Developing Distance Education courses demands of careful organization of academic and media specialists in order that they develop a system in which well structured content, methods of evaluation, teaching strategies as well as appropriate media combine to conform effective delivery of instruction and provide feedback to students progress. Instructional System Design principles support a set of standardized procedures that are implemented to develop well-structured instructional material. The Instructional System Design framework establishes a number of stages in which design procedures associate to provide a systematic organization for teachers and developers.
Instructional Design proposes an analysis phase in which the developer conducts a task analysis to identify the specific skills involved in the project and studies the students characteristics and learning environment. Following, a design phase provides the format of the course and specifies the goals and objectives to be attained by the learners. A variety of instructional materials to be used are described in the development stage as well as guidelines for teacher training. The implementation stage presupposes a series of administrative procedures that allow for interaction among teachers and students, student registration and delivery of instructional material. Finally, the cycle is completed in the evaluation stage where testing and grading of students together with effectiveness assessment take place. The main emphasis of the approach is directed to careful planning of the objectives proposed leading into a continuos cycle to the development and evaluation of the outlined plan.
The success of the implementation of Instructional Design procedures highly depends on the degree of commitment of the institutional organization. There are more possibilities for large institutions or Open Universities to submit to the complete procedures of the Instructional Design approach rather than for the individual teachers who are more likely to follow the approach partially. Economical as well as organizational reasons account for the feasibility of the accomplishment of the method since the necessary funding or the aim for far reaching objectives are more likely to be supported by an integrated institutional body than by isolated groups.
Several Models of Instructional Designhttp://www.seas.gwu.edu/student/sbraxton/ISD/
id_models.html,
follow the procedural approach supporting a systematic fulfillment of instruction.
The Instructional Design process is thus put forward taking into account
the different stages of analysis of students needs and goals and integrating
the cycle into contexts that may apply to a variety of organizational needs.
Instructional Design models have been presented by Dick and Carey, Hannifan
and Peck, Knirk and Gustafson, Jerrold Kemp and Gerlach and Ely.
The Dick and Carey DesignModel, http://www.seas.gwu.edu/student/sbraxton/ISD/dc_design.html, is one of the best know models and proposes a design of instruction similar to that of software engineering. It is based on the outline of all the phases of an interactive process starting from the identification of instructional goals to a cumulative evaluation of the instruction. A variety of contexts are suitable for the applicability of the model thus allowing for different levels o classification ranging from Expertise Level, Orientation, Knowledge Structure, Context, Purposes and Uses and Theoretical Basis. In classifying Instructional Design Models according to the Level of Expertise required from the point of view of the designer's experience, the Dick an Carey Model may be applicable both in the Novice and Expertise Levels. The former provides step-by-step descriptions in the design of the instruction and the latter is based on heuristics or combines methods from several models. This model can also be classified as Descriptive as regards Orientation as opposed to Prescriptive, since it describes a given learning environment. A Procedural Knowledge Structure is emphasized in the Dick an Carey Model, focusing on examples and practice. The Model is directed to the context of government training and its purpose is to produce material on small scale (unit, module, lesson) within the institution. It can be categorized on the analysis function of general systems theory.
The Gerlach and Ely Design Model intended for K-12 and Higher Education. Its orientation classification is prescriptive, outlining how a learning environment can be changed. The Gerlach and Ely Design Model is intented for the expert developer working in a specific context and contains strategies for selecting and including media within instruction. The Model is outlined along a framework starting from the Specification of Content and Objectives which give way to an Assessment of Entering Behaviors including: strategy determination, organization of groups, allocation of time and space and selection of resources. It also provides evaluation of performance and analysis of feedback. In developing Distance Education Courses it is important to take into consideration General Design Principles that are may affect a success of the course. The principles described by Moore an Kearsley are evaluated in the Designer's Edge project produced by Allen Communication. Allen Communication courseware development team creates resources for companies that are using technology as part of their training programs. Designer's Edge , http://www.allencomm.com/software/designer/ ,a revolutionary planning and pre-authoring tool, provides performance support for effective, successful instructional design. Designer's Edge provides assistance for planning both classroom and computer-based training. Novices and experienced designers alike recognize the productivity and standardization benefits offered by this innovative tool which helps them build an organized blueprint for multimedia training courses. Effective instructional design begins with a detailed analysis of the target audience and its specific needs and goals. Designer's Edge, conducts a thorough needs analysis which provides a strong foundation for a complete design plan that includes audience analysis, identification of key objectives, course storyboards, media logs, and other essential components.
At the Needs Analysis level, Designer's Edge identifies needs and then writes specific goals related to those needs. Context-sensitive advice is available and help is provided when and where is needed. A course map view in Designer's Edge helps visualize the design process, making it easier to manage and manipulate design specifications such as objectives, content, treatment, and instructional strategies. All relevant information is centrally stored and easily accessible to other members of the development team. This information can also be output to a compatible database, and storyboards can easily be printed out. Designer's Edge also provides powerful tools to evaluate and implement it. These tools help maintain consistent development between projects and avoid duplication of efforts.
The model is based upon and has grown out of a thorough understanding of learning theory and research and conforms to the majority of General Design Principles.