e-Learning Instructional Design

Stage 1: Instructional goals

At the outset of any e-learning project it is important to identify the instructional goals before the design of any instruction begins. Instructional goals are broad statements that describe what the learners will be able to do after they have completed instruction. It is imperative at this stage that it is identified how the instructional goals will contribute to the achievement of specific business goals. This is the common starting point and should be agreed by all key stakeholders.

Stage 2: Instructional analysis

The purpose of instructional analysis is to determine the skills involved in reaching an instructional goal. Depending on the type of skills involved there are two types of analysis. Firstly, there is the task analysis or procedural analysis, the outcome of which would be a list of the steps and skills used at each step in the task. The second type of analysis is an information-processing analysis, which is intended to reveal the mental operations used by a person who performs a complex skill.

Stage 3: Entry behaviours & learner characteristics

The purpose of this stage is to gain a clear understanding of the target audience. The designer not only needs to understand the current skills of the intended learners, but also needs to gain an appreciation of the environments they work in, their backgrounds, educational backgrounds, technical literacy and attitudes. The designer needs to determine which of the required enabling skills the learners will bring to the learning task. Naturally some learners will know more than others, therefore the designer will need to choose where to start the instruction, knowing that it will be redundant for some but necessary for others. A clear understanding of the intended learners helps the designer determine:

• Which examples are most appropriate
• What vocabulary to use
• What instructional media and procedures to adopt.

Note: Stages 2 and 3 can occur in either order or simultaneously.

Stage 4: Performance objectives

At this stage it is necessary to translate the needs and goals into performance objectives that are sufficiently specific and detailed to show progress towards the goals. One key premise of instructional design is that different types of learning outcomes require different instructional treatment. Specifications of performance objectives are a pivotal stage in being able to design effective instructional materials and determining the best learning conditions. Once the objectives are stated in performance terms, the curriculum can be analysed in terms of sequence and completeness and the prerequisite skills can be identified.

Stage 5: Criterion-referenced test items

Criterion referenced tests are used to measure the success of the instruction by testing the objectives. The name is derived from the purpose of the test; to find out whether the standard (criterion) stated in an objective has been achieved. These tests can be used to: Identify whether an individual possesses the necessary prerequisite skills. Check the results of student learning during the learning process. Evaluate the instruction. Developing the test items before drafting instruction enables the designer to ensure that the objectives are clear and accurate as well as providing very clear parameters for the content that does and doesn’t belong in the materials.

Stage 6: Instructional strategy & media

Designing the instructional strategy is an important part of the instructional design process. It is at this point that the designer must be able to combine the knowledge of learning and design theory with their understanding of the learners and objectives. The purpose of this stage is to:

• Outline the instructional activities that will be employed to achieve each objective, for example role play, demonstration, presentation, case study, brainstorming, group discussion, drill and practice,
• Decide the most appropriate instructional media, instructor, job aid, simulator, printed text, video, eLearning.

The goal at this stage is to choose the strategy and media that will best suit the learners, is cost effective, efficient to deliver and ultimately what will have the greatest success of achieving the learning objectives.

Stage 7: Instructional materials

By this stage of the process, the designer has a very detailed design of the instruction. The purpose of this stage is to develop the instructional materials for the learners and instructors if applicable.

Stage 8: Formative evaluation

The purpose of formative evaluation is to gather data on the effectiveness of instructional material to provide feedback to the designer, before final distribution of the materials. Trialling the materials with a small group of learners, can make a significant improvement to the overall effectiveness and acceptance.

Stage 9: Summative evaluation

Summative evaluation is the study of the effectiveness of an instructional system once it has been implemented. The overall goal of summative evaluation is to allow for continuous improvement. This type of evaluation can be conducted weeks, months or even years later.