Instructional Design - concluding thoughts.

As we finished up our projects, I thought continued to pop up in my mind. How often is instruction redesigned? Are there 10 groups across the country coming up with materials on how to ..... All with the same goal in mind?
Maybe the audience varies, the details in the objectives vary, or something to make each design valuable.
Makes me think of the value of the internet and sharing resources. A design can be adapted to fit a specific audience or objective without recreating the entire wheel.

Evaluation

Evaluation: important but not always easy. There have been times when I can critically look at something and have an opinion. There are other time when I can know I don't like something, but can't even pin point what it is. There are yet other times when i know what I don't like and I know what could be done for improvments. Not all of us in are a critically thinking place at the necessary time.
I think of a time when my son noticed a negative exchange between two people. All the previous times I observed this type of behavior I was uncomfortable, but didn't understand my feelings. My son said, "When they treat each other that way, it makes me not want to be with or near them." BINGO! A fresh perspective makes things clear. I've felt that way all along too.

Developing Instructional Materials

There have been many comments throughout this course about teachers not being trained in instructional design. It seems many wished they had been trained in ID. As I read chapter 9, section "The Designer's Role in Materials Development and Instructional Delivery" I noticed a connection. As teachers we create lesson plans, units, semester and yearly goals. We do this process, just in a different way. Since we are creating our own materials with the use of state core curriculum, school curriculum and other resources, we create the design for our classes.
Much of this process of analyzing our learners, materials etc. is part of the process that we have learned as we studied to receive our edication degree.

Developing Instructional Strategy

Different learning goals require different strategies. I think most of my teaching I consider which way I haven't taught for a while, and try to mix that into a week of lesson plans rather than what strategy is best for each outcome. I think this remind to match intentionally is a good idea.

Dick and Carey on Methods and Media

I'm looking forward to our discussion tonight in class to followup our online discussion about Methods and Media. As I read Dick and Carey's Chapter 8 on Developing an Instructional Strategy I couldn't help but say AMEN! to their comments on Methods setting a foundation for the Media. Read on:

• page 165 Macro strategy (methods) vs. micro strategies (media)
• page 166 "Delivery systems and instructional strategies are not synonymous. A delivery system (media) is only part of an overall instructional strategy, and novice instructional designers must guard against being seduced by flashy technologies and ending up ascribing far too much weight to how instruction is packaged and delivered at the expense of the careful planning of the teaching-learning activities that should be included in the instruction."
• page 195 "This example illustrates the point of view in this chapter that media are useful to the extent that they effectively carry required learning components of an instructional strategy."
• page 195 "First, research on effects of media on students' learning...generally concludes that the medium itself does not make s significant difference in how much students learn. Clark's (1983) review of research established the basic argument that the design of instruction rather than the medium used to deliver it determines student learning."

Performance Ojectives

"Mager first used the term behavioral objective in 1975 to emphasize that it is a statement describing what the student will be able to do."(Carey, pg. 113) In reading this quote, I was brought back to my education classes at Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I can still hear Professor Postma saying, "Students Will Be Able To, SWABT." We had to put this statement on each of our lesson plans for tutoring elementary students in nearby schools. This was ingrained in my head since the 90's. I could understand this chapter well with this background still in my thinking and way of doing things. I liked the additional tips of considering not on ly the actions, but also the conditions that the student will perform in and the criteria for evaluation.

Assessments

Variety, balance, purposeful choices all come to my mind when I think about preparing assessments for the material that students need to know. Sure a written test could be used in every and all situations. But is it the best option? I think it is a great idea to stop and pause to think about the best way to assess student learning. How effective would role-playin or simulations, or observation of performance fit with the material learned?
I'd love to think that I use variety in my testing, but maybe this discussion will raise awareness for me and nudge me to be purposeful and add some variety in my assessments.