thinking skills and enhances the learning experience. Moreover, group collaboration is vital to preparing students for future employment opportunities. Stewart & Barrick (2000) stated that employees must have strong individual capabilities and the ability to collaborate effectively within a team in today's workplace. This means leveraging personal strengths while contributing to group goals is essential for organizational success. Collaborating in a group setting can harness unique talents, skills, and expertise to overcome challenges and achieve objectives. By fostering cooperation, team members can bolster one another's efforts to effectively and efficiently complete tasks. Furthermore, delegation, teamwork, and leveraging individual strengths can expedite attaining shared goals. These might be the compelling reasons that led us to collaborate on a group project. Through the experience of working alongside my teammates, I gained invaluable insight and knowledge. Tianchen, our group's module leader, possesses exceptional logical reasoning and execution abilities, and she consistently pinpointed areas in which our project could be improved. Likewise, Songyuan, the instructional designer, demonstrated remarkable writing skills and took charge of crafting the written content for our project. Her remarkable understanding of the project enabled us to stay on track and avoid unnecessary complications.

When tasked with evaluating the proposal and prototyping the course in groups, I initially anticipated the project would be smoothly implemented. However, as we delved deeper, I realized that the challenge was not just in executing the project but in presenting it in a captivating and personalized manner. To achieve this, we decided to leverage the most appropriate H5p technology for each level and complete each section to the best of our abilities. As the content expert with specific responsibility for H5p content, I explored the distinct capabilities of each tool during the initial stages of prototyping. I narrowed down the ones that were a good fit for our prototype and initially selected several tools suitable for our project, such as Image Sequencing, Image Hotspots, Image Choice, etc. Then, we discussed the practical application of these contents in the project and confirmed their compatibility. After confirmation, I created the H5p content and uploaded it to LMO. I continued to refine the H5p content and regularly engaged in discussions with my teammates, actively soliciting their input and feedback. My contribution to the project's success included organizing group discussions and actively creating H5p content. I gained a rudimentary grasp of the Articulate Storyline but recognized the need to improve our digital skills. Although we have implemented all levels of the proposal in H5p, there is still room for improvement to perfect our project.

Throughout the creative process, I experienced significant personal growth. Before this project, I had not worked with design-oriented electronic tools. However, through this experience, my digital abilities and independent learning skills were cultivated. What's more, this endeavor sparked my enthusiasm for course design. While working on the project, I faced anxieties and moments of self-doubt. Nevertheless, each week's tasks provided opportunities to apply my newfound knowledge and skills, greatly improving the project. Finishing this project left me with a great sense of accomplishment.

Upon completion of the project, I gained some valuable insights. Staying focused on the project and maintaining clear communication with the proposal owner is important. The proposal owner possesses the most knowledge regarding the proposal, and contacting them promptly can provide considerable assistance. Additionally, encouraging all team members to participate actively in the project is crucial. Each member has unique strengths, and collaborative brainstorming sessions can enhance the project's quality. It is essential to have faith in the team's capabilities. Dr. Lina's provision of this project is highly valued as it not only allows non-computer students to develop crucial digital skills but also equips us with a vital competency for future employment prospects.

Our group use H5P to help us design the course. Here we give them a background, and we use AI to produce this video. Level one we have four steps. The first one is to give them a video to help them learn about production and manufacture facturing. First is giving them three sides and each one have some information of these sites. And then let them choose the site for their manufactory, one, two or three. Then, let them decide how would them start their own factory. So in Level two there are five steps. The first one is to give them a video to help them know the reality of the work flow production. And there is also a video that is a demonstration of how to assemble a production line. Here we need to match the words and with the images, so help them know each part of the production line. And the fourth step is also a H5P. They need to drag the words in the correct sequences according to the radio. Then they need to make a choice of  whether they want to hire a mechanic. So in the Level three we just need them to know the ingredients of the production. Here they just need to select the images that they think. That is the product.

  The proposal we selected is The Canaries: A Confectioner’s Paradise, an instructional tool that uses game-based learning to provide learners hands-on experience in food manufacturing. The game is designed for college students in cost management, operations management, or food production courses. Through playing the game, learners will consider several criteria to select a factory suitable for efficient production, learn the workflow of wafer manufacturing through assembling a production line, learn about the realities of purchasing food manufacturing ingredients, and practice problem-solving skills to cut total manufacturing costs. To achieve these learning outcomes, we decided to use H5p digital tools to create the prototype of this game. So, let me introduce this game-based learning curriculum.

  Firstly, we used an AI video to help us introduce the background of this game so students could know the logline. Then, I gave them the course description and learning outcomes that I hoped them to achieve. After this, they would have a general understanding of the course.

This proposal has four levels—the goal in level 1 is to select the best site for a wafer factory. To help them pass level one, we provided a map with three sites; each site has different information. Students must consider several criteria to select a suitable site for the manufactory. After selecting the ideal site for a wafer factory, students need to consider financing options. And they need to decide how they start their factory; the decision will be related to the overall costs. In level two, students need to know how to assemble a production line, so we provided a video to help them know the reality of wafer workflow production, and there is another video to instruct students on how to assemble a production line; students need to watch this video carefully so that they can answer the question and match the words with images. There should be an Image Sequencing to let students practice, but the tool cannot be applied here. But you can check it in LMO. Moreover, we provided a video to help them understand the role of labor in manufacturing so they can decide whether they need a mechanic. The right answer is yes because the production line needs a mechanic to supervise and perform regular maintenance. Level three helps them to know the ingredients of the wafer; students need to select the right answer from these pictures. After finishing the three levels, students will receive feedback on overall costs in level four, and students reflect on their performance and can play again to cut the costs.

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