Technology Affordances

“the term affordance refers to the perceived and actual properties of the thing, primarily those fundamental properties that determine just how the thing could possibly be used. A chair affords (‘is for’) support and, therefore, affords sitting”          p.9, Norman, 1988

Affordance Analysis

Technology affordance analysis is about unpacking the different attributes of a learning technology so you can determine its suitability for your learning outcomes and pedagogical approach. Some examples of types of e-learning technology affordances are media, spatial, temporal, navigational and synthesis (Bower, 2008). The graphic below demonstrates a broad affordance analysis of the Web 2.0.

English: A graphical representation of the affordances of the Web (specifically Web 2.0) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Using Affordances in e-Learning Design

Affordance analysis can be used as part of an iterative e-learning design methodology where you match your pedagogical goals with the available technologies embodying those affordances that will best meet your goals and the needs of your learners in a given context (Bower, 2008).

Once affordances of technologies have been described, placing them within the framework of Anderson and Krathwohl’s Taxonomy (2001) against the  six cognitive processes and the four knowledge dimensions can really focus the pedagogical design process for technology based learning.

Further, it can also be used to match technologies with the pedagogical approach you are taking, for example behaviourist, constructivist and co-constructivist approaches can all be matched with technologies with supporting affordances.

Bower and colleagues (2010) provide an excellent example of how this can be done in the table below.

Bower et al, 2010, p193.

References: 

Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing, Chapter 3. NY: Longman

Bower, M. (2008) Affordance analysis – matching learning tasks with learning technologies, Educational Media International, Volume 45 (1), pp. 3 – 15

Bower, M., Hedberg, J., & Kuswara, A. (2010). A framework for Web 2.0 learning design.Educational Media International, 47(3), 177-198.

Norman, Donald A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York:Doubleday