Designing Instruction for Distant Learners Marilyn Hirth & Jim Russell

WHAT is Important? s WRITE down some of the things YOU think would be important when designing a course for distant learners. s Let’s share our ideas.

HOW to Start? PLAN!! s PLANNING is the key to success in a distance education environment. s Must know your objectives to determine HOW it can be conveyed visually.

Getting Ready To Teach s If time permits, consider sending students a WELCOME LETTER –Provide a student information card that students mail back with information useful in designing the course.

Preliminary Information s Name of course & why needed s Identify the learners: –Age –Level of education –Reading ability –Cultural bkgrd. –Motivation for learning s Other information: –Logistics –Number s Determine prerequisites, if any. s DEVELOP course Goals & Objectives

Instructional Design Process s Three interrelated components: –Objectives –Activities –Evaluation

Educational Goals s Educational goals are broad, overall purposes or plans for a course. –Example - to make effective presentations in front of a group. s WRITE down an educational goal for one of the courses you teach.

Objectives s Educational objectives are very specific statements of what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction. s Example: After completing this course, you should be able to identify three types of essay questions. s WRITE an educational objective for a course you teach.

Activities s The student should be actively involved in learning the content and practicing the skills (behaviors) stated in the objectives. –Activities can take place both in or out of the classroom. –More on activities later....

Evaluation s Evaluation should match the objectives / goals for the course / lesson and it should be consistent /parallel to the activities. s It’s not appropriate to teach at one level and expect students to perform at a higher level on the evaluation.

Purposes of Evaluation s To measure student achievement s To assess the entire instructional process s To determine student attitude toward content and the instruction s To diagnose teaching/ learning problems.

Types of Evaluation - All Apply to Distance Education s Product construction s Attitude assessment s Paper-and-pencil tests s Group discussions s Oral quizzes s Performance or demonstration by students s Games & simulations s Student projects s Questionnaires / surveys

How to Use Evaluation to Increase Learning s Give a quiz, test, or homework assignment early so that students become committed to your course. s Give frequent tests so that students keep up with the material. s Give a practice test so that students know what to expect. s Give students a checklist ahead of time showing how they will be evaluated when they do projects.

Evaluation to Increase Learning, cont. s Take class time to go over the correct answers when you hand tests back so students who miss a question can see how their answers differ from yours.

Evaluation of the Instructional Process s Self-reflection s A videotape or audiotape s Comments from colleagues who attended or viewed the presentation s Student performance during the lesson s Student performance on tests and projects. s Student comments on evaluation forms.

Planning - The Key to Success!! s All of the components of instructional design need to be organized and planned so that your lesson is a huge success. s The Planning Spreadsheet will help you accomplish this for each class session you teach.

The Planning Spreadsheet

The Spreadsheet Columns 1 & 2 s Objectives: What are the key points, tasks. –Outline what you will teach. –Concentrate on content and not delivery mode –Content should directly relate to course objectives s Presenters –Include guest speakers to add interest & a change element. u WHO are some experts you might invite? –What can your students present? –What should you present?

Column 3 - Visuals s THINK visually –HOW can you SHOW the information instead of tell it? s Media may need to be reformatted for TV.

Method/Activity - Column 4 s Evaluation can be built into many of these activities s Common choices are: –Lecture –Interview –Panel discussion –Physical or visual demonstration –Role play –Case study –Brainstorming –Silent reading –Reading aloud –Quiz

Method/Activity, cont. –Other written exercise –On-line discussion –Off-line discussion s THINK about other possible activities that you might use. in your class. –WRITE them down.

What Else Should be Considered in Planning? s Reserve time for INTERACTION!!! –Minimum of 30% of class time for discussion & activities among students. u An hour class = 40 minutes of content, 20 minutes interaction.

Selecting Methods & Activities s Ask two important questions: –Can the learner do this instead of me? u If they can do it, is there a creative way for them to participate? –What is the learner doing now? –There should be a balance of change elements: u Listening, writing, speaking, reading, and doing!

3 Important Points to Remember s Don’t just lecture. s Select many of the same instructional methods you use in the classroom. s Be creative.... Explore.... Experiment....

Columns 5 & 6 s Support Materials –List anything that is going to be needed at the learner sites during class. –Handouts, quizzes, worksheets, etc. s Estimated Time Required –How long will it take to deliver the content topic? –If you never taught the course before, practice and time.

Columns 7 & 8 s System operation cues - prompts to tell you what to do with equipment. s To Do List - tasks that must be done before you can teach.

Evaluation - Column 9 s You must EVALUATE your plan. Does it pass the following tests: –Methods vary and involve student physically & mentally –Change type of activity every min.. –No lecture lasts more than 10 min. w/o a change element. –A balance between on-line and off-line activities –Sufficient time allowed to complete tasks. –Interaction is at least 30%

Evaluation, cont. –All visuals formatted to the video medium. –Students are asked to read, write, listen & speak at some point. –Does the leaner have an opportunity to play a leading role in the lesson?

Course Management s Course management is important for every course, but some would say more important in a distance education course. s Some things that happen “naturally” in face-to-face course must be carefully planned for & deliberately implemented in distance education courses.

Course Management Concerns s Communication (student-teacher contact) –Instructor makes deliberate attempts to communicate with all students at distant site –Students need to know when and how it is appropriate to ask questions. –Outside of class instructor must be accessible by phone and/or e- mail

Course Management, cont. s Course Policies & Procedures –Students need to be informed verbally & in writing of your course policies. –The policies should be in the syllabus & presented verbally early in the class.

Course Management, cont. s Support Staff –Stay in touch with personnel at remote sites (weekly) to make sure equipment is operating properly, materials are arriving in a timely manner, & students are behaving appropriately. –Instructors, site coordinators, & technicians should meet after each class & discuss how class went, address problems that arose, agree on instructional changes & plan the procedures for the next class.

Course Management, cont. s PLAN AHEAD!! - Use the Planning Spreadsheet!! –With distance education you MUST be prepared & plan ahead. –Must allow time for handouts to be delivered to and/or reproduced at remote site. –Have a back-up plan if the transmission fails. –Plan for ALL possible problems –Remember Murphy’s Law...and O’Toole said that Murphy was an optimist - - this is particularly true with distance education!!

ACTIVITY s Use the PLANNING SPREADSHEET to set up a “real” lesson that you will teach or have taught in one of your courses.