1/17/06
Module 3
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Context and Background
Education in a democracy, both within and without a school, should develop in each individual the knowledge, interests, habits of mind, and powers, whereby she/he will find their place, then using that place to shape both them themselves and society toward ever nobler ends.
The purpose of any instruction is to have the learner reach some predefined goal or outcome. How that goal or outcome is defined, described, identified, and imagined, is the most critical step in the instructional design process. It is the "outcome", as defined, which determines everything which comes after. Critical importance needs to be addressed in how the design team comes to define and articulate the outcome of instruction.
The designer needs to address the "outcome" of the instructional process, but how this is determined constructs the learner in relationship to the outcome. If the outcome is defined in "behavioral terms" or "performance terms" it will produce one set of instructional learning experiences for the learner. Keep in mind that the "teacher" as traditionally thought of, is just one element in the ISD process. If the outcome is defined in terms of cognitive or affective, lower or higher skills on Bloom's taxonomy, or in terms of social importance, it reflects the institution which defines the outcome. For example; if schooling defines knowledge and success as the results of a standardized test, where knowledge and skills are measurable in correct and incorrect responses, this predetermines the actions of students and the institution. If knowledge is viewed as "organic" and evolving (not fixed and measurable) the actions of students, the nature of the institution and its actions will be different.
Another way of thinking about the first step in the instructional design process is to determine the current status quo of the learners involved and identify the goal to be reached by the learners.
Instructional Design is a System of Interrelated Parts Organized to Meet a Desired Goal
The goal, the outcome of instruction, is a result of the social world within which the institution exists. The outcome expectations also define what a student is, what behaviors are legitimate, and how "teachers" are defined and allowed to act. In defining the outcome, the ends, the means is determined. This means-ends relationship, instrumental reasoning, is the foundation to instructional design. Remember, the purpose of a "technology of instruction" is to eliminate"uncertainly" from the instructional and learning process. The ISD model, like all models, are formed within a social and historical context serving some defined need or vision. A model is simply a representation of a concept. Please consider that models and concepts emerge out of the social world and are not natural. Concepts about the world exist within "paradigms", frameworks for knowing and acting.
The space between the current situation and where you the learners to be is the space where instruction and learning occurs. It is the "gap" between what learners know and can practice (skills) that needs to be filled.
Consider the gap between children entering 1st grade and where the educational system (the needs of a society) expects them to be at the end of 12 years of education. Those that design instruction for K-12 education need to understand the two extremes and plan a system for moving students through the process of learning the curriculum required by the stated outcome goals. After identifying the the "gap", the instruction and curriculum may be broken down into fragments or pieces (units, courses, grade levels, etc.). In K-12 education in the USA, each grade level may have goals and outcomes that are expected. The system then takes the learner entering 4th grade (as an example), identifies the skills and knowledge of the learner, plans instructional experiences or events that will then deliver the curriculum, evaluate the learning in process (formative evaluation) and at the end of the instructional period (end of 4th grade) deliver a summative evaluation for that grade level. You can begin to see the system that either a regional, state, or national educational program would use for instructing its youth or adults (as in the case of higher education).
The same process occurs. in business and training. How would a company design training for its employees as the business moves into the digital age. There would be needs assessments, goal development, task analysis, outcomes identified, scope and sequence for the delivery of the curriculum, a system designed for the delivery of the curriculum, and the construction of formative and summative evaluation instruments. The curriculum would be developed by content or technical experts.
In both cases, business and education, the system of instruction would be viewed as a system. If the desired results are not achieved the system would be reconsidered, redesigned, tested, evaluated, and then redelivered. All elements would be controlled for. Uncontrolled elements, like teachers and trainers, would need to be watched. As demonstrated in North Carolina, the human variable is being controlled through a standardized curriculum, end of year testing, pacing guides, and rewards for those who align themselves with the instructional goals and expectations.
Keep in mind that goals are not the same as objectives. Educational goals are broad statements concerning the definition of an end product. Whereas, educational "objectives" define the skills and knowledge and how that knowledge or skill, will be demonstrated in alignment with the stated goal.
- Educational or Instructional Goals need to meet some instructional need.
Your goal must be an instructional need, not informational.
In this module you will be asked to define your team's instructional design project, develop tools for your needs assessment, and provide a summary of your needs assessment. As with the other modules you will be posting your data to the course writing tool.
What tools are available for your needs assessment?
To conduct your needs assessment there are a number of tools or instruments that you may develop. Remember, the analysis instrument must yield the information you need to design instruction relative to the stated goal or outcome of instruction.
You may develop a range of instruments for your project needs assessment. These "may" include, but not limited to the following:
Note:
Whatever instruments you design and deliver, they must be completed, implemented, and analyzed within the timeframe of this class. The purpose here is to introduce you to the ISD process, you will not be able to create a fully developed program.
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In this module your team will be engaged in designing and implementing a needs assessment to determine the "status quo" or current conditions, the nature of the learners to be engaged, and the context for learning.
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