advice!!

Hi Saleh. This is an interesting twist to creating customized learning. I would suggest that there be 5 questions (simple) that are asked at the onset of the training. Based on the answers, the learner is taken to one style of learning over another. I suggest this as it is more transparent and would likely categorize the learners more accurately then asking the learner to pick their personality style.

Firstthx for your answer I really appreciate it Mrs. Harnett, well my idea was thatthe learners will have to fill their profiles before they start e-learning whichcontains in the first place "type of personality" in addition toother  criteria like media preference (based on some articlesteachers usually choose the media however I think that the leaner must choosethe suitable media for him  that willmake him understand the courses and that will make courses easier for himbecause based on some researches human mind and memory  depends from a person to another so I think itshould be the  learner decision in thefirst place),another criteria is that the learner will have to fill   his levelof knowledge ( again I think that learner must evaluate his level ,becausehonestly from a personnel experience sometimes I be   goodin a certain subjects but I always select the amateur level because extrainformation will help me refresh my mind and keep the old saved informationfresh), in addition to another criteria(…)

Finallybased on those profiles the system will redirect learners to their sessions. Toconclude the learners will have to introduce their selves to the system basedon the criteria we define in their profiles, so the system will know how todeal with them .

I like it. This will result in an "adaptive" style of learning where the learning content is customized for the user and also adapted to the user's learning style and learning preferences. Adding the personality factor increases the level of customization but also, I imagine, the complexity in the meta data (organizing and tagging content so it is appropriately selected for the user based on profiles). I wonder how many different profiles there would be and how many different ways the content could be delivered. I suppose one piece of content would need to be adjusted in multiple ways to adapt to these profiles. To your example, if you have one piece of content - an interactive, live lecture and you have a user that is shy, then what is their alternative? A document? A recording of the lecture? What if they are shy and can't read well? Or are shy, have advanced knowledge of the subject matter but there is a language barrier? It's like you'd have to examine all of the content individually and then create multiple versions of each for each kind of profile/preference/etc.

Hi Saleh, 

You've got a pretty broad study brewing at this point!  I think it may be helpful for you to narrow your research question down a bit.  As you conduct your literature review, be certain to review the numerous studies that indicate catering curriculum to learning style really has mixed effects.  Your question is a bit more intriguing.  Will catering an online experience to a personality type have an overall effect on learning? 

First, you'll need to select a particular personality model from which to model your study.   There are a variety of these available with assessments that come with them.  For example, you may want to evaluate introversion/extroversion as a key component.  Then you would need to assess this component...and not allow the learner to simply self-select based upon their perceptions of themselves.  Once they've been assessed, then I would have the learner directed to either the learning material developed for the "introverted" learner or the "extroverted" learner. 

Your hypoothesis is that the personality centered material will produce a better learning experience for the end user.  Therefore, you will need to not only place learners in the experimental condition (the learning module catered to their personality) but also assign learners to a control condition (in this case, I would assign them the opposite of their peronality assessment).  You would then have to assess their satisfaction level with the learning material, the actual learning that has occurred, and their likelihood of pursuing other training of this type. 

Basically you'd be looking for the learners to report a more positive experience with the elearning event that was developed for their particular personality type.  The key will be in developing a post learning assessment that includes actual learning outcomes and not only the satisfaction with the experience.  Hope that this helps!

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Hi Saleh,

Excellent research idea (and quite complex)!  Your initial question might focus on whether students know their personality style (my guess is that some students do, but the majority of students probably don’t). Perhaps, at the beginning, you want to have a questionnaire/test/survey that helps them determine their particular style (for ideas, visit http://similarminds.com/personality_types.html).  During the next phase you would probably need to determine what type of learning activities are conducive to individual personality styles.  (That, btw, could be a study by itself!) and design your modules accordingly.

I like your idea of integrating some “motivational” factor,where you would encourage students to get out of their comfort-zone and take a risk.  Every personality style entails some weaknesses in which they could get challenged, or, perhaps, just gain some insight.

In my estimation, you should focus on either “personality” or“disorder,” otherwise, your study becomes too convoluted and complicated.

againthx for your answer, My idea for the shy learners when it comes to live lecturewas to get a recorded lecture just as u mentioned, like YouTube channels wherethe learners can see the recorded video and listen to the whole conversation orthey can just be a passive members it means they will just watch and listenwithout participate or without having their webcam on. And yes for sure it will be just one piece of content thatthe tutor will adjust in multiple ways to adapt to these profiles.
Finally I think language will be always a problem wherever in e-learning oreven in classrooms when we r talking about foreign students. So the learnersmust be aware of the language because it will be English and the they can’tchange it (I choose English because it’s an international language used by mostcountries)

HiSir thanks for your answer and for your ideas well of course I will articulateon my researches on some learning styles that had mixed effects actually thatwill be my starting point. My idea isn’t about just learning it’s aboutbuilding learners personalities through the activities and the design that theywill find in each session (i.e. assign learners to a control condition (in thiscase, I would assign them the opposite of their personality assessment).My question is if I select  just  a particular personality model from which to model my  study, how can I prove that that my system canfit all type of personalities ?? Don’t u think I should at least work with 2type of personalities

HiMrs Zerban thx for your answer. Honestly having a survey is a good idea as welland I may use it , and yes most of my study will be based on learnerspersonality but I thought that “disorder” is just a type of personality justlike shy and so on.Am I wrong??

I would be very careful with personality types. This is an area rife with poor research and companies looking to sell their version of testing. From what I've read only the 5 factor personality test can be considered valid and reliabe (and only the O factor at that).

I agree with Daniel that you will need to come up with some strict and specific controls for personalities and whether matching personalities with the instruction type makes a difference. The hypothesis of learning styles hasn't had much success when carefully studied.

Hi again,

Saleh, there actually is a distinct difference between "personality" and "disorder."  Everyone has a personality, but not everyone has a disorder.  You might want to read up on personality on the link that I provided above.  Here is a link to a site that focuses on disorders.

http://www.mentalhealth.com/p20-grp.html

Good luck!

Hmmm.....I guess I'm uncertain about what you mean by "building learner's personalities."  The more intriguing question for me is whether or not designing a learning module or course with specific personality characteristics in mind would enhance the experience of the learner or the actual learning that is taking place.  The research is clear when it comes to the effectiveness of teaching to someone's learning styles.....and it's not positive. 

If you broaden your research to include a variety of personality types, I think that you'll find that measuring personality is a woefully inaccurate pursuit in and of itself.  I again encourage you to narrow your topical area to a singular personality characteristic and proceed from there.  Remember, the best thesis is the one that is able to be completed...... 

Hiagain Mrs Zerban thx for the link that made things more clear for me I reallyappreciate it, by the way one quick question do u think learners take surveyseriously? Because if some don’t that may cause some problems (they will be redirectedto wrong sessions) because as far as I know most people take survey just as agame


Thx for your answer Mr. Glenn can u suggest what r the points I should changein my subject to make it more efficient

thanks

Hi Mr. Dougherty thx foryour reply and I totally understand what you mean I really appreciate yourguidance. By the way Sir can u give me general view about the planning I shouldfollow for my thesis because honestly I have a lot of ideas flowing into myhead but my problem is it seems I can’t organize them that good so I can startwriting a coherent convincing thesis. Thanks again