Analytics-Driven Learning Ecosystem for ESL Students

Overview

Drawing from years of research done by this international language education provider, I was on a team that helped manage the design and development of a flagship learning program launched through the Panama Ministry of Education.

The primary audience included over 5,000 teachers and education professionals across Panama, and the program contained thousands of hours of English language-learning content hosted on an analytics-based learning platform.

This platform that I helped create, organize, and deploy curriculums for allowed learners to navigate a non-linear educational experience that was rich in multimedia, including video-based content, reading materials, interactive activities, podcast episodes, and more.

Needs Analysis

Given the roll-out of the program was with this Panama government agency, who was new partner with unfamiliar learners, I did extensive research to develop user personas that best represented the target audience. The largest takeaway was that these learners needed a scalable and accessible solution that provided a true learning ecosystem that was not limited by their geographic location nor the knowledge of local experts.

As mentioned in the overview section, data gathering and analysis were a huge part of this learning ecosystem’s success. It was hosted on AWS and leveraged additional learning analytics tools, so it was imperative that our design team knew what data the stakeholders wanted to be captured from the course’s ‘events’ (interactions, assessment items, etc.).

This meant designing in a way that would allow the provider to capture all relevant data and statistics related to usage, completion rate, success rate, and other metrics following the implementation of the solution.

After conducting an audience analysis and constructing SMART learning objectives, the various learning outcomes I identified were met through a written curriculum that supported various learning paths and was paired with engaging content that included guided activities, custom graphics, and trackable knowledge checks.

Design & Development

Utilizing the provided style guide, I helped create scripts, templates, and other forms of documentation to aid in the design of the solutions. From there, I created wireframes and mockups of the various learning experiences we were developing. Because many of these solutions built off of one another, I performed topic-mapping to ensure there was proper coverage and that the level of difficulty of the content and assessment items were appropriate.

It's important to note that the learning ecosystem leveraged popular books, magazines, podcasts, and videos. As these were uploaded in a sort of 'edutainment' model, this gave us a great starting point to then develop more formal learning content that referenced and built on these resources.

One key aspect of the learning was the tailored feedback provided to learners, which made it so (a) learners understood why an answer was incorrect, (b) the real-world consequences of having chosen the incorrect answer they did, and (c) guidance on how to attempt the activity once more. This worked to give learners a safe space to take risks with their responses, fail at times, and ultimately learn.

Following several detailed rounds of revisions, all learning experiences and curriculums within the learning ecosystem were approved, and the various modalities, including text, video, dynamic slides, audio podcasts, and more were uploaded and organized on the partner's platform for their audiences.

As the learning content was displayed, learners were given a sense of ease and control over their learning with strategic UI components such as high-level organizers on screen, navigation instructions, and "Up Next" previews. The learning content itself came alive through interactivity, engaging visuals, and unique scenarios for learners to navigate.

Results

Watch a video we put out highlighting this learning program’s success below.

View a gallery of images from the ecosystem, including lessons, interactive learner forums, and more.