Week 10: Revising Instruction

This week took information gained last week in my evaluation of instruction and added images to instructional packet. I also moved to a more constructivist approach, removing the pre and post tests and focusing the evaluation solely on having students complete a web page to show mastery and completion of terminal objective.

Week 9 Formative Evaluation

This week I began to look at materials that I have designed for this instruction. I conducted a one on one evaluation of my Instructional packet for students and got some very good feedback. Both potential students stated that pictures to lead them through the process would be very beneficial. I received the same results in my small group study. Also, our IT Coordinator who is an (SME) in technology training expressed concern over the pre and post tests. Stating that, “faculty seemed to develop a poor attitude and were much harder to motivate to learn” when these types of activities are given.

Week 8 Instructional Materials

This week I began working on my instructional materials. As I began looking into this and considering my learners, I realized the most useful instructional material would be a cheat sheet so to speak of all of the directions given in class. This would serve two main purposes; provide the learner a resource once they leave the class and need a refresher and two, an alternate way to view instructions given in class. This would be a two to three page packet that would include directions and screenshot pictures to assist the student in class and in their work environment.

Other instructional material that I may consider would be a more developed help section on the actual website.

Week #7 Instructional Strategy

In looking over my post from week six I see that some of the clustering of instruction can be condensed and omitted. I have removed step nine all together since it was dealing with adding interactive content and this does not correspond with my instructional objective or my terminal objective. I have re-clustered some sub steps since they have the same sub skills and are part of the same overall step in the process.

When I considered D&C's five factors for clustering:

1. Age of Learners
2. Complexity of Material
3. Type of learning
4. Varied activity focusing attention on task
5. Amount of time required to present material

I found that these changes would best fit my learners and material to cover. Allowing me to better meet the needs of my audience.

Now I am turning my attention to development of comprehensive instructional strategy. The Dick and Carey book gives 5 major learning components for the instructional design process.

1. Pre-instructional Activities
2. Content Presentation
3. Learner Participation
4. Assessment
5. Follow-through Activities

#1 Preinstructional Activities

Motivate: At this point of the instructional process we must motivate/inform/ensure that students have prerequisite knowledge. To accomplish this the use of Keller's ARCS model would be very useful. Three important questions to consider through out design process to ensure you keep motivation of the learners are:

1. Is material relevant to my personal needs and interests?
2. Am I confident that I can do this by expending reasonable effort?
3. Did this satisfy my needs and interests?

This information can be derived from the learner analysis done earlier in the design process. Keep the instruction manageable for the student and do not overwhelm them.

Will continue to ensure the three questions can be answered affirmatively through out the instruction.

Inform Learners: Assist student in focusing on objectives and what they should be able to do rather than everything that will be covered.

In the Moodle lesson students will be advised of objective at the beginning of the lesson. The objectives will be condensed so as not to overwhelm them but still convey material to be covered.

Inform Learners of Prerequisite Skills: This is to let the learner know the relationship between what they will learn and their prior knowledge. To ensure that they are going to be able to be successful in the environment. Two ways to accomplish this:

1. Pretest
2. Recall of relevant material

In the Moodle lesson prerequisite will be done by activating prior knowledge to show hoe this information can benefit them.

#2 Content Presentation

Present only relevant material and use examples; illustrations, diagrams, demonstrations etc.

In the Moodle lesson students will get only information they need to meet the terminal objective.

#3 Learner Participation

Provide lots of feedback and hands on application when possible.

As we progress through the Moodle lesson students will actively participate in creating their page. This will facilitate their ability to meet the terminal objective.

#4 Assessment

Assessment for the Moodle assignment will be completed as follows:

1. Entry Behavior Test: No Entry Behavior Test will be given.
2. Pretest: No pretest will be given.
3. Practice Tests: These will be assessed as the student progress through the different sub steps and completes each phase of instruction.
4. Posttest: Will be the completion of their project ie. a web presence and completion of the terminal objective.

#5 Follow Through Activities

The two aspects of follow through activities are: Memory and Transfer of Learning

Memory aspect for the Moodle lesson will rely on visual ques to remember content learned. Specific buttons and drop down menues will assist the learner in continued success and mastery of content.

The second aspect Transfer of Learning should be 100% since instruction is takeing place on similar computers and same software that they will use in their classrooms.