Instructional Design:
Revisions
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Instructional Design: Revisions |
After the instruction was completed, the learners were informally interviewed about the lesson, and it was evident that there would need to be revisions made if this ID lesson were to be used again.
Learning Environment Improvements
Have one standard location used for all instruction. This would assure that the lesson would be uninterrupted. One of the lessons was in a learner's home, where the dogs and phone interrupted the lesson. These intrusions were minor, but insisting on one location would be best. (One location was supposed to be used: the high school library. With telling anyone, the IT department had removed all of the computers, so there was a sudden, unexpected rush to make other arrangements.)
All of the work stations need to have ample desk space on both sides of the computer. Reading from a grade book on the lap is not acceptable.
All of the work stations need to have at least one, maybe two, clip boards or some other device to hold up the needed papers, so the learner can look easily from screen to grade book to instructions. Having to look between the three was overwhelming for one of the learners, who commented on it. The other two learners struggled with it, until they found a workable position for these items.
Pre-Instructional Preparation
All of the learners need to take the pre-test at least a week in advance of the lesson. The computer skills can be so varied from teacher to teacher. There may be a need to adjust the lesson, so an earlier pre-test gives the instructor time to make any needed accommodations.
All learners would be given practice exercises to begin to learn the numerical keypad. There was a huge discrepancy in the experience of the learner who knew how to use it, versus the two who did not know how to use it. The frustration level was higher for the two learners who had to search for numbers and they took more time to complete the tasks.
Instructional Materials
There were four typographical errors that needed to be corrected. Also, on page three, the learner is told to use the Tab button to move from cell to cell, when they actually need to hit Return. (These errors are fixed in the posted materials.)
In the section of the lesson where grade book preferences are modified, there needs to be a short explanation of the reasons behind certain changes. Telling the learners the reasons behind changing the calendar dates, entering attendance codes, or calculating the value of the final exam would make these tasks seem less redundant. The learners were observed to be tired of or bored with changing preferences, because there were so many adjustments. Sharing all of the reasons will help the learners to see the relevance, which could improve their interest levels during this phase of the lesson.
All three learners were confused with the directions for how to change the percentages for each letter grade. All three asked for a verbal explanation and were clearly stuck unless they were given help. Also, two of the three learners asked why this step is needed, so this also needs to be added to the revision of this step.
Evaluation
The post-test should actually be adapted to a self assessment. The learners could check off the tasks as they are completed. This would make the lesson more flexible. During this trial, the final goal was reached by all the learners, through completing the steps in a different order. A self assessment checklist could influence the learner to complete the tasks in the order that they were taught. Or it could allow the learners to explain why they chose to do the tasks in a different order than the order that they were taught. Having the learner's reasons for using a different sequence of actions would help to guide the designer in making revisions to the instructional design.
A checklist can also be given to the learners, so that they have an outline of what they'll need to do when they create the Gradekeeper files for their fourth and fifth classes on their own.
Design
All three learners modified the order in which they completed the tasks of the lesson. This is an indication that the design may not be teaching the steps in the best order. Getting more feedback from the learners is still needed before a design change can be made, but it's got to be more than just a coincidence that all three learners independently arrived at the same conclusions.
During their last trial, the learners were assessed as they created their third class grade book. All three learners, who had no way to communicate with each other, edited the preferences before entering the students' names.
This means the design document needs to be examined to determine if there is some merit to making a drastic change in the sequence of steps in the instruction. But there's a strong indication here that students will likely learn these steps better or easier if the teaching of preferences switched places with the teaching of creating a class list.
Last Update: July 14, 2005
Contact: missljscharf@yahoo.com