Appreciative Inquiry: Designing for Engagement in Technology-Mediated Learning

Candidate: Denise Withers
Type: Master of Science (MSc), School of Interactive Arts and Technology
Date: October 30, 2006
Senior Supervisor: Dr. Janet McCracken, Assistant Professor
Thesis: Download Thesis Document

Abstract

Generating and sustaining engagement should be an explicit goal of technology-mediated learning (TML) design for adults. Yet, little related guidance exists for designers in this field.

This thesis investigates effective engagement design strategies and offers an adaptable workshop protocol to help practitioners address engagement in their own context. The workshop and thesis are each framed as an Appreciative Inquiry (AI), a process that seeks to discover and build on what works well in existing systems.

A study of the workshop protocol, conducted at a bank learning centre, showed that practitioners found the appreciative nature of the AI process to be more memorable than their investigation into engagement. The study also revealed that they associate their ability to generate engagement with their (limited) access to resources, particularly interactive technologies. Based on these findings, I suggest revisions to the protocol and offer engagement design guidelines for TML that are not technology-dependent.