*CFP* "DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING HUMAN-CENTERED LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES", CHAPTER BOOK

This project explores how learning technologies (defined broadly, but optimally focused around software programs and applications) are conceptualized, designed, developed, drafted, tested, and deployed to people (“a user base”)… and the consideration of human needs throughout the processes.

Teaching and learning are human-focused endeavors, with people at the center. In online learning, the interactions, content sharing, collaborations, intercommunications, presentations, and such, all rely on complex technologies. Some of these are dedicated learning technologies designed to enhance human learning for various age groups, in various learning contexts, and through various means. This work explores the way human needs are considered in these learning technology life cycles from design to deployment and beyond.

• through theorizing, philosophizing, hypothesizing; 
• human research; 
• data analysis; 
• user elicitation, crowd-sourcing, focus groups; 
• wireframing, pilot testing, 
• and other approaches.

Some extant questions may include the following:

• How much of and what parts of the research into human learning are used to inform the learning technology designs? 
• What educational and other theories are most compelling? Why? (If these are validated, how are they validated / invalidated?) 
• How are human aspects translated into technological innovations? Particular features? Feature sets? Systems? 
• What sorts of pre-design work is done to understand potential and actual users? 
• What roles do a user base play in informing the ongoing and evolving designs of online learning systems? 
• How are various learner needs—for germane load learning, for interactivity, for sociality, for engagement—designed to via educational and learning technologies? 
• How is AI harnessed to increase the acceptance of learning experiences (via particular learning technologies)? What are the enablements and constraints in current educational technologies, given the limits of technologies currently? 
• What human-centered features and functions pass sufficient muster to advance from design into development and testing, and what makes it to deployment, and why? 
• How are learner needs met via technology support after deployment? 
• What sort of testing approaches are most effective prior to rollout? Why? 
• How are technologies updated and iterated over time to meet user needs? How are fundamental decisions made about particular features and collections of features? 
• In a high constraint environment, how is individual creativity expressed for designers, developers, engineers, project leads, and others?

Objectives

• Document some of the common design practices, development, decision-making, and deployment processes, and other related work for creating and rolling out learning technologies 
• Capture information about the evolution of learning technologies based on data, user feedback, and other inputs 
• Engage researchers into the respective methodologies for advancing educational and learning technologies

Impact

• Share various methods and techniques for the design of learning technologies 
• Share various methods and techniques for the development of learning technologies (and related testing) 
• Share various methods for the successful deployment of learning technologies 
• Share methods for conducting user-based research in relation to learning technologies (to inform iterated designs)

Value

Broaden the usage of various methods and techniques for the design, developing, testing, and deployment of learning technologies

Target Audience

Software developers, app developers, learning object developers, online instructors, instructional designers, software project leads, graduate students, and others

Recommended Topics

In terms of human-centered design, there are simple ideas that can be highly powerful, such as that of

human perception

• information processing 
• working memory 
• affect and cognition (including systemic biasing) 
• human intelligence (general and fluid) 
• experiential learning 
• human physiology (and physicality)
• and others

Then, too, there are collective aspects of humans that may be served, in part or in whole:

• human languages 
• human values and ethics 
• human culture 
• human societies 
• human politics 
• human histories 
• human spaces 
• human benefits 
• human collective needs 
• human aesthetics 
• human ideals 
• human sociality 
• human creativity and innovation 
• human self-expression 
• human ability to contribute 
• human affirmation, 
• and human customizations through various means

Broadly, human centered-ness may also refer to human needs, for tool functionality and interchangeability, and other elements. Perhaps a tool needs to be multi-use. Perhaps a tool needs to be adaptable to various human contexts.

Some learning (educational) technologies studied include the following:

• LMSes (learning management systems) / LCMSes (learning content management systems) / CMSes (content management systems) 
• MOOC (massive open online course) platforms 
• adaptive learning systems

• virtual labs 
• learning (serious) games and game spaces 
• immersive virtual worlds 
• simulations

• augmented reality applications

• digital libraries 
• repositories/ referatories

and others… It is possible to broaden this to authoring tools for educational technologies, but this might be a little too diffuse. Or there could be focuses on apps for learning and their design. Or there could be some works on digital learning objects.

It would be possible to consider combinations of technologies, given that many of the deployments are integrated with multiple other tools and apps.

These ideas carry over to the design of research, to build to learner needs and strengths and then to accommodate weaknesses. Technology design affects what learners experience in walk-throughs of the learning technology (whether in virtual or blended or physical-only contexts). The framework of human centering is intuitively understandable and reasonable in a research context.

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before October 22, 2019, a chapter proposal of 500 words clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors will be notified about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines shortly after their query. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by Feb. 19, 2020, and all interested authors must consult the guidelines for manuscript submissions prior to submission. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

(b) Note (/b): There are no submission or acceptance fees for manuscripts submitted to this book. All manuscripts are accepted or declined based on a double-blind peer review editorial process. All proposals should be submitted through the eEditorial DiscoveryTM online submission manager.

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information Science Reference" (formerly Idea Group Reference), "Medical Information Science Reference," "Business Science Reference," and "Engineering Science Reference" imprints. Additional information regarding the publisher. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2021.

Important Dates

October 22, 2019: Proposal Submission Deadline

November 9, 2019: Notification of Acceptance

February 19, 2020: Full Chapter Submission

April 18, 2020: Review Results Returned

May 30, 2020: Final Acceptance Notification

Jun 13, 2020: Final Chapter Submission

Jul 11, 2020: Final Deadline

Inquiries

If you have any questions, please email Dr. Shalin Hai-Jew at haijes@gmail.com. Thank you for your interest.

Classifications

Business and Management; Computer Science and Information Technology; Education