What is Instructional Design
Instructional design is the practice of making learning more effective, interesting and challenging for the learner. The pedagogical engineer has to study, design, and adapt teaching devices, training, or courses to a target audience with clearly defined educational objectives thanks to all tools of digital learning.
How to create content?
First of all, to ensure the success of a good instructional design, it’s necessary to know the clients, the target, and the public:
- Who are the learners?
- What are their needs?
- What do they already know about an educational module?
- Are they experts or novices?
- How comfortable are they with computers?
The goal is to know the learners and their background which will allow you to develop an adaptive content.
You will need to analyze your initial results to understand the characteristics to help design and create support, conduct training activities and evaluate the course.
Your content should contain the following basic information:
- Something attractive for the home page (a picture, a logo, a gif, a video).
- Instructions on how to navigate the module, the meaning of the buttons, how to create an account, and also the purpose of each tab to give learners the objectives of the module.
- Separate modules for a better visibility and comprehension, each with its own introduction, content, evaluation, and summary.
- Instructions for leaving the module and how to go back and restart where they are last ended.
Instructional Design Global Models
ADDIE Model
Addie acronym means Analyze, Design, Development, Implantation, and Evaluation.
ADDIE 5 steps:
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The first step is a preliminary study of the situation (educational objectives, learner information such as learning environment, preferences, demographics, and existing knowledge and skills learners need to use to understand the approach based on their needs, characteristics or requests)
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In the second step, the design from the idea to the preparation through the conceptualization (the forms, the artistic side, the details, graphics adapted for users, methods, activities, storyboard...).
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The third step is to develop the possible realization of the material, the products, the content, as well as all the documents and tools.
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Implementation is in the field. The instructional designer provides content and materials to Learning Management Systems (LMS) or directly to the trainer for live training events. The instructional designer also provides training for trainers, facilitators, SMEs or instructors.
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Evaluation is the process of measuring, quantifying (statistical methods) and characterizing a result or performance.
SAM Model
There is also the SAM model, which stands for Successive Approximation Model.
SAM offers an instructional design approach consisting of repeated small steps, or iterations, that address some of the most common design issues, such as meeting deadlines, respecting the budget, and collaborating with subject matter experts.
Unlike the 5 major sequential steps of ADDIE, the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) is a more cyclical process that can be extended from SAM1 to SAM2 to meet your needs :
- SAM1 is the basic SAM process. It may be suitable for small projects that do not require a lot of complicated technology (eg: video or custom programming) or for smaller teams. This SAM flavor is a cyclical pattern with three iterations on the familiar pedagogical design stages of evaluation/analysis, design, and development.
SAM2, is an extended SAM1 support. It consists of eight iterative pedagogical design stages spread over three phases of the project: preparation, iterative design, and iterative development.
SAM challenges the notion of a linear process (like ADDIE). Evaluation as an effective strategy for designing learning events to produce better performance. SAM addresses the barriers we all face (product quality, respect for deadlines and budgets, SME management).
How to improve the instructional design to be more close to the learner's needs?
The new research aims to help colleges and universities understand how educational designers fit into their organization and how their work can affect student success.
To engage students in the classroom, teachers realize that they have to involve them. Students should generate their own ideas and solutions, as well as letting them explore new concepts and ways to communicate that allows them to express themselves. To promote student growth, the instructional design must focus on the learning outcomes as opposed to the activity itself, like gamification and blended learning.
What is even more beneficial in developing more meaningful questions that prompted critical reflection and academic discourse through the online discussion.
Conclusion:Instructional designer's job is to ask questions and understand not only what's on the program, but also what instructors want students to take out of their classes. Many educational designers have a background in education.
Instructional designers work with professors and subject matter experts, designers, videographers, developers, and data analysis experts to create an educational experience that aligns with the program and achieves the desired results and make some great courseware.
Our authoring platform, MyEconentFactory makes it very easy for instructional designers, professors, and teachers create meaningful lessons and courseware with the technology. Why not take a look?
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