A free-standing module from Lancaster University's Advanced Learning Technology (ALT) Programme requiring 60 hours of study time. Some of this time will be spent on-line communicating with other course participants and tutors. Most of the time will be spent reading and preparing a course assignment off-line.
The course will run from 1 February to 30 June 1997 for the MECPOL user trials. The last date for starting study on this course is 30 April 1997.
We will need two weeks notice in order to dispatch course material to you.
A good command of English is required. Much of the work on the module requires on-line discussion and the writing of an assignment. The on-line discussion is NOT real-time, and therefore you will have the chance to prepare your contributions before going on-line.
Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology (C SALT), Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, UK.
INSTITUTION COURSE CODE: ITL03
This module provides an introduction to theories and models of instructional design. It builds on the pioneering work of Gagné and Merrill, bringing them up to date with insights drawn from recent research in cognitive psychology and theories of learning. The module is intended to support course members in the development of their own instructional design practices.
The readings can be divided into four parts.
Whether you're new to ID or not, set one is probably the best place to start. It's intended to provide a general framework within which to understand what Instructional Design might be. It helps distinguish between ID theory, ID models and ID as practice. It relates ID to theories of learning and instruction. It offers ways of comparing and evaluating the many ID models that are available.
The readings in SET TWO provide more detail about two major approaches to ID in the published literature. We've selected two quite closely related approaches that have been very influential in the TBT field, particularly in the USA. The first approach is that of Bob Gagné; the second is Merrill's Component Display (or Component Design) Theory.
SET THREE moves into greater detail and includes a number of chapters from Jonassen's book. These cover the design of feedback, promoting higher-order thinking and learning processes and adaptation to learner needs.
Looks at recent developments in both conceptualising and supporting the Instructional Designer's task. Pirolli and Merrill have both been working on computer-based instructional design tools, the development of which will both illuminate and change the ID role.
The Lancaster University Advanced Learning Technology (ALT) Programme has been designed to support the continuing professional development of people working with computer-based learning technologies.
This module is open to people who are currently involved in the design, development, use or evaluation of ALT systems. It is open to those involved in training and to staff working in higher, further or adult education who want to learn more about ALT. It is not oriented towards the needs of those who are primarily concerned with the use of computers in schools.
ALT is broadly defined, to include such things as the use of electronic communications and groupware, multimedia systems, electronic books, on-line help and performance support systems, simulations and exploratory learning tools, as well as more mainstream elements of technology-based training.
You will need access to a computer and the Internet using a World-Wide Web browser such as Netscape (version 2.x or above) or MS Internet Explorer (version 2.x or above). You will be accessing Lotus Notes discussion databases (conferences) via your Web browser.
A participant pack will be provided on request. This pack includes readings for this module. Alternatively, you may choose to find the readings yourself from a reading list which we will supply.
Other learning resources are provided on the module's Web pages, ALTLinks V1 and ALT Links V2.
The assessment task is meant to act as the motor for your learning on the module. It provides a focus for your studying and reflecting on the readings. It is the vehicle through which you can
The exact nature of the assessment task can be negotiated with the tutors. We have two suggestions for an assignment task for this module.
We would like as many people as possible to opt for the first suggestion, since we think that the more people involved, the more each of you stands to gain from the exercise.
We would like you to take part in a 'requirements elicitation' exercise, through which we will individually and collectively investigate how new tools and methods for instructional design might improve your working practices and/or those of your employing organisation. This will involve us gathering and sharing information about our current approaches to instructional design, identifying parts of the process most in need of improvement, thinking about tools and/or practical methods which might make a difference, thinking about how these might be embedded in our own and/or our organisation's working practices, and sharing these thoughts. We will use the discussion conference as the means of co-ordinating and sharing this work and our information, insights, thoughts etc.
The final product will be an individual not a group one. The resources created in the discussion conference can be drawn upon by all members of the course in preparing their final submission. The form and purpose of the final submission may vary - it could, for example, be a detailed description and critique of current working practices, or a plan for introducing a new methodology, or a set of requirements statements for a new tool for supporting a design activity, etc.
The goal of the task is to create an 'Instructional Design Manual' that will be of use in your organisation, or at least in your own work as an individual within that organisation.
You will not be able to cover all aspects of instructional design. Quite the opposite, you will need to target a specific phase of design, or a specific design process, if you are going to make the task manageable. Remember, the task is deemed equivalent to the writing of a 3000 word report - that's not a major undertaking!
As well as the ID Manual, you should submit either (a) a page or two of reflections on what you have learned in carrying out the exercise or (b) annotations to the Manual which provide an explanatory commentary on key design decisions which you made in constructing the manual.
Consult the tutors electronically to discuss ideas that you could explore for your own assessment task.
In assessing your work we will be expecting you:
Assignments should be 2500 -3000 words, or an equivalent.
This module has a 6 CATS points credit
rating in the UK.
(A full masters course = 120 CATS points)
You will be assigned to one tutor who will discuss an appropriate assessment task with you and will provide tutorial support for an agreed period. The normal means of communication will be computer-based conferencing, email or fax, with telephone by arrangement. You will be expected to communicate regularly with the tutor.
The period between your official start date on the module and the submission date for your assignment will not normally be less than four weeks or more than twenty weeks.
Tutors are:
Prof. Peter Goodyear and Dr. Karen Valley, from Lancaster University, UK.
£100 for the participant pack for MECPOL partner students, otherwise £450.00 (pounds sterling). Please allow up to two weeks to receive your pack from the time of ordering. Packs will be dispatched by surface mail within one week. If you wish to receive your pack by courier there would be an additional charge.
MECPOL partner students may wish to acquire the readings for themselves, in which case no fees will be payable.
If you already have access to the Internet via a Web browser there is no additional cost. If you pay telephone charges related to your use of the Internet, then you will have additional call charges.
If you would like to register for this module, or you have any other queries, please contact:
ALT Programme Organiser- Alice Jesmont
C SALT (Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology)Further details regarding the ALT programme may be found on:
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/edres/research/altprog.html