EDT 8220
Smart Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this content you should be able to:
-Describe the Systematic Instructional Design process
-Describe a Needs Analysis
-Describe a Task Analysis
-Describe a Learner Analysis
Upon completion of this content you should be able to:
-Describe the Systematic Instructional Design process
-Describe a Needs Analysis
-Describe a Task Analysis
-Describe a Learner Analysis
the systematic instructional design process
The Systematic Instructional Design approach is a way to design instruction that considers the entire system surrounding the learner. This is a deviation from the original design approach that required learners to adapt to the instruction that was being provided to them (Brown & Green, 2016). By taking a systematic approach, the designer can consider many different factors that can affect the learner’s ability to complete the lesson and achieve the goals of the lesson.
There are several variations of this approach to designing courses:
These approaches can be helpful when designing learning interventions because they help the designer move logically through the material while keeping everything organized in a clear manner for the learner and stakeholders.
There are several variations of this approach to designing courses:
- The Kemp, Morrison, and Ross’s Instructional Design Plan which is comprised of nine fluid elements that can be addressed in any order.
- Merrill’s Pebble-in-the-pond Model which focuses first on creating the instructional content to solve a problem first and then building out the other elements, ending with the objectives.
- The Successive Approach Model which focuses on an iterative version of the evaluate → design → develop process that allows for continual evolution of the learning.
- The ADDIE model which takes the designer through a more rigorous process of analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate.
These approaches can be helpful when designing learning interventions because they help the designer move logically through the material while keeping everything organized in a clear manner for the learner and stakeholders.
needs analysis
Needs Analyses are critical to the success of a learning intervention as the focus on determining what needs to change. This process is where the designer should begin by not only listening to the requestor’s idea of what the need is; but, also evaluating the environment and situation to better understand the need. The information needed to complete a proper needs analysis can be compiled in a variety of methods. This could include interviews, observations, and reviews of existing artifacts. This information will then guide the remainder of the Instructional Design process (Brown & Green, 2016).
An example of surveys that would be completed are:
The file below is an example of a completed Needs Analysis which includes Interview Questions and Observation Protocols.
An example of surveys that would be completed are:
- Administration Survey: https://wright.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cGWHF2LaNVwGbYN
- Worker Survey: https://wright.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0wV73wipW9CV5Od
The file below is an example of a completed Needs Analysis which includes Interview Questions and Observation Protocols.
needs_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |
task analysis
Task Analyses breaks down a process into the finest of details. This type of analysis allows the Instructional Designer to fully understand each step in the process for which they are creating the learning intervention. This process is also known as a content analysis, SME analysis or learning task analysis (Brown & Green, 2016). One important consideration for the review is that it should accurately record the behaviors or steps that should be taken to complete the task and not the current process that is occurring. This ensures that the designer has a full understanding of what the end goal is for the intervention. You can review the file below to see an example of a Task Analysis.
task_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Learner analysis
A Learner Analysis evaluates the learners and focuses on the current state of the population. This will ensure that you do not waste time creating a learning intervention for an audience that cannot or will not use the information (Brown & Green, 2016). Some items to be considered when completing Learner Analyses are; The learner’s human needs, the learner’s willingness to learn, learning styles, and the design approach. One way that a designer could gather this information is to request the learning requestor provide the information. If that is not an option, another way would be to survey the population. If you would like to view an example of one of these surveys, click the following link, https://wright.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2n1tl7gAdixWQnj. You can view an example of a Learner Analysis by reviewing the file below.
learner_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Organizing and delivering learning
There are a variety of ways to organize learning and to deliver the created materials. The designer will need to take the information gathered in the prior steps of the design process to determine the best approach for organizing and delivering the materials. The first thing that the designer needs to determine, is the environment in which the learning will occur. Four of the most common environments discussed by Brown and Green (2016) are:
Each of these environments could be done in a directed or an open-ended setting. If it is a directed setting the intervention will be more structured and the facilitator will play the role of the director. If the setting is open ended then there will be more room for learner interpretation and the facilitator will be there as a guide.
In addition to the learning environment, there are several teaching strategies that could be implemented based on the environment in which you are working. Some of the most common ones that I use in my field are:
- Learner-centered: focuses on what the students bring to the environment, including their attitudes and past experiences.
- Knowledge-centered: focuses on the information and activities that help the learners learn the information.
- Assessment-centered: focuses on including many opportunities for feedback resulting from assessments/quizzes which provides opportunities for revisions.
- Community-centered: focuses on learners learning from each other and then contributing to the larger group to expand the learning beyond the individuals.
Each of these environments could be done in a directed or an open-ended setting. If it is a directed setting the intervention will be more structured and the facilitator will play the role of the director. If the setting is open ended then there will be more room for learner interpretation and the facilitator will be there as a guide.
In addition to the learning environment, there are several teaching strategies that could be implemented based on the environment in which you are working. Some of the most common ones that I use in my field are:
- Problem Based Learning: This is an approach that presents the learner with a problem and requires them to solve the problem using the information that has been covered and sometimes information that has not yet been covered.
- Simulations: Specifically, I work with computer based simulations in the form of eLearnings. The Simulations allow the users to learn and play in a safe environment. This is often helpful when allowing the learner to work in the real world/system could very dangerous, expensive, or it is not available.
- Identifying similarities and differences: This learning allows the learners to review information and make connections through observations. These connections could be to existing information or to new information that is being presented.
learning evaluation
At the end of every learning event it is critical that the designer design some type of learning evaluation. The evaluation will determine if the learning event was successful or if the event should be revised and completed again. There are two specific areas that should be evaluated and they are:
To evaluate a learner’s performance, the designer should include either a summative assessment at the end of the lesson or include formative assessments throughout the learning intervention. Based on the results of the assessments, the designer can determine if the learner has successfully achieved the learning goals. A couple of items that should be considered when developing learner evaluations are validity and reliability for the assessments (Brown & Green, 2016). That is to say, the assessment should be proven as a valid measure for the learner’s completion of the learning objectives and it should be able to do so reliably.
To evaluate the success of the design process, the designer should look at the results of the assessments and evaluate if the learning improved over the results that were already occurring for existing learnings. If this is a new learning intervention, then the designer should look to the results as compared to the expectations. In both scenarios one important consideration is what was expected from the learning intervention sponsors. The person who requested that the learning intervention take place also has a stake in the outcome so their opinion should be considered as well.
- Evaluation of the learner’s performance
- Evaluation of the success of the Instructional Design process
To evaluate a learner’s performance, the designer should include either a summative assessment at the end of the lesson or include formative assessments throughout the learning intervention. Based on the results of the assessments, the designer can determine if the learner has successfully achieved the learning goals. A couple of items that should be considered when developing learner evaluations are validity and reliability for the assessments (Brown & Green, 2016). That is to say, the assessment should be proven as a valid measure for the learner’s completion of the learning objectives and it should be able to do so reliably.
To evaluate the success of the design process, the designer should look at the results of the assessments and evaluate if the learning improved over the results that were already occurring for existing learnings. If this is a new learning intervention, then the designer should look to the results as compared to the expectations. In both scenarios one important consideration is what was expected from the learning intervention sponsors. The person who requested that the learning intervention take place also has a stake in the outcome so their opinion should be considered as well.
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References
Brown, A. H., & Green, T. D. (2016). The essentials of instructional design (3rd edition). New York, NY: Routledge.