Module 3 Reflection

Instructional design is a much more focused and systematic process than I had believed at the beginning of this course. Though I was aware of my incompetence for the specific field of ID, I am now becoming more acutely aware of how much about ID I really don't know. Perhaps, though, that is evidence of learning occurring.

The readings from this week helped me to gain a better understanding of the various domains of possible learning as put forth by Gagne. In the high-stakes accountability era which we teach and learn in today, a disproportionate focus is given to students' demonstrations of declarative and cognitive strategy outcomes. However, in order to teach to the whole learner, we must create opportunities for, and make an effort to observe learning outcomes related to attitudes and psychomotor skills. What struck me about this portion of the reading is the realization that none of these potential learning outcomes must be mutually exclusive. Rather, they can and should serve as a sequence for higher levels of thinking and learning.

Such a sequence of possible learning outcomes became apparent in this week's information processing analysis assignment. Visually organizing learning tasks and prerequisite skills served as a valuable learning experience for me as I continue to accommodate and assimilate practices and ideas into my schema of instructional design and delivery. As I produced my own task analysis and viewed those created by others, a general pattern of declarative knowledge preceding intellectual knowledge appeared. A possible conclusion to be made about this relationship is that establishing a familiar context and a common vocabulary for a given content area before learning about the theoretical applications of its subordinate concepts is the equivalent of putting the proverbial ox before the cart. As I continue with my project analyses for this course and eventually take this learning into the field, an understanding of Gagne's 5 types of learning outcomes will serve as a valuable framework from which to approach instructional design.

Currently, I am able to relate this week's reading and my module learning to my work by giving more attention to systematically designing instruction for my online students. This will emphasize the various modalities of assessment described in this module. As much attention has tended to be given to objective paper-based summative assessments, optimal data and learning can crop up from utilizing strategic formative assessments throughout the instructional process. As an online middle school teacher in a school that relies on a third-party instructional software program, data is on student progress and learning is readily available. The challenge for an online educator in this capacity is to interpret the given data to build on students' strengths and intervene to help overcome students' weaknesses. Assessment not only plays a role in identifying these opportunities, but in also determining optimal courses of action to take along with the effectiveness of instruction.

Module 3 Discussion - Learning Task Analysis

ID Project Description: After three hours of instruction, a group of 7th grade students will be able to design and program a single-level car driving game using Scratch programming software.

Learning Goal: Learners will be able to program digital assets with conditional statements by using Scratch programming to navigate a two-dimensional car safely through a defined course.

Type of Learning: Intellectual Skills (Procedural Knowledge)

Learning Objectives:

1. Learners can identify design pane and script pane.
2. Learners can use design tools to paint a sprite (car).
3. Learners can use design tools to illustrate a stage (backdrop).
4. By selecting appropriate control and motion scripts, learners can program a conditional statement.
5. Learners can extend understanding of programming to create four different scripts involving conditional statements.
6. Learners can determine appropriate degree of rotation in scripts for turning sprite.
7. Learners can program conditional statement to show a textual message when sprite goes off course.
8. Learners can program conditional statement to relocate sprite to a given point on a coordinate plane.
9. Learners can verbally communicate effectiveness of script design.
10. Given a sequence of scripts, learners can identify problems and apply problem-solving strategies to create a solution. 

Module 2 Reflection

Through my exploration and continued learning of Instructional Design this week, I have come to understand how systematic the practice of ID actually is. From the identification of a need for new approaches to instruction, all the way to assessing and revising a design after implementation, effective instructional designers are thorough and comprehensive in achieving optimal learning.

I was struck by the extensiveness of assessing learner characteristics. Before Module 2, I would have been comfortable defining learner characteristics as nothing more than learner readiness. Nevertheless, relevant learner characteristics for instruction goes far beyond prior content knowledge and mastery. It also includes assessment of the learners' emotional and cognitive ecosystems.

I took this realization into consideration as I began working on my project as well as on our first case study analysis, and it has surely broadened my focus with consideration to approaching the field of instructional design. As stated before, to effectively design and implement a plan for achieving learning objectives, we have to by systematic in how we do so, being cognizant of the effectiveness of the design and its relationship with learners through every step of the design process.

Already as an online teacher, I have viewed my work and the computer-based curriculum through the lens of ID. Doing this has caused me to ask some very important questions. A few of these are 1) what is the objective that needs to be met here?, 2) what instructional strategies are being used?, 3) do they take into consideration learners' cognitive styles?, and 4) how can we assess the effectiveness of our chosen curriculum and teaching methodology?

This adventure through the field of Instructional Design is just beginning. Nevertheless, I feel as though I have already accumulated a lot of knowledge and thoughts to process and synthesize into my own personal application of the study of ID. This module has been wonderful in helping me to continue to do just this.