User experience in a technology-rich learning environment
Human experience is ongoing and varied. Researchers try to interpret experience from multiple perspectives (e.g., philosophical, psychological, social, etc.), but there is no uniform theory of human experience, and the spread of digital technologies is creating new experiences yet to be fully understood. In modern society, people can use various kinds of information technologies to support learning, which adds human-computer interaction to the complexity of understanding human learning experiences. From the perspective of human-computer interaction, people comprise the product-centric, user-centric, and interaction-centric experience analysis perspectives (Forlizzi & Battarbee,
2004). Interaction is the focus of attention, and experience can be seen as a product of interaction processes. People interact with a certain object, and the interaction triggers a variety of factors involved in the experience. The interaction between people and the technologies in a learning environment includes three aspects: fluent, cognitive, and expressive human-computer interaction, and forms three kinds of experiences: experience, an experience, and co-experience. Experience is the feeling and consciousness when we interact with products or environments; an experience is something that can be articulated or named; and co-experience is the user experience in social contexts, which creates meaning and emotion together through product use (Forlizzi & Battarbee,
2004). It indicates that experience is both a process and a result, and involves behavior, cognition, as well as emotions and feelings.
In 1995, Norman et al. introduced the notion of user experience into the field of information design (Norman et al.,
1995). Since then, researchers and developers have become more and more interested in user experience. However, they have not reached consensus on the nature and scope of user experience and its relationship to learning, decision making, and action. The notion of user experience extends from the obvious utility dimension (how the technology is used and what it makes possible) to including beauty, pleasure, and emotional experience associated with a technology-facilitated learning environment. Besides the instrumental dimensions, researches of user experience also cover users’ needs, emotions, and the experience itself (Hassenzahl & Tractinsky,
2006). Based on different understandings of the content and features of user experience, scholars have proposed a variety of models. The
Basic User Experience Process and Research Framework proposed by Mahlke (
2005), clearly shows the experience process when the user interacts with the interactive system, and also illustrates the relationship between interaction, cognition, emotion and follow-up actions. Based on this model, later sections of this study explain the connotation of learning experiences.
At present, the definition of ‘user experience’ given by ISO is widely recognized. In the ISO. 9241-210 standard, it is pointed out that “
user experience is the cognition and response generated from the use of a product, system or service and/or expected use.” This definition is close to the definition of learning experience that involves cognitive processing and subsequent responses. Learning experiences represent the user experience in the interaction with the educational product and the environment (Huang et al.,
2015).
Learning experiences of smart learning
The learning experience is a notion derived from user experience and is also a kind of experience. The subject of a learning experience is the learner, just as the subject of a user experience is the user. Learning experiences can be understood as a variety of experiences through the learning process (see
http://edglossary.org/learning-experience/). Based on the analysis of keywords from the domestic and foreign literatures on experience study, the study discovers that current research hotspots in respect of learning experiences include learning process, learning environment, learning outcomes, collaborative learning, students’ learning, students’ perceptions, online learning, and so on.
Obviously, researches on learning experiences still concentrate on the learning process and learning outcomes, related to environment, activities, groups, perception, interaction, and results, etc. Domestic studies focus on classroom teaching, independent learning, teaching effect, learning process, new curriculum, information technology, teaching method, MOOCs, teaching scenario, etc. Many domestic scholars are also concerned about these elements when defining learning experiences. Hu (
2015) defined learning experiences as “
learners’ perception, reaction, and behavior of many factors involved in learning environment, learning activities and learning support services.” This definition is supported by Feng et al. (
2013) and Huang et al. (
2015).
Basing on Combining Mahlke’s user experience model, the ISO definition of user experience, and the above analysis of learning experiences, this study suggests that learning experiences can be understood as learners’ perceptions, responses, and performances to the learning environment, resources, and methods. Gagné’s information processing learning theory can be used to explain such a process. Gagné pointed out that the learner can perceive the information in the environment. After a series of information processes, the learner formed a unique cognition of such information and ultimately reacted with learner’s response reactor (Gagne,
1985). Learners’ perception of learning environment mainly refers to their perception of the people and the matters, including resources, tools, learning community, community education, learning styles, and teaching methods (Huang et al.,
2012). Perception enables a person to carry out actions in the environment (Elnaga,
2012).
According to Mahlke’s user experience model, learners’ environment perceptions through interactions will deepen the cognitive process and change the feelings. All these perceptions will lead to corresponding follow-up actions, attitudes and emotional experiences. Response to a learning experience can include emotional reactions and behaviors.
Performance in this study mainly refers to the learner’s behavior and associated benefits. It includes learning efficiency, effectiveness, achievement and etc. Learning efficiency and learning effects emphasize the low input and high output and gain lasting knowledge and skills. Learning achievement not only emphasizes the achievement of objective learning targets, but includes learning achievement, satisfaction and other related subjective experiences (Jia et al.,
2013).
Based on such a conclusion, citizen learning experiences can be understood as their perceptions, responses, and performances to learning resources and learning approaches, in different fields in the city. Citizen learning experiences can also be ubiquitous, situation-dependent, dynamic, personalized, and group interaction-oriented. Perception of typical fields of city learning environments is the basis of citizens’ learning experiences. It can invoke behavioral and emotional reactions of the learners, and promote the formation of performance. Construction of learning environments cannot be finished without the support of city infrastructure, and a good learning experience is a target for the development of learning environments indeed.
According to the meaning of learning experiences, evaluation objectives and operability discussed above, the research and evaluation on learning environments in cities, conducted by the Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University, begins from the perspective of citizens’ learning experiences, from the overall perception, response, and performance of learning environments in the cities (Huang et al.,
2016). It specially investigates citizens’ perceptions and learning performances. The study believes that higher learning engagement degree, rich learning approach, and obvious learning achievements can greatly improve the citizens’ learning experiences. Table
1 displays the evaluation indicators corresponding to citizens’ learning experiences.
Table 1
Evaluation indicators of citizen experiences of smart learning
Learning engagement indicator | Indicator of citizen’s participation in learning activities |
Indicator of citizen reading |
Indicator of citizen’s daily studying time |
Learning approach indicator | Indicator of citizen’s mobile learning |
Indicator of citizen’s self-regulated learning |
Indicator of utilization of city online learning platform |
Learning achievement indicator | Indicator of satisfaction with learning environments |
Indicator of citizen’s learning improvement |