THE WASTEBASKET ON MY DESKTOP: USE OF METAPHOR IN WEB BASED COURSES
Dick Carlson
Senior Instructional Technology Consultant, Corporate University Xchange, USA,
<dcarlson@corpu.com>
<dcarlson@dickcarlson.com>
Learning how to use new technology is a difficult navigation through unfamiliar territory. Metaphors provide the blueprint of images, terms and concepts that make learning possible. They transfer meaning to an idea, thought or concept. How do experienced web trainers and instructional designers use metaphor in their presentations? Which metaphors work in training, and which don't? How does the sociological background of the audience affect this?
"The conceptualizing of user knowledge in mental models can be of enormous benefit in the design of user interfaces. Memory, knowledge and people's interpretation and processing of it is an individual thing, so the difficulty remains in creating a model that will identify these different areas." (McDonnell, 1998)
I'll offer actual examples from web based instruction that I have developed, as well as a chance for participants to design their own metaphors and share them with others.
TCC Online Conferences
Kapi`olani Community College
University of Hawai`i
Honolulu, HI