Reflection on Learning Management Systems and Organization
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As our cohort completes Month 10 of the mastery journey, overarching themes are becoming clearer. Reflecting on my experiences in this month’s course and in the program to date, it is apparent that instructional design is more than a process to be followed, like a recipe in a cookbook. It closely resembles “scaffolding” we discussed during our examinations of learning theories.
Design tasks and the courses in the program are like interlocking components that can be connected in a variety of ways to achieve a desired outcome. Through modeling, critiques, and coaching, our group has developed cognitive and social knowledge to carry us further along the road to mastery.
How did ADDIE help you to create the LMS environment?
For me, ADDIE appeared as a way to name and organize the process that I had been following for some time. The analytical approach to learning – including focus on the target audience – is familiar to anyone who has constructed training programs in technology or media.
One especially important aspect of ADDIE was emphasis on distinguishing outcomes from objectives. Until this program, I had been confused on this point.
As we began to develop our design briefs, I had to express objectives in SWBAT form. This was a new experience for me, but not for the more experienced teachers in the cohort. I received keen insights from them into the practice of identifying objectives and describing outcomes.
Assessment in its many forms was intensely engaging for me. Researching the underpinnings of assessment opened up new possibilities for design. The more I understood about how assessment worked, the more I was able to conceive of creative ways to do it.
This quote in particular stood out: “Learning takes place in students’ heads where it is invisible to others. This means that learning must be assessed through performance: what students can do with their learning” (“How to Assess Students’ Learning and Performance,” n.d.).
As we moved into the development phase of ADDIE, analytical thinking again came into play. Considering how to help learners led me to make more changes in the developing project.
Using instructional design to connect with multiple intelligences and accommodate different learning styles was a challenge during the development phase. I was forced to conceive of the project not as a single, linear lesson but as a mixture of components leading to an instructional goal in multiple ways.
Implementation began with the first iteration of our Captivate modules. The cycle of publishing, critique, and improvement was difficult at first, given the steep learning curve for some of the tools.
On the other hand, repeating and refining the approach meant developing my own proficiency with unfamiliar software and platforms. As this occurred, I once again was able to focus on improving the learner experience.
This month’s exercise of evaluating my instructional environment in a holistic way – again, with the assistance of peers – provided valuable data on what worked and what needed improvement. In fact, the experience prompted me to include a more substantive evaluation form for learners as part of the course.
Overall, ADDIE has helped me view instructional design not as a single task or a series of connected projects but as an organic process. Acknowledging imperfections in each iteration and getting input from the audience over time allows me to improve. The goal is not to get closer to some mythical goal of perfection, but to adapt and evolve the course to reflect changing needs and to maintain relevance and engagement for my students.
Now that you have completed the ADDIE process, what stood out the most?
For me, the most significant piece of the process was adopting a framework for effective instruction. I found that my design was driven by a basic question: “What skills and knowledge do you wish students to obtain?” (Martin, n.d.).
Until ADDIE, I had not considered instructional objectives in a precise way. Creating specific, measurable standards and defining the outcome in terms of behavior, condition, and degree was essential. From this, I was able to create a course from which learners would benefit and I would learn to be a better teacher.
In addition, using clear, properly formatted objectives gave me a distinct target. Instead of creating content that I hoped would succeed, I was able to align the instruction around specific objectives, tailoring material as needed to meet the overall goals.
What would you do differently next time?
Having discussed this question with my peers, I would choose a better topic. By that I mean a topic with more instructional depth and wider focus.
Instructional materials require Analysis, Design, and Development phases of ADDIE, regardless of scale. Implementation and, especially, Evaluation are better suited to topics with some level of variability and nuance.
By narrowing the focus of my lesson, I limited possibilities for students to demonstrate and apply their learning. Feedback on instructional design, while helpful, could not embrace many creative paths, as with a more general subject.
At the time the topic was chosen, I was aware that it would need to support elements of instruction, media, and assessment. What I did not realize was the number of iterations or the layers of critical assessment we would apply.
As it turns out, I have been challenged in different ways to break through the limitations of my subject and create engaging instruction, regardless. It has worked out for me as an effective rehearsal space. But had I realized how much time and refinement would be needed, I might have chosen a bigger stage.
Was any one-step of the process more difficult than another step?
Some parts of the program lay firmly outside my comfort zone. One example was Game Strategies and Motivation. This course greatly affected formation of my assessment and, in turn, the Evaluate phase of ADDIE.
As with my chosen topic, it all worked out in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the taxonomy of player types and gamification. I was challenged to apply these concepts within my design. I was forced to expand my own idea of what a game could be and how it was created from scratch.
Without this challenge I probably would not have created as many different types of questions for the material or thought as expansively about assessment as a tool for learning, not just measurement. This was a valuable takeaway from the course.
What worked well with regard to your activities and user interactions within your learning environment?
In general, I have tried to adhere to best practices we have learned, especially the six principles of effective e-learning (Clark, 2002). I have relied on principles of coherence, multimedia, and contiguity to enhance my learning environment. Modality also played a role in the music and filmmaking classes.
Bringing these concepts to bear during creation of the LMS-based environment allowed me to maximize interactivity and engagement for learners. Feedback from peers helped me see where those efforts succeeded and where I went too far – such as nesting folders within navigation.
On the whole, I felt that the use of folders and color was a success. I also received positive feedback on the clustering of like activities (written resources for writing, visual resources for visuals, etc.). I would not have done this without the grounding from previous classwork.
Based on peer feedback, what changes will you be making between now and the next review?
As mentioned above, some changes to navigation are in order. Other suggestions I will pursue include aligning the color scheme, clarifying instructions, and dialing up the game element.
Depending on time available, I also would like to expand and refine the evaluation component even more. This has the potential to inform all my designs in the future, so I want the channel for feedback to be as open as possible.
Clark, R. (2002, September 10). Six principles of effective e-learning: what works and why. In The eLearning Developers’ Journal. Retrieved from http://faculty.washington.edu/farkas/HCDE510-Fall2012/ClarkMultimediaPrinciples(Mayer).pdf
How to assess students’ learning and performance. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/assesslearning/
JISC. (2010). Effective assessment in a digital age. Retrieved from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearning/digiassass_eada.pdf
Martin, M. (n.d.). Addie: The instructional design process. Retrieved from michelemartin.typepad.com/ADDIE.pdf
