Introduction to Google Docs: A Learning Assessment of Online Training for Home-Based Academic Mentors

Session Description

This project designed and evaluated a web-based training module that leveraged engaging visual graphics and interactive tasks to introduce Google Docs to Home-Based Academic Mentors. Home-Based Academic Mentors are adults who play a significant role in supporting the academic success of a school-aged child outside of the classroom. Such mentors may include parents, grandparents, extended family members, and close family friends. The purpose of the project was to support Home-Based Academic Mentors’ comprehension and confidence in the ability to apply the concepts of the Google Docs interface. Because daily routines often place a barrier on mentors’ participation, the learning module was designed to be completed in bite-sized chunks to fit within the mentors’ busy lives. Data was gathered from twelve (n= 12) members of the target audience using a pre-survey and pre-assessment, a post-instruction culminating activity, and finally a post-survey. Results indicated that the combination of text, narrative, and graphics promoted learner engagement and enhanced comprehension; however, additional scaffolding may need to be incorporated into the instruction of the module’s design during the culminating activity.

Presenter(s)

Bryan Pope
Learning Design and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa

Having received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii, I will be receiving an MEd in Learning Design and Technology (LTEC) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Education in May 2021. My immediate goal is to pursue work in education and/or life-skills support.

Being a student again at this stage in my life has been a challenge, but it has also given me a broader perspective on the different approaches my instructors use to teach. Some of my instructors have made a huge impact on me academically and have influenced my decision to pursue a teaching career. When I dropped out of school in the ninth grade, I was disillusioned and bored. I can fully appreciate the issues that students and instructors face from a unique point of view.

I am deeply committed to community service, and that commitment has served to enrich my academic goals. The History department at UH has given me historical, political, economic, and cultural perspectives that have complimented my Secondary Education courses in ways that no other social science could have. The instruction I have received at LTEC will be relevant for children and adults who need academic support and/or job skills training.

My own life experiences have given me an authentic empathy for those who have fallen through the cracks in our society. The practical life-skills I impart, and the social support we provide has helped many individuals who have struggled with failure and are searching for real-life solutions.

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