I guess this discussion might best work with the numbered answer
approach, and take the questions in order, so it’s clear what I’m arguing
against, that I just argued for.
1) PRO: Extrememly important to understand the audience for ANY type of
communication, and especially one that increases in effectiveness the more
it is customized to the learner. We have entered the age of customized
mass communication, a kind of oxymoron, that really means, our
communication tools have become sophisticated enough that we can adjust
who gets what message much more than previously possible. So, I we can
determine that a student is a “structure philiac learner” then we can
“earmark” a lesson plan for that student that fits that learning approach,
while still have alternate plans that we can make available and “send” to
those students with different learning stlyes.
1) CON: Sometimes, what’s most important is a STANDARDIZED
communication. When institutions communicate with their constituents
about anything “official” they have certain institutional needs such as legal
concerns that prohibit the customized to a particular person approach. A
problematic area would be grading and certification policies. If different
students could satisfy graduation and course requirments in a customized
individualized manner, how can the institution retain “standards” that
accrediting institutions require? It can be done, but it’s a lot more
personpower intensive to extend the possibilty of individuality to every
student. Or citizen. Or cable TV customer. =^)
2) PRO: Not always possible to get a good read on the “targeted learner”
for a number of obvious reasons. Until an individual “reveals’ themselves,
how do we know who they are?
2)CON: Ah, the wonders of demographic research allow us to know a lot
about an individual without them intentionally revealing anything. For better
of worse, that’s the world we live in, where if one knows how, one can find
out more about a person than most of his friends and family knows, and
even stuff the person has probably forgotten about.
So, if I needed to design a online course, or a webtool training module, and
wasn’t sure who my targeted audience was in general, or in specific, I do
tons of research, including even maybe paying for some demographic data.
In addition, I’d try to employ a survey or surveys of my targeted audience,
either done by me, or someone else. Then I’d try to design the online
learning experience in such a way as to allow the “student” to reveal as
much as possible about their learning style either through self reporting,
going through a group interview each other process, or take an online
survey or game. Maybe one of those supposedly revelatory “tests” such as
are employed by psychologists et al for employment or treatment, or???
Maybe study methods employed by dating sites, which seem to have the
greatest need to gather individual reporting about self.
John
