Summary of Coursework

The main differences between Instructional Designers and teachers are their areas of expertise, their practical applications, and their responsibilities. Instructional Designers are experts, and are continually learning, in the areas of technology needed for delivering content (from LMS to video creation to graphic design), while teachers are experts in their subject area and teaching practices.

While there are a large, growing number of design models, their commonality is to improve instruction. Choosing a model for a particular application involves considerations such as the model and the designer’s theories of learning, the delivery format, the connection to the instructor, the learners, and the resources available. 

After developing measurable learning objectives that apply Bloom’s taxonomy, an instructor needs to align their assessments, both traditional and non-traditional, to those objectives. The fundamental question to ask is, “How does this assessment allow the student to demonstrate mastery at the expected level?”

ID varies greatly when applied in K-12, higher ed, and corporate environments. Within the corporate world, how varied the job descriptions are is based on the sector (education, business, etc) and the company. While fundamental principles of design remain the same regardless of the application, the job itself will change and along with it, the specific technology used. 

With the exceptions of the computer and the internet, the choice of media has surprisingly little impact on student outcomes. A well-designed experience is far more important to student success than the medium by which it is delivered. 

Regardless of the method or model of instructional design, the process should contain seven consistent characteristics. A designer would do well to keep these universal qualities at the forefront of their mind through every stage of their design process.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new and exciting technology that supports personalized learning, on demand tutoring or help, and constant assessment and feedback. Virtual Reality and gamification have brought about immersive, interactive, and engaging learning. 

With modern technology, students’ learning objectives and their mastery can be continually assessed formatively and summatively,  monitored, and recorded, bridging the gap between teacher and student feedback that happens on an ongoing basis inside a classroom.

In order to determine which type of research to use in a given situation, a designer needs to understand the characteristics of each type of research and when each type is appropriate to use.

Even after a designer has a research topic, they have to review the existing literature to determine what has already been studied and what questions arose from those studies. Then, the designer refines their research and asks the specific questions they will answer. The questions need to fit the method of research as well.

In order for an experimental research design to be strong, it must control the influence of the confounding extraneous variables and have high internal validity. Designers need to know the various methods of establishing strong designs in order to validate their research.

Four types of validity – construct, statistical conclusion, internal, and external – are used to evaluate how accurate the research, and the results and inferences of the research are. Designers need to be able to determine the validity of their own research and that of others.

A good design does not, by default, mean a learning experience will be useful; thus, a designer must ask both how easy a learning experience is to use (instructional design) and how useful the learning is (learning experience design). The two are closely related, but a wise designer understands the nuance and considers both in order to design effective learner experiences.

In Survey of Instructional Design Models, Branch and Dousay develop a taxonomy of design models for designers to use when determining which model to utilize. The taxonomy is intended to help designers consider the characteristics of a design context and select a model or aspects of specific models (Branch & Dousay, page 38).

An Instructional Design proposal, whether in the business or education realm, goes beyond a plan for the class to include elements such as key milestones, the roles of each player in milestones, project management, development processes, media design, budgets, and success factors.

By delivering (or obtaining) information in narrow, focused pieces, specific skills can be taught and retained quickly. A hands-on experience with microlearning demonstrated its effectiveness even in highly technical skills and its application in professional development.

Color evokes an emotional response, and understanding those responses aids the designer in selecting colors to match the intended message and reaction.

Ideally, designers will understand the psychology behind layouts and gain some measure of expertise in being able to visually develop their message; however, having a layout that works every time, especially when time or resources are limited sets the designer up for success.

Every project requires an overarching vision that defines the style, theme, values, aesthetics, rules, color schemes, typeface, and images. A design vision inventory also gives other stakeholders a visual understanding of the project.

Incorporating elements other than text into a design is not as simple as adding a video or an infographic; it requires considering the learner audience and creating clear connections between the elements as part of an overall design. However, the benefits are worth the effort, as learner engagement and outcomes tend to improve.