Instructional design deals with the architecture of a classroom. No, not just the physical layout of desks, projectors, and the like (although that is something you have to consider...the technology you have access to), but it is the strategic process you will follow for developing a course, carrying it out, and revising it for future use.
Development revolves around coming up with course objectives, content, assignments/assessment tools (quizzes, essays, rubrics, etc), and everything you need to get the class started. You also have to have technology chosen for managing the learning environment. For instance, if you're teaching online, then you need to have a content management system (CMS).
Carrying out a course involves having an appropriate teaching strategy. When it comes to a teaching strategy, here are some questions to consider: Do you want to stand and deliver lectures in an instructor-centered classroom? Do you want the students to collaborate and share knowledge in a learner-centered classroom? Should student work simulate real world projects, or do you want students to be involved in service learning activities, where they will actually complete assignments for a real client? There are many more questions to consider pertaining to the nature of the work students will perform, the method of instruction, and the modes of interaction between members of the classroom. This all has to be thought out in the development stage, and you have to actually carry out your strategies in the implementation phase. The implementation phase is where you're actually in the trenches seeing first hand and in real time if your plans are coming together or unraveling at the seams. Be prepared to make adjustments along the way.
Revision of a class after having the experience of teaching is one part of summative assessment. In order to make sure the course was successful and can be executed again smoothly, instructors should reflect upon the pros and cons of their teaching experience. Students should also give feedback with end of the semester surveys and reflections. All of the feedback collected at the end of the semester can be reviewed along with formative evaluations that are given over the course of a semester. All of this assessment can then inform an instructor about what elements of a class will need to be improved and what had the most success.
Here's a brief video that also sums up what you need to know for an overview of instructional design. The narrator focus on the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). My three part model above incorporates analysis, design, and development in the first stage.
Instructional Technology
As mentioned earlier, instructional technology is a focused look at the tools used for managing a course, giving instruction, and assessing student work. This includes having a content management system (CMS) for distributing information (like the syllabus, assignments, and more). It also includes all other mediums through which information is passed and collaboration takes place. These mediums might be web 2.0 tools (email, blogs, wikis, forums, presentation tools, videos, and more), personal digital devices (tablets, cell phones, smart phones, e-readers, etc), or even virtual worlds. We shouldn't limit technology here, for as web 3.0 artificial intelligence gathers momentum, there will be new challenges to face.
Change of Opinion?
I can't really say that I've changed my opinion of the field now that this semester is almost over. I still enjoy the subject matter, and I have learned more regarding theories and the history of the field. Here's a timeline I created to help document some aspects of the history of the instructional design and technology. The timeline was created using Dippity:
http://www.dipity.com/lightrhetoric/History-of-Instructional-Technology/
I've put more thought into important historical figures like Gagne. I've learned about Human Performance Instruction (HPI) and how it is used to improve job performance in a business setting. I can list out many other concepts and scholars, but that's not the bigger issue. The real question is...am I any closer to becoming a competent instructional designer in my own right? Am I piecing everything together what I've learned so far in the IDT program, and will I be able to turn this into a career?
That's a tough question to answer. I have taught before, and I will probably teach again at some point in the future. But how has IDT helped me out?
When I last taught a few years ago, the classes were far too instructor-centered. I would like to do more to get students to become active learners. I would try to have more of a constructivist process, where students are actively working to compile knowledge at the front end and then apply what they learned in a project. In the past, I think I did more to try to give students knowledge through lectures (that might have been too boring), and then have students apply it in a project. I now want students to be more involved upfront with class discussions and perhaps by having them lead discussion more. I have to do more to make sure they are engaged in the first half of class.
I also think that I can now do more to integrate new media, web 2.0 tools, and technology in general into the learning process. I don't want to use technology just for the sake of using it. However, I can now do a somewhat better job of helping students find tools for collaboration and making multimedia documents.
I suppose that what should come next is an opportunity to put this into practice. While I may have made several presentations in my classes, it's not quite the same as working in front of your own classroom filled with students that look at you as the instructor and not just one of them. I guess it would help to get back into that environment. That's the real issue.
I believe that I understand the concepts of the field. I may need to work more getting names correct for different IDT theories, but that's a matter of memorization right now. That's not really the big issue. Making the connection between what is taught and how it can be applied in reality is the issue. And while a lot of the concepts are obvious, it still helps to actually go out and perform a task in an authentic setting.
I guess it helps to practice. I am worried about the day to day tasks of grading papers, being less robotic and stiff, being more user-friendly, and just helping students succeed. I need to practice more...
