Toward a Definition of Learning Experience Design

Various theories and models have implicitly discussed the role of interaction when using learning technologies. Indeed, interaction is described as being important as it relates to technology adoption, cognitive load, and usability. While each of these perspectives describe elements of interaction, they fail to comprehensively detail how educators should design for both usability and learning with an interface. To address this gap, this work-in-progress study seeks to describe the broader interaction when using learning technology, which we define as learning experience design. Using grounded theory and related eye-tracking data, we asked participants to engage in a cognitive think-aloud as they utilized an adaptive tutoring system. When triangulated, the researchers identified the following broad constructs: interaction with the learning environment and interaction with the learning space. The former includes the following codes: customization, expectation of content placement, functionality of component parts, interface terms aligned with existing mental models, and navigation. Alternatively, the interaction with the learning space included the following: engagement with the modality of content, dynamic interaction, perceived value of technology feature to support learning, and scaffolding. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed.