Applying Instructional Design Principles
a) Identifying and analyzing learning and performance problems
Identification and analysis of learning and performance problems includes analysis of context, learners, and task as well as developing a plan for assessment of learning outcomes and evaluation of the whole process. I think this is a crucial step, and I myself call it instructional diagnosis. What makes it crucial and desirable to me is that it shows whether instruction or, if you wish, training would be a solution to a learning or performance problem. Why is this important? Designing instruction despite the fact that the problem may not relate to instruction but something else such as reward or feedback system in a given learning or performance situation equals wasting time, energy, money and possible other resources that can serve further realistic development. Further, one might argue that we do not need to diagnose solutions that are not instruction-related since we are instructional designers. This might be true to a certain extent, which seems to be the case for medical doctors more. For instance, a dentist may not need to have a deep knowledge a kids` doctor has but in order to refer a patient to a kids`doctor, s/he may at least need to have an initial understanding of the field of a kids`doctor. Likewise, an instructional designer may need to have some insights into human resources management, classroom management, artful thinking and the like in order to effectively find out the real reason(s) for the lack of learning or performance in a given situation. These do not mean that an instructional designer does not have to consult another expert`s ideas though. The task analyses (coming from EDCI 57200) below I think corresponds to the mastery of this competency.
Identification and analysis of learning and performance problems includes analysis of context, learners, and task as well as developing a plan for assessment of learning outcomes and evaluation of the whole process. I think this is a crucial step, and I myself call it instructional diagnosis. What makes it crucial and desirable to me is that it shows whether instruction or, if you wish, training would be a solution to a learning or performance problem. Why is this important? Designing instruction despite the fact that the problem may not relate to instruction but something else such as reward or feedback system in a given learning or performance situation equals wasting time, energy, money and possible other resources that can serve further realistic development. Further, one might argue that we do not need to diagnose solutions that are not instruction-related since we are instructional designers. This might be true to a certain extent, which seems to be the case for medical doctors more. For instance, a dentist may not need to have a deep knowledge a kids` doctor has but in order to refer a patient to a kids`doctor, s/he may at least need to have an initial understanding of the field of a kids`doctor. Likewise, an instructional designer may need to have some insights into human resources management, classroom management, artful thinking and the like in order to effectively find out the real reason(s) for the lack of learning or performance in a given situation. These do not mean that an instructional designer does not have to consult another expert`s ideas though. The task analyses (coming from EDCI 57200) below I think corresponds to the mastery of this competency.
ida1_team3.doc | |
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ida2_analyzing_learners_team3.doc.doc | |
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ida3_team3.doc | |
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ida_assessinglearning_team3.doc | |
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ida5final.doc | |
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Additionally the midterm project completed based on the case given for EDCI 57200 also provides insights into how I look at and do diagnosis of both instructional and non-instructional solutions to a given learning or performance problem. It exemplifies thinking outside the box and trying to dig deeper towards root cause or causes.
the_midterm_project_kadir_kozan.docx | |
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Finally, the assignment below that I completed for EDCI52800 shows identification of non-instructional or non-training interventions and solutions.
assignment_3-kadirkozan.docx | |
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b) Designing, planning, and developing instructional interventions using appropriate strategies and techniques
This refers to going beyond task analysis, and actually planning, designing and developing an instructional solution or intervention for a given learning problem. I will use the final report prepared for the e-learning course here as an example for this competency. In this project, we aimed at introducing electromagnets to middle schoolers based on a task analysis. We then evaluated the learning module with two middle schoolers and wrote the final report. The end product that can be seen in the Powerpoint file below was turned into a website that is not active anymore.
This refers to going beyond task analysis, and actually planning, designing and developing an instructional solution or intervention for a given learning problem. I will use the final report prepared for the e-learning course here as an example for this competency. In this project, we aimed at introducing electromagnets to middle schoolers based on a task analysis. We then evaluated the learning module with two middle schoolers and wrote the final report. The end product that can be seen in the Powerpoint file below was turned into a website that is not active anymore.
newest_electromagnet_ta.docx | |
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loriekadir_final_report.docx | |
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electromagnet_2_26_11-2.pptx | |
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We did also check usability of the website for target learner group using one single participant. The prototype above is (a) colorful; (b) includes both verbal and visual information aiming at encouraging multisensory information processing; (c) interactive in that it asks questions to be answered before moving on to learning something new about the topic; (d) easy navigation with buttons scattered around thus also encouraging review of the material by learners; (e) shares the objectives directly with the learners at the very beginning; (f) gives the learners the chance to type in their own aim or objective for studying the module; (g) provides concrete examples of all this; (h) tries to relate the topic to their daily lives; (h) provides immediate or on-time-feedback.
c) Developing an evaluation plan for a project based on stated goals and recognized standards
Below is the final report of an evaluation project we created as a group for a private company based on standards and goals defined before. My major task for this project was examination of the assessment instrument used for the evaluation in question, and conduct appropriate statistical analyses and put them on the report before it was sent to the client. All these require understanding the nature of the project, speaking to the data collected thus gaining insights into what sort of analyses would correspond to the goals and standards of the project.
Below is the final report of an evaluation project we created as a group for a private company based on standards and goals defined before. My major task for this project was examination of the assessment instrument used for the evaluation in question, and conduct appropriate statistical analyses and put them on the report before it was sent to the client. All these require understanding the nature of the project, speaking to the data collected thus gaining insights into what sort of analyses would correspond to the goals and standards of the project.
comcast_report_july_8-final.docx | |
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Below is a succinct formative evaluation journal we created in order to keep track of the initial findings of the effectiveness of the learning module designed for an e-learning class. It consists of (a) an expert review; (b) a usability review; (c) a one-on-one assessment.
formative_evaluations_report.docx | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
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After all, the present online portfolio has also been designed in as simple a way as possible in order not to employ any distractors that might harm understanding the content. These include (a) white background, black content; (c) x-size of letters have been chosen to be big enough; (c) content has been divided into sub-parts; (d) only main tabs were added to the main page; (e) pages of the principles were combined under one tab in order to make it easy to navigate; (f) tabs were ordered in a way that lies from left to right, which is similar to most people`s daily reading activity; (g) unnecessary information in the form of pictures or any other pictorial format were not employed just because they might have made it look more fancy.