Running head: BOOK CHAPTER 14 REVIEW: WHOS IN CONTROL?

Book Chapter 14 Review: Whos in Control?

Mitchell Parson
Liberty University Online
EDUC 633
Dr. Jennifer Courduff
February 10, 2015

BOOK CHAPTER 14 REVIEW: WHOS IN CONTROL?

Summary
The focus of the chapter is primarily concerned with choosing the best method of control
in an e-learning environment, whether it is Learner Control or Program Control. Of the two, it
was found that learner control was most desirable, as long as it was in an asynchronous format.
This method of e-learning was most beneficial for those who had prior knowledge of the subject
being studied. The Learner Control method was broken down into three basic types; Content
Sequencing this type of control allows the student the ability to select the order in which the
lessons can be completed (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 312). Pacing was another type of control in
which the learner had the option to control how much time was spent on each lesson page (Clark
& Mayer, 2011, p. 312). And the third type of learner control was that of Access to Learning
Support. This type of control gives the learner the ability to control instructional components of
the lessons, i.e., examples or practice exercises (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 312).
One of the problems with placing control into the hands of e-learners is that the majority
of them are unable to determine, not what they actually know, but rather, the accuracy of what
they say they know. In other words, allowing the learner to do a self-assessment would not be a
good predictor of ones actual performance.
Overall, there are five basic principles (or guidelines), that have been proven to optimize
learner control. The first principle is referred to as; Give Experienced Learners Control. This
principle is most successful do to the fact that the learner has prior knowledge of the material
being studied (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 319). As a result, the learner is able to do well when the
subject is more advanced because of their good metacognitive skills. The second principle is
referred to as; Make Important Instructional Events the Default. This principle provides the
learner the opportunity to choose whether to continue with the lesson or bypass it, and go to a

BOOK CHAPTER 14 REVIEW: WHOS IN CONTROL?

practice session to help achieve a better understanding of the material being studied (Clark &
Mayer, 2011, p. 322). The third principle is referred to as; Consider Adaptive Control. This
principle also referred to as Personalized Instruction, will adapt to the learners needs (Clark &
Mayer, 2011, p. 323). For example; if the learner is doing very well on the programs
evaluations, then the learner may be advanced to a higher level of instruction. On the down side,
if the learner is not doing so well, the program may lead the learner to do more exercises until
he/she is ready to advance. The forth principle is referred to as; Give Pacing Control. This
principle allows the learner to study at their own pace (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 327). For
example; unlike the synchronous format, where the instruction is given one-on-one, and the
student has no way of replaying the instruction, the pacing control option will allow the student
the ability to pause, rewind, or review the material at a later time. This can be very beneficial for
those who are unable to grasp the concept on the first time around. The fifth principle is referred
to as; Offer Navigational Support in Hypermedia Environments. This principle focuses on
providing embedded links for additional navigational elements (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 329). In
essence, this principle would be used to provide hyperlinks to related course material. But a word
of caution; hyperlinks should not be overdone. For example; if a novice learner is taken to too
many external sites, then they may begin to lose their focus on the core content, and end up
struggling more than they should.
Reflection
The idea of e-learning has been around for some time, and as an instructor, Ive found
that the majority of students are fearful of taking online courses, because of the lack of control
given. Their idea of e-learning is primarily based on reading some book, doing the exercises, and
then emailing it to their instructor. And although there may be some form of learner control in

BOOK CHAPTER 14 REVIEW: WHOS IN CONTROL?

this method, it does not provide a true learner control environment. The true learner control
environment, when done properly, is going to give all students, whether those with much
previous experience or those with very little, the opportunity to learn at their own pace. Pace
setting should not be under estimated, for it is this element that is going to yield higher success
rates in student achievements. Although I've had a very positive view with online instruction and
current technology, the idea of designing more of a leaner controlled environment, takes it to a
new level. I've been in the technology field for over thirty years, and I've seen many changes take
place since the conception of online instruction, but now, technology has become so advance,
that it is clearly feasible to see the end of the traditional face-to-face classroom. Our ISD project
is based on video interactivity, in other words, giving the e-learner the ability to interact with
active video content. The idea of merging learner control with video interactivity is exactly what
we're all about. We want the students to have the ability to learn at their own pace, and at the
same time, have the ability to choose "continue" to the next assignment, or have the option to
click on additional exercises until the concept has been understood. My overall goal in this
course is to expand my understanding of online instruction and be able to use the latest
technology to develop the most efficient methods of e-learning. With this new understanding of
learner control, I'm beginning to see more and more the viability of what I hope to accomplish.

BOOK CHAPTER 14 REVIEW: WHOS IN CONTROL?

Reference
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2011). Who's in Control? In E-learning and the science of
instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning, third
edition (pp. 309-336). San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.