‘The blue dot thing’: a discourse analysis of learner interlanguage in instructional design

ABSTRACT

We used audio-recorded interactions from a co-design of early designers working together making a language learning app to map discourse practices onto an operationalisation of an early stage of design learning in instructional design. A previously published typography of design discourse operationally defined the discourse practices of an advanced beginner stage. We asked, How did the discourse practices of early designers emerge when they engaged each other in the act of designing? We searched transcripts for examples of nine discourse practices in design that were previously established by the literature which suggested these discursive practices might appear in design language in use. We found that these practices often did appear, but ranged in discursive proficiency, suggesting the existence of an interlanguage of design. This discourse analysis informs scholars of design learning as to the variability in the emergence of discourse practices in design. To illustrate these insights, we present five diverse excerpts that illuminate the breadth of how design discourse emerges in early designer’s discussions. From these data, we concluded that there is an interlanguage of instructional design that maps unevenly across discourse practices of the advanced beginner.

KEYWORDS:

• Design discourse
• design learning
• undergraduates
• early designers
• advanced beginners
• instructional design
• interlanguage

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the insightful, supportive, and patient reviewers at CoDesign who made this cross-disciplinary write up possible. While anonymous, we felt that it would be disingenuous not to call out the exceptional contributions they had on this study. Cary Staples' support at the UT School of Design was indispensable in accomplishing this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).