Artifact: THE HISTORY OF INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN 

 

 

 

 

NARRATIVE

• Demonstrates ability to describe common research methods in Educational Technology

• Demonstrates ability to read and evaluate Educational Technology research

• Applies research findings to the solution of common problems in Educational Technology

 

"WWII created the first and most significant use of instructional multimedia, including 600 training films. These superior training methods fueled the Allied Forces victory." 

 

For this competency, I call upon my first assignment in the first course of our program, EDCI 513, Foundations of Learning Design and Technology. Overall, I gained the ability to apply common research methods in Educational Technology to the problem, uncovering facts with this research. I learned to read and evaluate Educational Technology Research to present only the most relevant information. I then applied my research findings to the solution of common problems in Educational Technology, yet presented these findings in a more engaging manner than the source of research.

 

Engagement. It's an industry buzzword that flies around with good reason. The practice of dumping not only irrelevant information when transferring courses from traditional to online results in a mundane experience. Modern media has shrunk the attention span of learners; not just digital youth, but all ages. This was partially my impetus to throw my hat into the field, as my background is in producing engaging, entertaining media for marketing purposes, where you employ similar psychology to engage and educate your customer.

 

Creating Knowledge in the most effective, efficient manner was my intent and purpose for enrolling in Purdue's MS Ed Learning Design & Technology program. Over the course of the program, my writing and modules still retained their creativity, yet became more focused and concise. The foundation that supported my actions was educational research of applied theory, principles, methodologies.

 

This was a great course because we were researching the tried and true instructional model (ADDIE), along with the evolution of models such as Rapid Prototyping. Though I had been working in the field for many years and related most of my organizational work to project management practices, this process of evaluating models was intriguing. Some aspects, particularly in the Dick, Carey & Carey model, related directly to project management, whereas others did not. I found the model to be a bit more convoluted at first than the ADDIE model, yet there were other aspects that fit more into my agile prototyping work environment.

                                   

The first step in the Dick, Carey & Carey model is to clarify your objectives. It was the first time I really thought about it, designing, assessing, relating everything in Instructional Design to objectives. My objective with my second artifact, this video was to communicate research without narration, to let the images tell the story (a group project in which I created the video and turtle icon). This engaged the learner. In my main artifact, the History of Instructional Design, I also used pop culture humor to tell the story. To create knowledge, I believe you have to first engage your audience and then entertain them while remaining relevant. In WWII, there was not greater need for instruction than training our troops. The method of engagement was light through film, projecting instructional design for its greatest purpose. My father, a WWII Mash Unit Corporal, trained his troops with these means, and later liberated Ebensee Concentration Camp in Austria.

 

References:

Dick, Walter; Carey, Lou; Carey, James. (2009). The systematic design of instruction. Merrill, Pearson. NJ