The case of Nick’s Dilemma illustrates how a learning environment can be designed based on sound theoretical foundations, but nevertheless fail to be used effectively due to insufficient consideration of how learners would interact with the technology within their specific learning contexts
This goes to show that theory by itself may not necessarily work in practice; there are outside factors to consider.
For example, if there is only one computer, or limited internet bandwidth, but two parents and two children all need to access it for their job or homework, then there is not sufficient access
A primary lesson learned during the 2020 COVID shutdown...
Time is a finite resource for most people
Why does this sentence sound so facetious to me? Time is a finite resource for ALL people, due to our limited life spans!
It is important to remember that learners are not empty containers in which knowledge can simply be poured
True: Learners tend to be oversimplified when one creates instruction for them, likely for the reason that Javier cites in his comment below: "instructors are notoriously out of touch with the day-to-day reality of their students." I think about the K12 education system, in which learning standards are often made by those who have not set foot in a classroom in decades.
“I-have-a-similar-story” reflections
I feel that this is how most of us connect to others - and, generally speaking, people connect to others the most strongly when they have one of these reflections.
I notice that, as a middle school teacher, while I don't particularly have "favorite" students, I do feel closer with the students who have shared experiences to those I faced as a child. "I have a similar story" reflections seem like human nature to us.
detach
Why detach?
First person narratives can detract from authenticity as it can be unrealistic for a person to have certain insights about him or herself
This is very interesting. I think about this from a literary perspective, too. I teach my students about unreliable narrators, and first person narrators have the greatest ability to be unreliable for this very reason.
“do personas appear realistic to the people they are supposed to represent?”
You know, I was thinking about this very question when I learned about the entire concept of personas!
“relating to,” more than just “knowing about” the user
This makes me think about gossip. It's such a large part of our lives. When we gossip, we mostly try to "know about" people - or embellish on things that we know with our own ideas. Very rarely in life do we attempt to relate to other people that we meet. Instead, we come to our own conclusions about them based on hearsay or a couple of interactions.
I think if people in general made it a goal to relate to people instead of just "know about" them, the human race would be kinder and people would gossip a whole lot less.