Session 2

Session 2 - Content, Instructor and Student Characteristics
 

Our blog post assignment this week was to address each of the following three scenarios in light of the information presented in the podcast and then discuss our instructional design process described in chapter 1 of our text. Then we were asked to reflect on a development project of our own and identify the steps in an instructional design process presented in the text.

1. Scenarios

To address these scenarios, identify the major characteristics or issues that would impact or influence the design of the described online class. Be sure to indicate which of the characteristics you identify would be your prime concern. Also be sure to indicate how each of the major issues you identify would influence your design of the online class.

You have been asked to lead the team that is developing a series of courses for an online University. Explain some design decisions or issues that you would have to deal with for each class given the characteristics of the content, instructors and students as presented. Note: Pick the most salient characteristics and issues and explain why the ones you have chosen are key. Don’t try to cover every possible issue in each scenario!

Course A

Content: This course will cover beginning college algebra.

Instructor(s): This course is taught by various adjunct and full time professors who are very familiar with the content who have differing degrees of tech skills and online teaching experience. The same class has to serve for all instructors.

Students: All students in this course are college freshman and sophomores with good technology skills and each has successfully taken an online orientation to online learning course.

Response

Content: Algebra is a branch of mathematic that describes the relationship between numbers or patterns. Its course content is normally convergent, meaning that there are defined methods and solutions to algebraic expressions.  For a course content that is convergent, topics can be presented in a sound progressive structure starting and at beginning topic such as ‘Defining Real Numbers to advance topics such as ‘Factoring’. The use of prepared forms and templates would work well in lesson plans.

Instructors: As the same class serves for all instructors we want to make sure that learning and using the instructional technology matches the capabilities of all the instructors. The instructors seem to have adequate technical skills the introduction of new technologies should not be an issue.

Students: Since the students have good technology skills the introduction of new technologies should not be an issue. The students have past involvement with online classes and to keep their experience consistent, we may want to review what technologies were used in these previous courses and borrow from those.

Course B

Content: The course is a philosophy of leadership class.

Instructor(s): The instructor is an experienced face-to-face instructor with good tech skills and prior online teaching experience. This instructor prefers lecture and discussion classes.

Students: Graduate students who are well motivated and with a broad range of technology skills, from average to very advanced.

Response

Content: Since the answers to philosophy questions can vary and can have no wrong answers the content would be divergent. This is where a logical presentation of topics may not be successful. In this course a strict structure including, forms and template, could reduce the creative abilities the students possess.

Instructor: Since the instructor is skilled at face-to-face presentation of the subject matter and has previously online teaching experience, there should be an attempt to capitalize on this experience. Media technology should be made available to allow the instructor to create visual of voice lectures. Additional technology should be available allowing students to communicate with each other and the rest of the class to promote class discussion.

Students – Since these graduate students are well enthused and have with a comprehensive assortment of technology skills, introduction of new or advanced technologies would work well for them in this course. Addition communication technology such as Skype and Google Docs can be utilized to assist students with group projects.

Course C

Content: This course is an introduction to college success. It teaches study skills, communication skills, and tries to help students learn how to fit into the college community.

Instructor(s): This course will be taught by various instructors all with good tech skills and prior online teaching experience but who have never taught this content before.

Students: Students are incoming freshman who have been identified by advisors as high risk for drop out.

Response

Content: The content of this course could be defined as divergent since there are many paths that a student can take to succeed at college. However, this course offers information on what to expect in the community college environment along with technics in studying, time management, and finding academic and personal support.  The presentation of topics should be structured and in a logical order similar to a convergent content.

Instructors: The fixed structure of topic presentations supports teaching although instructors may not have prior exposure to the subject matter. They need to be able to interact with students fielding a variety of questions.

Students: Since students are identified as high risk, lesson plans must be developed to generate an environment that increases the desire of students to participate in classroom activity. Group activities and peer support can be an excellent method to increase student success.

 

2. Now, think about an online learning experience that you might someday create. Describe in detail the content, instructor and student characteristics. What are the design issues or features that these suggest? Explain your answers.

Response
 

Having twenty years of experience in accounting and financial management the online experience that I might create someday would be a series of online courses teaching the principle of accounting.

Content: For a principles of accounting course the content is convergent presenting topics in a sound progressive structure. Student start with introduction to accounting learning the basic definition of assets, liabilities and equity. Students then progress to journalizing various financial transactions. Since the subject of accounting is vast, a series of three course would be offered on the accounting methods for three type of businesses - service, merchandising, and corporations. Although manufacturing business may be discussed this business in better taught in a cost accounting course.

Instructors: Instructors need to be well versed in the topic and if possible have experience in the field of accounting. They must be experienced with various accounting software and since the content can be very detail the ability to respond to student question in a timely manner is vital. Because at times the content may be confusing to students instructors must be able to interact with students and give then real-life examples.

Students: The typical student needs to be highly motivated and have confidence with using various technologies. An advantage to success is to have goals focused on a career in one the business disciplines.

 

 

3. List the 11 instructional design steps presented in Chapter 1 of the text (Design Quickly and Reliably).

Response

1)     Identify your underline goals

2)     Analyze learner’ needs and abilities

3)     Identity what to teach

4)     Set learning objective

5)     Identify prerequisites

6)     Pick the approach to meet each objective

7)     Decide the teaching sequence of your objectives

8)     Create objects to accomplish objectives

9)     Create tests

10)  Select learning activities

11)  Choose media