Instructional Design Principles for Distance Education

Christina DavisGrand Canyon University

TEC 571January 16, 2013

Organization and Planning

from svdef.wordpress.com

Careful planning, balancing activities, and organizing learning must take place well in advance of scheduled instruction.

from Teaching and Learning at a Distance

Dick and Carey model

from instructionaldesign.org

Guiding students to learning

BrainstormVisual plan of actionFind and create contentCreate modules

Organization

Unit-major division of a course

Module-basis for class discussion and instruction, usually one week

Topic-lesson or presentation lasting one class session or discussion thread

OrganizationThe topic is part of a larger module which is part of a larger unit.

Unit

Module

Topic

Communication

Initial and continuous communication as consistent meaningful dialogue between instructor and student serves as a basic principle of online teaching.

From Best Practices for Online Instructors

Weekly Schedules

Inclusive datesTopicsLearning outcomesRequired readingsQuestions for forum discussionDue datesAny other relative information

Maintain 2-way communication

Instructor learner

Instructor learner

Learner learner

Communication

Email◦1 to 1◦1 to several◦1 to all◦Within groups

AnnouncementsBlogs Phone

Learner-instructor

Interaction Method

Presentation of information to students as well as the students’ responses

LecturesQuestion and answer, Brainstorming

activities Case studies Interviews

Learner-learner

Interaction Method

Instructor provides opportunities for group work

Cooperative learning projects

DebatesRole-playingForum discussions

Learner-content

Interaction Method

Students reflect on and interact with ideas and concepts

Individual projectsHomework

assignmentsInterviewsSurveys

Graphic design principles

from dpageek.wordpress.com

Because a large part of elearning involves the learner viewing the screen, it’s critical that the visual elements you choose enhance the learning experience.

from 3 Graphic Design Principles for Instructional Design Success

Layout

Use layouts to convey meaning and create relationships to guide learning

What is the relationship between these characters? Is there one?

Does proximity and spacing effect the interpretation?

Organize content

Use patterns and repetition to organize content to give learners visual cues about how the content fits together

What does this information mean to you?

Web-users are used to quickly scanning for information

This information is difficult to process because it all runs together

This is easier to process

Repetitive elements such as the bold headline and underlined section headers help the learner know how information is related

Chunking the information helps learners sort the information and understand how it fits together

Limit information to necessary images

Bells and whistles may actually impede the learning process

References

Course development best practices. (2004). Roadmap to Effective Distance Education Instructional Design. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEUQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.umsl.edu%2Fservices%2Fctl%2FDEID%2Fdestination11firsttime%2Fbmps.pdf&ei=rXj3UKa6OZDdqwGtyYCgCg&usg=AFQjCNF4uwbQQXY5sDGMs7apAL6N_salsw&sig2=5t5Fh7H4t2dSQNTGQJXgZw&bvm=bv.41018144,d.aWM

Dick and carey model. (2013). Instructional Design.org. Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/models/dick_carey_model.html

Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). BEST PRACTICES FOR ONLINE INSTRUCTORS: Reminders. Quarterly Review Of Distance Education, 10(3), 279-284. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=9f91d46f-4627-4059-bf33-e619969d49b4%40sessionmgr115&vid=3&hid=101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=48074516

Kuhlmann, T. (2008). 3 graphic design principles for instructional design success. Retrieved from http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/3-graphic-design-principles-for-instructional-design-success/

Principles of online design. (2006). Florida Gulf Coast University Faculty Development and Support. Retrieved from http://www.fgcu.edu/onlinedesign/mediadev.html

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M, & Zvack, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.