Overview

To get started reviewing the assignment details, watch the 7 minute video below.

Note: For this assignment, you may use generative artificial intelligence to provide you with ideas for what type of digital learning design you might create based on your problem of practice and findings from your prospective learners/users. You may not use generative AI to create your video script, the video itself, or to analyze and summarize the findings of your participant interviews/observations (the written summary portion of the assignment). The work of graduate-level data collection, analysis, and summary of findings is important human practice. You may not use AI to create discussion forum postings or responses, for me, this is also important human work and your unique, evolving perspectives and reflections are the most important element of course discussions. You may use AI to check your written work and video script for typos, spelling, and grammar if you wish.

Link to RRU Guidelines about use of AI: Generative AI at Royal Roads University: Learning, Teaching, and Student Research

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to frame a work, life, or study-based problem of practice (PoP) that might be solved, in part or in full, with a digital learning resource. Toward this purpose, this assignment will provide you with practice conducting a human-centered needs assessment(gathering data through Empathy methods) to learn from potential stakeholders. An additional element toward fulfilling the purpose of the assignment will be the creation of a video to pitch your idea to your participants, a work team, or a manager. In this video you will need to explain your problem of practice (PoP), what you learned from stakeholders (especially prospective learners), and your preliminary intention for a digital learning resource that solves your PoP and aligns with your learners’ stated needs. You will also include a written summary of your research process (Empathy methods) that confirms your context and preliminary design ideation. This assignment helps determine your achievement of course Learning Outcome A – identify a need that can be met by a digital learning resource.

Study a variety of video techniques, script, record, and edit a short design pitch video that describes a problem of practice that you believe a digital learning resource can help to solve.

Instructions

In this assignment, you will use a problem of practice (PoP) that you have framed to propose a digital learning resource.  You will select an appropriate human-centered needs assessment (Empathy) method and engage in partnership with a group of potential users of the digital resource you have in mind.  Your need assessments will build on the various design models and approaches experienced in LRNT 523 and LRNT 524. Depending on the human-centered needs assessment method chosen, you may conduct interviews, questionnaires or formal observations with potential end users.  Based on the information gathered from your human-centered needs assessment, you will refine a proposal for a digital learning resource.

The deliverable for this assignment will consist of a video proposal (a “pitch”) that may be used by potential learners, your team, or your manager to determine whether or not the resource you are proposing aligns with your work context. The video should also help stakeholders determine whether or not they believe the resource might solve the problem of practice you have identified. You will include a written summary document that provides a description of your PoP, your work or study context, an explanation of the chosen human-centered needs assessment method and justification for its selection, a synthesis of the results of the needs assessment, and a description of the identified educational need or challenge.

Your video should be between 3 and 5 minutes (concise is best), and your written summary must be a maximum of 1000 words. You are expected to adhere to APA standards for citations and references in your summary and to support your proposed design project with appropriate academic literature.

Ethical Review

Depending on the human-centered needs assessment method chosen you may need to conduct interviews, questionnaires or formal observations with end users.  On your behalf, your instructor has applied for and received blanket ethical approval for LRNT 527. This means that you will not have to apply to RRU on an individual basis before conducting your assignment research.

You will need to read and become familiar with the Research Ethics Guidelines for this course. You will also need to fill in the Consent Form and provide it to any external participants in your research assignment.

If you have any questions about the ethical review, please ask the instructors by posting in the general discussion forum in Moodle. You may also contact the Office of Research Ethics at ethicalreview@royalroads.ca; 250.391.2600 ext. 4425. Further information is available on the RRU Ethics page.

Using the Rubric below, imagine that the person or group of people reviewing your video and written summary are potential learners that will use your digital learning resource, or your team that will help deliver learning related to the resource, or your manager who will approve the time and costs associated with creating and delivering the resource.

Course Learning Outcome/Assessment Criteria	Excellent (A+ to A)	Proficient (A- to B+)	Satisfactory (B to B-)	Unsatisfactory (F)
Written Summary Style, Grammar, and Spelling	Writing is extremely well-crafted for a peer audience (publishable quality) and the design intention is well explained. There are no errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, or punctuation. All citations and APA references are correct.	Writing is clear and effective for a peer audience and the design intention is well explained. There are minimal errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. All citations and APA references are correct.	Writing is clear and effective for a peer audience and the design intention is somewhat well explained. There are minor errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. Most citations and APA references are correct.	Writing is unclear and ineffective for a peer audience and the design intention is extremely unclear. There are significant and repeated patterns of errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. APA citations and references are incorrect.
Description of Problem of Practice (PoP) and Instructional Context	The PoP is well described for any audience, and the instructional context aligns perfectly with the proposed digital resource. The PoP is professionally focused in a way that would assure stakeholder agreement with the proposal.	Provides a clear and concise description of the PoP and instructional context, delivering relevant information necessary for audience understanding. The PoP is professionally focused and the connection to how a digital resource will help solve the PoP is clear.	Provides a clear and concise description of the PoP and instructional context with sufficient information for audience understanding. The connection between the PoP and the intended digital resource is somewhat unclear.	Provides minimal description of the PoP and instructional context making it difficult for an audience to understand the context. There is little or no connection from the PoP to the intended digital resource.
Explanation and Justification of Human-Centered Needs Assessment Method	The data and analysis for the needs assessment represent high research quality and publishable standards for user consultation processes. The rationale for design choices is fully grounded in learner needs and preferences with current and relevant literature-based evidence.	Clearly explains the human-centered needs assessment method and analysis and presents a detailed, realistic, and appropriate rationale for design choices based on learner needs and preferences with strong arguments and well-documented evidence.	Explains the human-centered needs assessment method and analysis and presents an adequate rationale for design choices based on learner needs and preferences with logical arguments and documented evidence.	Identifies the human-centered needs assessment method and analysis with minimal explanation of design choices that do not seem connected to learner needs and preferences. Presents a limited rationale with weak arguments and minimal evidence.
Video Proposal	The video proposal combines the elements of the assignment in a brief (3 – 5 minutes) structure that represents effective communication for a variety of potential stakeholders. The proposed solution to the PoP aligns with the presenter’s context, takes into account the needs analysis, and makes sense as a solution to the PoP.	The video proposal combines the elements of the assignment in a brief (3 – 5 minutes) structure that represents effective communication for the intended stakeholders. The proposed solution to the PoP aligns with the presenter’s context, takes into account the needs analysis, and the rationale makes sense as a solution to the PoP.	The video proposal combines the elements of the assignment in a brief (3 – 5 minutes) video that represents most of the elements of effective communication. The proposed solution to the PoP mentions the presenter’s context, alludes to the needs analysis, and the rationale makes some sense as a solution to the PoP.	The video proposal is either too short or too long. It represents some level of effective communication. However, the proposed solution misses one or more of the elements of the PoP, the instructional context, or the needs analysis. The rationale for creating the digital resource is unclear.