The Development Phase~

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In the development phase, the course content described in the design phase is transformed into a complete instructional training program.   The development of the course material involves creating learner activities, choosing an instruction method, reviewing existing material, and developing the instruction (Clark, 2010).  Instructional designers need to also address many aspects outside the design of the course material.  These include establishing budgetary costs, meeting deadlines, obtaining written agreements, providing examples of coursework, finalizing course approval,  pilot-testing the finished product, and training facilitators to teach the instructional session with a separate train-the-trainer teaching session (Hodell, 2011). 

Clark, D.R. (2010). Development phase in instructional design. Retrieved from: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat4.html.

Hodell, C. (2011). Isd from the ground up. (3rd ed.). Chelsea, MI: Sheridan Books, Inc.   

This blog, http://joelleegardner.blogspot.com/2012/02/addie-process-development-phase.html is very helpful in bettering your understanding of the development phase of ADDIE.  The author, Dr. Joel Gardner is a teacher of instructional design and instructional theory.  He guides the reader through the process of creating the materials planned for in the design phase.  This site also allows the user to review other aspects of the ADDIE instructional design system as well as link to some popular posts on ISD and the ADDIE model.

I also came across this article, http://www.uwsa.edu/ttt/thompson.htm, written by Nadeen Thompson, Program Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin about the benefits of using an instructional design model for planning instruction. She explains well the dynamic process and fluidity of movement through the phases in the creation of final product.   

Personal Reflection

Until recently, I didn’t understand the extent to which coursework was prepared.  Working my way through the ADDIE model has given me first-hand experience of the elaborate process to planning content rich instruction that is well-organized, effective, and engaging.  The development phase has the most work associated with it as this is the phase where the actual content for the training is created.  Handouts, power points, on-line resources, and training examples insure that the design is complete (Hodell, 2011).  The dynamic progression of instructional design through analysis and needs assessment, objective identification, audience and population evaluation, content and delivery development, and evaluation and redesign is a constant movement back and forth adjusting materials in the creation of the final product (Thompson, 2001).  In my practice it will be beneficial to provide a better variety of visuals to support the lecture material, keeping in mind that over-use, just like under-use of visuals fails to support student learning (Clark, 2003).  It is very easy to make wordy power points rather than prepare graphics and images to enhance the learning experience for students.  Using a systematic approach to planning visuals focuses on the tasks to be learned enhancing student learning (Lyons, 2003).   

 

Clark, R. C. (2003, August 11). More than just eye candy: Graphics for e-learning. The e-learning developers' journal

Hodell, C. (2011). Isd from the ground up. (3rd ed.). Chelsea, MI: Sheridan Books, Inc. 

Lyons, C. C. (2003, September 15). More than just eye candy: Graphics for e-learning. The e-learning developers' journal

Thompson, N. (2001). Why id? the benefits of instructional design models. Teaching with technology today, 7(6), Retrieved from http://www.uwsa.edu/ttt/thompson.htm

Project #2 Coming soon!

Project # 2 on the design of the blogger training session due this Sunday.

The Design Phase~

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The next step in creating the training program is the development of the design phase.  The design phase describes the course content.  In the design phase performance objectives and terminal outcomes are defined so that instructional material and delivery methods can be determined.  The design process is made up of eight elements beginning with a rationale.  The rationale explains the sequence of the instructional content and activities including learner outcomes.  The structure of the training addresses the instructional method, materials, and total course length. Entry-level prerequisites of the targeted population as well as the facilitator are determined. Objectives are defined setting the foundation by which the training can be evaluated.  The evaluation strategies assess whether these objectives are being met (Hodell 2011). 

Hodell, C. (2011). Isd from the ground up. (3rd ed.). Chelsea, MI: Sheridan Books, Inc

This url from Idaho State University College of Education, Science, Math, and Technology Education explains how the design phase continues the analysis of the topic; applies instructional strategies according to the data collected; creates storyboards outlining the training message; develops a user interface, and collects materials necessary for the development of the training program. This contrasting view is helpful in understanding the design process.  

http://ed.isu.edu/addie/design/design.html


The blog link below discusses the evolution of ADDIE to more advanced instructional design systems such as Rapid Prototyping. ADDIE is a linear framework for coaching instructional designers.  Rapid Prototyping is a non-linear approach that allows designers the opportunity for continuous review and revision of the prototype training program. 

http://www.dashe.com/blog/elearning/instructional-design-and-rapid-prototyping-rising-from-the-ashes-of-addie

Personal Reflection

This week’s assignment details the steps involved in the design phase of the ADDIE model.  The information created here isn’t the actual content.  It is just a description of what the course content will be.  For example, a design element might be to use a rubric for an assessment.  It is not the actual rubric itself.  The most surprising aspect of design is that it addresses visual appeal and aesthetics.  The design phase goes beyond the blueprint for the training.  Aesthetics is made up of “those elements of an interactive design that are carefully orchestrated to enhance and heighten the learner experience, as opposed to elements designed solely to satisfy the pedagogical or technical needs of the instructional objectives”, (Miller, 2011).  In his article Aesthetics and e-assessment, Miller illustrates the important role aesthetics has in learning and most importantly in distance learning. Visual appeal benefits not only learner satisfaction but also decreases the learner’s cognitive demands, promotes self-assessment, and increases motivation and higher task performance especially in distance education (Miller, 2011). 

As a distance learner, I didn’t realize that my motivation might be driven by how I like the look of the material being presented.   For my students, knowing that visual appeal can improve motivation and performance, I can rework the content to have a greater appeal factor.  The MRI course material is very technical where much of the information presented is in a graph or chart. Creating templates in Microsoft PowerPoint rather than using excel spreadsheets will allow me the flexibility to add graphic elements, color, and images to enhance the technical information.  I can also create and embellish images using Pixlr.   

Miller, C. (2011). Aesthetics and e-assessment: The interplay of emotional design and learner performance. Distance education, 32(3), 307-337. doi:10.1080/01587919.2011.610291

Project #1: Analysis

Project #1 is now live! Use the navigation bar at the top of the page to access it.

Project #1 Analysis ~coming soon

Due this Sunday, Project #1 Analysis