Designing Learning Experiences with Educational Apps

Bucky J. Dodd, Ph.D, Assistant Vice President, University of Central Oklahoma

Educational apps use technology to solve specific needs or perform defined tasks in education settings. Educational apps can be used for a wide range of purposes such as instruction, personalized learning, class management, productivity, and communication. While it may seem that every day brings the announcement of a new app, the real challenge for educators and education leaders is selecting and using apps in strategic and learner-centered ways.

As more educational apps are released to the market, these enhanced choices can lead to increased complexity and confusion about how to use them effectively to support learning. As anyone who has ever visited a restaurant with a large menu knows, more options do not always lead to better quality.

Educators are not only challenged with selecting and evaluating apps, but also in combining the use of multiple apps to support purposeful learning experiences. Using educational apps in supporting learning experiences raises a wide range of considerations ranging from usability, technology access, data privacy, and curriculum, just to name a few.

“As more educational apps are released to the market, these enhanced choices can lead to increased complexity and confusion about how to use them effectively to support learning.”

In this article, I highlight three practical considerations educators can use when designing learning experiences that incorporate educational apps. These techniques can be used across diverse educational settings such as PK-12, higher education, and professional learning environments.

Start with the Learning Goal and Work Backwards

It is easy to be lured by new or intriguing functionality of apps and end up designing learning experiences that look more like an app demonstration than focused on helping people learn. When designing learning experiences, start with clearly defining the intended learning goal, then select educational apps that are well-suited to help learners achieve the learning goal. You might search for apps that are aligned with frameworks like Bloom’s Taxonomy. After you have selected a few options, be sure to evaluate them for effectiveness, quality, and appropriateness for the learning experience.

Focus on What’s Essential and Remove the Extra

After you have defined your learning goal and selected an app, there are often features an app has that may be extra or more than what is needed for the learning experience. Provide clear and focused direction to learners about how to use the app during the learning experience. This helps reduce extraneous cognitive load and helps learner focus on what matters most. When evaluating apps, you will also want to ensure the interface and options are clear and easy to use. For example, is the app supported by ads which can lead to distracting experiences for learners?

Design for Access, Choice, and Options

When designing learning experiences that use educational apps, consider opportunities to give learners choices or options. Universal Design for Learning is a concept that helps to enhance accessibility, equity, and agency in learning experiences. By providing choice in how apps are used, learners can engage in multiple means of engagement, representation, action, and expression. Technology and Internet access can vary by learners and providing choice also helps to enhance accessibility and inclusion within the learning environment.

Summary

Educational apps can support incredible innovation and creativity in learning experiences. Having an intentional strategy and design plan is essential to optimizing learning experiences and outcomes. As access to educational apps and technology continues to increase, it is ever more important that educators use apps in ways that place the needs of learners at the center of the learning experience.

Cognitive