What is Instructional Design?

At the end of my first semester, I need to change my definition of Instructional Design (ID). Now I put more emphasis on teaching instead of on computers. But the focus on teaching isn't on the teacher but on the students. If instruction doesn't work for the students, then it isn't worth it. (I wonder what public schools would be like if they used only instruction centered on the students.)

My lastest defintion of Instructional Design:

Instructional Design is creating/building/designing curriculum/instruction using principles that ensure the curriculum works for the students.

Instructional Design (ID) begins with an analysis of the situation--what is the problem? Can instruction fix it? Then ID analizes the students to make the best decisions on the kind of instruction and delivery. Before finishing the instruction, designers must test it with students and then revise. After students use the instruction, designers must test it again to make sure the instruction solved the problem. These principles (analysis, design, revision, testing) and processes that could make any project successful.

That's my definition for now. I'm sure it will change again with each successive semester and that's what I'm looking forward to.

The Reason for the Seasons

I survived this semester because I had two awesome partners: Brenda and Claudia. I want to thank them for their good ideas, hard work, funny comments, flexibility, and Saturday meetings. I needed their teaching experience because some parts of instructional design are more familiar to them because they have teaching experience.

Our final project was "The Reason for the Seasons." We made a week's worth of lesson plans about teaching sixth graders why Earth has seasons. It was a lot of work! But it was a worthwhile project. One memorable part were the subskills analysis: sitting at my computer at night and thinking about all the bits of information about seasons. Another memorable part was the formative evaluation: seeing the plan in action and getting honest feedback about it. I realized that my opinion about the lessons was not the same as the opinion of my target audience. It was helpful to know what my audience thought and then change our instruction.

As we looked at our finished project, I was proud to see all the work we did over the semester. Doing the project probably expanded my opinion of IDET more than anything else this semester.

Business Meeting

My office is working on a new product so we had a meeting about it. My manager has a degree in Instructional Technology. He directed the meeting just like an instructional designer would. He asked all the big questions:

What is the product?
What is the need for this product?
What are our goals?
What is the content?
What are the risks?
How do we know we have accomplished our goals?

In a sense the produce will instruct people. I enjoyed seeing a real meeting discuss IDET principles. (So it does happen in real life!)

More Lessons Learned

Some general bits of wisdom I realized while doing our final project:

1. Ask a lot of questions
2. Give yourself plenty of time
3. Carefully choose wording for objectives
4. Criteria and conditions are important to measure behaviors
5. My thoughts are not the students' thoughts, nor my biases their biases

6. Backing up all my work is important--especially with old computers--thanks Claudia!

7. Evaluations can be fun (Is it really going to work?)

8. The Three R's: Review, Rewind, Revise

9. Even graphs take a while to make

10. The textbook does know what it's talking about

11. The Three E's: Evaluate Learners, Evaluate During, Evaluate After (they really are important and do work)

A Different Trip

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my family and I went to upstate New York. Since I have been learning to evaluate instruction, I couldn't help evaluating the airline's safety instruction. Most of the time I ignore the flight attendants when they talk about the emergency exits. This time I wanted to watch them and see if their instruction would live up the criteria I have learned in IDET.

The verbal instructions were clear--even young children could understand them. The only word that children may not understand is "turbulence." The entry behaviors were low--the flight attendants tell people how to use a seat belt. I suppose they do this in case someone has never used those kind of seat belts, or has never been on an airplane and will panic. The icons all over the plane (no smoking, seat belt signs, exits) are helpful for international fliers and children. Two criticisms: the "job aid" or safety packet has some unclear pictures and people sitting in the back of the plane may not be able to see the flight attendants as they demonstrate seat belt usage. On the whole, however, the airline's instruction is simple and keeps the passengers safe during normal flights. Hopefully no one will have to transfer the instruction to an actual emergency.

A nonexample of safety instruction is the scene from "It's a Mad, Mad World," when the Colonel jabbers more than teaches the two men who to land their plane. "You'll make it men, I have confidence in you."

Some Insights

As my group has put together our project, I have realized a few things about instructional design:

• Instructional design takes a lot of time
• Instructional design takes a lot of planning
• Asking questions is important
• It's OK to use pre-existing materials and instruction in the instructional plan

In my opinion, asking questions in the most important thing an i. designer can do.

As i. designers ask questions they...

• get the necessary information
• understand the learners
• find gaps in instruction plans
• create new instruction ideas

Designs Gone Wrong

When designing instruction, or anything else, it's vital to plan and review.

If not, here's what can happen. . .

unclear messages. . . What do Jedi squirrels have to do with back pain?

inefficieny . . . though you have to admit this design is clever

poorly built products . . . (the perfect haunted house!)

poor designs that make you shake your head . . .

road blocks in your students' pathway . . .

What's in there?

Down the rabbit hole...

I am alot like Alice. I got curious about instructional design. Now that I'm in the IDET program, the instructional design gets "curiouser and curiouser."

I started out with a basic idea of instructional design. After reading the article "Five Views of Instructional Design," my vision has expanded. I must say I'm proud that instructional design is so encompassing and well-rounded; it includes scientific research, learning theories, and interpersonal skills to create effective instruction. This is just an academic way of saying that instructional design is an awesome field.

Mind the Gap

Our reading reminded me of this well-known British phrase. As instructional designers, we must first find the "gap"--the difference between what is happening and what should happen. What is the problem? Why is an organization not working? Why are students not performing? Can instruction fix it?

Nonexamples

"This is tennis, not sign language." (from http://www.sfgate.com/)

(Obviously, her body language is lacking the deliberate and formal signs in sign language.)

A nonexample lacks the important points and details that define the true example. A nonexample is the opposite of the real thing.

A good webpage of nonexamples:

www.coe.tamu.edu/~lcifuent/edtc656/Unit_04/

What is technology?

After our class discussion, I realized I had only a vague idea of what technology is.
Here are some definitions:

"practical art of scientific knowledge"
"a systems of ideas"
"delivery systems"
Types of technology: pens, papers, alphabet, XM radio, computers, Internet, tele-communications, satellite communications.

My epiphany came when I heard my friend Kent say he uses sponges, which aren't "high-tech." The way he used the word "tech" gave me an idea. Since sponges are "low-tech," that means that there is a better or more advanced way to do what he needs. So my definition: technology=an improved or advanced way of doing something.

Thanks Kent!

What am I studying anyway?

When I tell people I’m studying instructional design (ID), I tell them, “I’m learning how to make computer programs that teach people to do things.” It’s a simplistic answer. Some people then tell me how bad they are at computers. I’m no computer genius, but it is funny sometimes to see people’s reactions.

My simple answer here comes from what I understood about ID before I applied for the program. My supervisor from my last job introduced me to ID. He is in charge of websites (specifically the user’s experience with websites) and designs websites—hence my idea that ID uses only computers as the form of delivery. After reading the introductory chapters, I realize that ID includes any kind of media, even old-fashioned print.

I also have more appreciation for the researching, planning, and evaluation stages of ID. The discussion about instruction vs. education was helpful. I learned that ID is a very planned process, with good reason too. Instructional designers are hired to help learners achieve certain goals. Designers need to make sure they understand the situation and that their work is doing what it should. Designers really do have to keep the goal in mind.

A better explanation of ID is that designers analyze a need or a problem, research how to solve that problem through instructional material, create that material, and evaluate the results. As far as explaining my degree, I like the simplistic answer. But I think I will now tell people that I’m learning to create all types of instructional materials that will help people learn what they need.