In
Instructional
System Design (IT 510), I created a self-paced
instruction manual for those interested in
knowing how to power clean (an advanced weight
training exercise in which the weight is
raised from the floor to shoulder height,
ending in the bar resting across shoulders).This
project consisted of a documentation section,
instruction packet, as well as an assessment
packet.The
Morrison, Ross, and Kemp Model of
Instructional Design
was used throughout the life cycle of this
project.This process entailed the following
sequential steps: identifying the problem
(needs assessment), learner analysis, task
analysis, instructional objectives, content
sequencing, instructional strategies,
designing the message, development of
instruction, and evaluation methods.This
model drove on the idea of flexibility, and
that the process of instructional design is
cyclical, and that any of the elements can be
addressed at any time.This
project entailed multiple discussions with a
Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist with the
information needed to compose an efficient
front end analysis.Feedback
and revisions suggested by my peers and SME
were made to enhance the quality of my
documentation, instruction, and assessment of
my project, which in all offered me the
opportunity of seeing the flexibility and
significance of the Morrison Model.
Project
Life Cycle
As
previously
stated within my summary of IT 510, the
Morrison model caused me to sequence my
project in nine steps.Within
this section, I will discuss each step within
the project’s life cycle, from beginning to
end.
Phase
1:
Identifying the Problem
Deciding
I
wanted my topic for this project to be on
teaching people how to properly power clean, I
was addressed with a simple yet thoughtful
question, what is the problem that I need to
solve?Why
is instruction necessary for my selected
topic?Seeming
apparent, my initial answer was to prevent
common injuries that occur from incorrect form
and technique.Even though this answer was apparent, I
needed to dig a little deeper and understand
why this lift (an attempt at performing an
exercise/movement) needed to be taken with
caution. My
subject matter expert (SME) helped me in the
first stages of my front-end analysis and
needs assessment.Meeting
with my SME, we felt that it would be more
productive to meet in a gym.Requiring
minimal equipment for the lifter, I was told
to just come in shorts, a t-shirt, and gym
shoes.Upon
arrival to the meeting, I was informed that I
was going to be taught how to power clean
correctly, and that another staff member was
going to help with demonstrating proper and
improper forms for the lift in various phases
of the lift.Being able to record the encounter and
take notes, I was able to ask questions;
however, the majority of my questions were
answered from my SME’s walk-throughs of the
lift.Speaking
with my SME and the other staff member present
for the demonstration, I was able to concur
what muscle groups the learner will be
isolating, what materials can and could be
worn or used when performing the lift, and
understanding how and why injuries occur due
to power cleaning.The
following link provided is the documentation
section for my project; however, I would like
for you to reference the sections bolded problem
information statement, and goal analysis.
These
two categories were what I had gathered within
the first phase of my project’s life cycle.
Jumping right into the Learner
Analysis, since I knew that I had taken so
much great information from my SME, I thought
that I was going to be able to answer the
following questions with ease: what general
characteristics should people engaging in
power cleaning have?What
specific characteristics should most, if not
everyone attempting to power clean have (more
so geared towards health issues)? Even
though
my SME and I had discussed a variety of things
pertaining to the matter of power cleaning, I
realized that I had never stopped and asked
whether there was a recommended age for people
to start power cleaning?Also,
I realized that I had never asked, who should
not power clean?
My
problem
statementthat
I
had written within the first phase of the
project became the basis for the general
characteristics of my learner analysis
(Seen on page 3).“The
Power clean is a technical lift, generally
performed by athletes.The
clean is typically favored among explosive
movements and lifts.The
level of complexity in performing this lift
enabled the lift to be considered an Olympic
lifts.”Understanding
that the lift is technical, complex, requires
explosiveness, generally performed by
athletes, and is considered an Olympic lift
automatically ruled out the possibility for
children still in grade school (Kindergarten –
8th), as well as elderly people
that might have limited mobility.
As
far
as specific characteristics were concerned, I
had to go through my notes and recordings
gathered from my SME meeting.Reviewing
my materials, I realized that there were
minimal standards that needed to be met in
order to perform the lift.The
first specific characteristic that I had
noticed was that the lifter had to at least be
able to pick up the bar, which weighed 45
pounds.Next,
I realized that the lifter had to be able to
use the following muscle groups: legs, back,
shoulder, and chest. Therefore, the lifter
needed to be able to use all of the muscle
groups utilized in the lift.Also,
if the person had obtained an injury in the
past that limits the person’s range of motion
or ability to apply force, a lift of this
nature might call for the clearance or
advisement of a specialist or doctor.And
lastly, because the instruction was going to
be delivered through writings, and medical
terminology would be used, I figured that an
eighth grade reading level should be a
specific characteristic.
Phase
3:
Task Analysis
When
I
began writing my task analysis I started off
with four general categories.These
categories were 1) materials lifters use, 2)
exercises within movement, 3) placement of
lifter, and 4) performing the lift.Ideally,
these
were the points I intended on educating my
readers about.Therefore, it made sense to make these
four categories the focus of my task analysis.Expanding on
the first category within my task analysis was
very easy to compose. This
category entailed clothing apparel that would
be needed, as well as weight equipment that
can be purchased to decrease possible injuries
(includes weight belts, wrist wraps, etc.).It
was categories 2-4 which gave me the most
trouble.In this instance though, when I say
trouble, what I’m truly referring to was my
thought process.Aspects of the lift seemed like such
common knowledge, I was not processing that I
needed to include certain cues as a step.For
instance, within category 2 (exercises within
movement) section B (jump), I explain how a
person jumps.I first start by saying that a person
starts with their feet about shoulders width
apart, their legs require a slight bend (2
o’clock), feet will shift from a heel to toe,
and the person will drive up through their
legs.When
I first wrote this, I did not include the
reference of the person bending their knees at
a 2 o’clock angle, I also did not include that
the person would be shifting their feet from
heel to toe.I thought that these steps should just
have been known.
Seeming
moderately
difficult to me at first (because I was not as
detailed as I should have been when breaking
down a task), I found myself making revisions
to this section and expanding on it.Being
made aware that I might be able to reference
back to the task analysis later and see if any
cues
were recommended within a movement/phase of
the lift.I was urged by Dr. Knowlton to be aware
of cues, and that cues could enhance my
project.Finally comprehending that cues could
be the make or break for my project,
especially since my project was dealing with
complex movements, knowing all of the cues and
how one’s body should be shifting or
transitioning into the next movement/phase was
strongly suggested.For
instance, if you look on page 7 of my
documentation, you will see in section 3 part
C that steps are not the only instruction
being given.Instead, informing the learner how much
they should bend their knees, whether or not
they should contract their abdomen, or look
forward before lifting is stated.Also,
if you look at section for on page 7, you will
see that in statement “B,” the learner is
instructed how to breathe before lifting. Thus, I found
myself typing out all of my steps in each
category, then I physically stood up and tried
to replicate the steps I had written, exactly
how it was written.If a
step was missing, then I did not proceed onto
the next step.I had to discover what was missing and
add it to the task analysis.
Phase
4:
Goals and Instructional Objectives
Before
I
was able to begin with this phase of my
project, I first needed to establish what my
goals were going to be.Originally
I had around 12
goals,
this would have made it extremely difficult
for me to distinguish between some goals,
considering that some goals were so closely
related; therefore, I needed to refine my
goals.When
I refined my goals, I was able to eliminate a
few goals; however, I still had 8 goals
remaining (Seen on page 2 of documentation
under refine goals).That’s
when I thought, “Maybe I need to arrange the
goals in a way that takes me from start to
end.´ immediately I noticed similar goals
within my ranked goals.For
instance, I realized that I had one goal
stating “prevent injuries,” while another goal
was saying, “know proper form/technique.”Being
practically synonymous, if a person is aware
of how to prevent injuries from occurring with
this lift, then ideally they are performing
the lift with good form/technique.My
second refinement of my goals allowed for me
to reduce my goals from eight to four.Four
was a goal amount that I was willing to work
with.The
goals I selected can be found at the top of
page 3 in my documentation.Knowing
what my goals would be, I was able to start
writing my objectives.
I
used Mager objectives, which have several
parts:the
audience (the student will…), the behavior
(what the learner is expected to be able to
do), the condition (describes important
condition, if any, that the performance is to
occur), and degree/criterion (how well the
learner must perform the task).The
following link will show you numerous
objectives created for this project.
I
found it somewhat easy writing my objectives
for this project.However,
I did find it slightly difficult to properly
label objectives.The
significance of labeling objectives
corresponded with being able to select
instructional strategies (Morrison explained
which combinations of labels works best for an
initial presentations/generative strategy).I
typically would find myself tossing back and
forth between options that expressed what was
going to be taught (fact, concept, procedure,
principle, rule) and how it was going to be
presented (recall or application).Some
of the concepts just seemed to mash together
after a while.Also, sometimes a concept could be a
principle, it just depended on how many
elements or concepts were involved.Thankfully
though, I and my peers had drafts and other
assignments that pertained to labeling
objectives.Conversing with my classmates and Dr.
Knowlton aided in the dilution of my labeling
conundrum.
Phase
5:
Instructional Strategies
This
phase
of the project was crucial.The
purpose of this portion, in the documentation,
was to come up with the best way for the
content to be presented so the learners could
master the objectives.Thus,
I was introduced to the term initial
presentation and generative
strategy.To my understanding, good initial
presentations and generative strategies helps
resolve common problems or mistakes associated
with a topic of interest.For
instance, within objective 2.1 of my project,
the objective is being able to identify which
grip is used within a power clean, depending
on the learner’s knowledge about power
lifting; a standard lifter might be
susceptible to using a basic pronated grip,
rather than a pronated hook grip.Uncertainty,
concerning a learner’s knowledge of hand
placement should be resolved within the
initial presentation, eliminating any
misconceptions or thoughts on how the bar is
supposed to be gripped.The
initial presentation is the way in which
content is delivered. But
what exactly is a generative strategy?Generative
strategies
are exercises or checkpoints that learners
complete.Meaning, generative strategies
facilitate learning, and are a prominent
feature of the solution, Generative strategies
require the learner to participate.
I
decided to write all of my initial
presentations first (for each objective), and
then write the generative strategy portion of
the objective.But why did I do it this way?Well,
for me, writing out my initial presentations
was easy once I had correlated my objective’s
label (concept-recall, fact-recall,
procedure-application, and so forth) with my initial
presentations
description (the
description can be found directly below each
objectives initial presentation line).Correlating
these two things ensured that the information
I planned on presenting corresponded with my
intended form/approach of learning for that
objective.
I
found that visualizing my initial
presentations helped me write them.I
stated what each objective would entail, if a
caption would be placed by or under an image,
as well as which pictures would be used, and
more.How
I envisioned my initial presentations scan be
seen on pages 9-21 within the Goals
& Objectives portion of my
documentation.
While
writing
initial presentations seemed easy, the
generative strategies were troublesome for me.Looking
at a couple of my peers generative strategies
(this was during a project checkpoint), I
discovered reoccurring trends within their
generative strategies.These
trends fostered 1) stating what the learner
would become knowledgeable about, 2) what the
learner will be able to conceptualize, 3, what
the learner will replicate,4)
whether or not the learner will envision a
task, and 5) the learner will be given
feedback.These trends helped me compose the
generative strategy portion of my
documentation.These reoccurring trends can be seen
throughout my generative strategy portion of
my documentation.
To
be
sure that the learners were actually learning
each objective, test items needed to be made
for the learner.With each objective, a question was
produced.Making sure that the test item aligned
with the type of behavior being performed in
the objective, thought was placed in how to
measure the proficiency of the objective.Depending
on
the significance of the objective, some test
items were multiple choice, while others were
short answer.I figured that sequential steps or a
process of some sort should be written down.Those
steps are probably important to know.For
instance, within test item 3.1 on page 14, the
learner is instructed to list the exercises
involved within a power clean.These
steps are important for the learner.If
they are unable to do an exercise, they will
be unable to do a power clean.Also,
missing a step can result in a failed attempt
at power cleaning or progressing in weight.Therefore,
due to test item 3.1’s importance, it was only
adequate for the objective’s proficiency to be
100%, requiring the learner to be able to
write the exercises involved.
Phase
6:
Development of Instruction
This
segment
of the project was probably the most fun.After
spending a great deal of time on constructing
my documentation, I was able to visualize what
I wanted my instruction to look like.When
I began producing my instruction, I started
with the cover page.I
wanted the words “performing a power clean” to
be visible to all that might glance at my
packet, and be somewhat astonished by the
person performing the lift in an image.I
thought that this would help catch my reader’s
attention.
Next,
I
had to provide an overview about the lift,
within Morrison’s model, the introduction to
instruction is called a “preinstructional
strategy.”Morrison offers several different types
of preinstructional strategies that can be
used.I
selected an overview.The
reason that I selected an overview is because
the overview can describe how learning to
power clean will aid in the enhancement of a
learner’s physical fitness (Morrison, 179).Introducing
the subject of power cleaning, an overview can
prepare the learner for the task to come.Not to mention, majority of the
objectives developed for performing a power
clean are concepts and facts, matching the
task attributes of the overview strategyand why this
lift is important and why it should be
incorporated into the reader’s workout.My
overview for this project can be seen within
the following link.After
I had stated the overview of my project
though, I thought that it would be a good idea
to explain to all of the readers what exactly
a power clean was.Wanting
to keep my readers engaged and transitioning
into the next part (after learning what a
power clean was); I tried to close paragraphs
out with sentences that persuaded the learner
to continue onto the next section.For
instance, at the end of me telling my readers
what a power clean was, I stated “Knowing
what a power clean is now, what materials are
needed or entailed with this exercise?”
Getting
past
the introduction portion of my instruction,
the rest of the instruction was broken down
into four parts; each part entailed a goal
that was written in the documentation.Within
each part, I wanted my sections to be as
interactive as possible.This
was achieved by writing to my readers as if I
was having a conversation with them.I
would give the reader information about a
topic and ask questions to ensure that they
are with me and ready to go.This
can be seen within my first paragraph within each
part
(1-4).
For
each
fact and concept stated within the instruction
(was typically in a blue font as header) I
gave a description of the fact/concept and
gave additional details about the fact/concept
through bulleted points.Some
parts within the instruction differed as far
as descriptions were concerned (bullet points
were omitted in heavily described sections).For
instance, within Part3 of
the instruction, you will see where parts are
heavily paragraphed based, with no bullets.However,
to help simplify the context, and give the
reader some form of visual stimuli, I
frequently inserted images throughout the
instruction to help the learner see different
placements and positions stated in the text.Probably
one
of the most unique and useful utilization of
images that I offered the reader was showing
the difference between an incorrect and
correct power clean, and having the caption
underneath the lifter to explain what was
incorrect.This example can be viewed in Part 3. To
reduce the reader’s cognitive load, several
illustrations/images would be placed
throughout the instruction, more heavily in
the segments dealing with the movements/phases
of the lift.The rationale for adding more images in
these parts was to reassure the learner that
the descriptions they were reading
corresponded with the action they were
envisioning.
Lastly,
at
the end of each part, an assessment,
checklist, or checkpoint (were my generative
strategies put in action) was provided for the
reader to complete before moving on to the
next part.This
was to ensure that the reader had a good
comprehension of what they read before
continuing with more advanced or difficult
concepts/procedures.Within
sections that were based heavily on facts or
procedure, I felt that it was necessary to
have multiple assessments provided within a
part.This
can be seen in Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4 of
the instruction (Seen on page 3, 11, 14, and
24).
Concluding
the
instruction to my readers, I congratulated the
readers on successfully completing the
instruction manual.I
also instructed the readers on taking a test
that would assess whether or not they truly
understood the material, and if they might be
able to safely complete a power clean with
proper form.
Step
7:
Evaluation Methods
Evaluations
within
the IT 510 course project were assessed
multiple ways.For example, my project was evaluated
by my Subject Matter Expert.Below
is an excerpt from my documentation explaining
what the SME’s role was within the project?
The
second
type of evaluation was peer feedback.Having
various checkpoints and peer reviews in the IT
510 course really helped me see what my
strengths and weaknesses were in my project.For
instance, when one of my peers had looked at
my instruction and went back to my
documentation sequencing strategy, they
realized that Part 1 of the instruction
referring to equipment and other workout
apparel), they realized that I wasn’t
necessarily using a real-world sequencing
strategy, rather I was explaining a concept
and the benefits of that concept. So, it was
suggested that I consider implementing another
sequencing strategy to justify this strategy
in my instruction.This
can be seen within figure
4.2under
the heading sequencing content.My
peers also did a good job at offering
suggestions for test items within the instruction.For
instance, within Part 1, a test item asked for
the reader to distinguish between materials in
poor or good condition.Not
thinking that using the same image might just
be simple recognition and not authentic
learning, my peer suggested that I use
different images when testing my readers over
materials that have been seen prior to the
test items.
A
third, yet hypothetical type of evaluation
used, fell under the second part of my
Formative Evaluation section.The
section called Pilot
Test was written under the presumption
that I was administering my instruction and
assessment to a small group of people
interested in learning how to power clean.The
following link will show you what my pilot
testentailed.The
instructions for my pilot test seemed
thorough, at least it is something that I
could envision having to undergo if I was
asked to be involved in an experiment or test.
Program Goal 1 - IT
530
Executive
Summary
Working in teams and groups is
inevitable in the workplace.Therefore,
the professor of Project Management (IT530)
formed groups of 3-4 students for the course
design project.My team produced a project plan for a
Google Chrome Book Initiative (real-life
project).My group managed a project for
implementing Google Chrome Books in a local
school districtWe created several components of this
project; however, the focus was a project
plan, rather than the implementation and
evaluation of the plan.
To enhance my team’s project
plan, the team had to provide an overview or
Purpose of the Project, the rationale of the
project, the products or deliverables that
were planning on being produced, the approach
or overview of the project plan (phases of
work and who would be doing the work
responsibilities, etc.), and a list of project
personnel.The production of the Google Chrome
Book Initiative project plan was formed from
the design of a Problem/Opportunity Statement
(POS) document, Project Network Diagram,
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS), Work
Breakdown Structure (WBS), Work Package
Assignment Sheet, Resources and Cost document,
Gant Chart & Milestone document, which
were developed throughout the life cycle of
the project.
Project
Life Cycle
Getting
Acclimated
The beginning efforts for this
project were different from past projects I
had undergone in the IT program.I
was not the sole designer and producer of this
project; instead, I was going to possibly be
working with three other peers.So,
rather than me researching and gathering
information about a subject, and brainstorming
ideas for possibleprojects
by myself, lines of communication had to be
opened before the team could begin working.
Early in the semester, every
student was asked to post a writing in a
discussion board, stating if they believed
whether or not they would be a good leader, as
well as where they tend to place themselves
within a group (the head or the tail).Stating
I didn’t mind taking on additional
responsibilities and tasks in group
assignments, nor did I mind managing tasks
that others have difficulties in complying
with, I was chosen as one of the “course’s”team
leaders.Being selected as a leader, I felt
obligated in introducing myself to my team
members and finding out what each team members
schedule was looking like for possible
meeting times.
I had run into a problem (a risk
assessment that was not taken into account
this early into the project) when contacting
my team members.Being one of few problems I had
encountered in the IT program, I realized that
after attempting to contact a team member for
almost two weeks that team member had
withdrawn out of the class.I
had mixed feelings about losing a team member
(having a heavier workload); yet, I was
relieved to know my team could commence with
our project.
I collected everyone’s contact
information and shared it amongst the group.Finding
available times, we were able to schedule our
group’s first
meeting.Wanting
to prepare myself for the meeting, since our
first meeting was supposed to brainstorm ideas
for our project plan topic, I figured it might
be good to email my team a possible
scenario,
that I had created, for our project plan topic
before the meeting so that the team could have
an idea of what a topic could be if we did not
have a real-life project to use.
The purpose of creating this
hypothetical document/scenario was to get the
ball rolling on a possible topic.This
also was created to help my team members get a
feel of what our topic should look like.I
figured since there were no templates/examples
to go on for possible topics, I would generate
a topic that seemed like a real problem a
Project Management team would plan for, then
our group could extend on that.And
if not extend on my idea, perhaps we could
come up with one that resembled the
structure/format of my scenario.Ultimately,
I created this scenario to help my team
brainstorm possible topics.
First
Meeting – Creating the POS
The first meeting is when our
team began to brainstorm not only about our
first assignment, but also about how often we
felt meetings would be needed, how we planned
on sharing documents, as well as our division
of tasks/assignments and expected deadlines.
Hesitant of what to expect from
this project, we tossed about our initial
thoughts and understanding of the project
plan.Uncertain
of our project’s workload, we concluded that
we would face the feat together.Moving
into our first assignment, me and my team
members had to choose a topic for our project.Looking
at the email I sent my team prior to our
meeting, we discussed whether or not we were
going to go with the hypothetical topic I had
written.At first, appearing that the
hypothetical scenario would be the topic of
choice, it was then that Eric Weiss had
mentioned that he was currently working on a
Google Chrome Book initiative at a school.Of
course, with this being a real-life project,
we were instantly on board with Eric’s
project.Wanting to know more specifics about
the project, Dianne Iberg and I asked a series
of questions relating to 1) the client wanting
the Google Chrome Books, 2) the specifics
about the plan, 3) how long it was going to
take to be implemented, and so forth.Feeling
we had a grasp on the topic, we now needed to
determine what information would be included
within our Purpose/Opportunity
Statement document
(POS).
Unfamiliar with creating a POS,
my team and I figured it was nothing more than
a proposal document.Making
sure we were correct, we decided to check and
make sure our opinion of a POS was right. Using
our Project Management textbook to look for an
example of a POS
document, we found an example.My
team discovered we were about half right.Knowing
a
POS needed to contain our project plan’s goals
and objectives.However, we did not know a success
criteria and risk assessment had to be
written.Being
aware of all sections needing to be written,
Dianne and I recommended for Eric to write the
problem/opportunity section of the document
(since Eric was more familiar with the topic).Agreeing
to write the problem/opportunity section, Eric
offered to do the POS by himself.Claiming
that making the document would be easy, Dianne
and I were fine with letting Eric run with the
ball.Being
sure that all of the necessary material would
be in the document, we thought it would be a
good idea to list off possible goals and
objectives, and possible risks, while having
everyone in the meeting.Brainstorming
possible ideas probably lasted for 5 to 10
minutes.
After seeing what our first
assignment entailed, how our assignments were
going to be divided, and what ideas could be
put in our assignment, we were able to
converse about how often we would meet, and
how we would share documents.Ignorant
to how much time and effort would be needed to
produce future deliverables/documents, we
figured it would be best to schedule meetings
by ear.For
upcoming assignments, we decided to meet about
8-10 days before the deadline. Within
meetings, we agreed to brainstorm the
variables a task/assignment entailed, to
ensure no aspects were overlooked.We
attempted to divide the work as evenly as
possible (if someone had preference/enjoyed
creating charts or graphs, they were welcome
to go for it).Also, making sure all of us could view
one another’s documents, and make edits before
the submission of an assignment, Eric and
Dianne recommended we share our documents
through Google Drive (Google Docs).Being
my first time using Google Drive, I figured
“why not!”This new medium sounded like something
I probably should get accustomed to anyways.
Concluding our first meeting, it
was decided since I was the group leader, all
documents should be submitted through me.I
acknowledged that I was fine with this
responsibility, but we had to agree that all
assignments would be completed at least 2 days
before the deadline.This
was
so all team members had time to review one
another’s documents if wanted.All
of us were in agreement; however, one thing
that I still laugh about to this day is that
we never declared who was going to be
responsible for scheduling meetings; but
somehow it fell into my lap.
Designing
The point of this design project
was for my group to create the tools that are
commonly used in Project Management.Google
Drive was the medium me and my team used to
store our teams documents.This
medium was efficient.Google
Drive allowed for each member to view and edit
documents from our mobile devices.Only
needing to use the editing feature once
throughout our project, our team used the
editing features when we worked on the Work
Breakdown Sheet
(WBS). The
WBS was an assignment that had proceeded after
the POS, the Project Network
Diagram
and the RBS.
Attempting
to share ideas/variables that needed to be
included in the WBS, we created a
document.This
document only took a few hours to compose.My
team was able to compile the list of variables
that needed to be included in the WBS.Feeling
that this task shouldn’t have been too
difficult since I had a great deal of
information, I offered to construct the WBS
diagram (plus I had never created a diagram
like a WBS, so I thought it would be a good
experience).
Other
than the WBS, our team did not edit anymore
documents through Google Drive.This
was not because we did not like editing
documents through Google Drive, but rather the
remainder of assignments did not require much
brainstorming.Yet, the bulk of our assignments were
shared with one another on Google Drive.
To design this project (Google
Chrome Initiative), my group had to create a
RBS, Project Network Diagram, WBS, Work
Package Assignment Sheet, Resource and Cost
Analysis, and a Gantt Chart & Milestone.I
will define and discuss how my team designed
these documents/tools.
1.My
group
had to create a Resource Breakdown Structure
– RBS
A hierarchical list of resources
related by function and resource type that is
used to facilitate planning and controlling of
project work. The Resource Breakdown Structure
includes, the minimum resources needed for
successful completion of a project
The second assignment my group
and I were tasked with was the creation of an
RBS (a hierarchical list of resources related
by function and resource type that is used to
facilitate planning and controlling of project
work (Wysocki, 2012, 116)) The Resource
Breakdown Structure includes, the minimum
resources needed for successful completion of
a project chart, graphing the general
steps/categories involved in the Google Chrome
Book Initiative.Knowing that certain aspects of the
project were going to be provided by the
school district (these items were illustrated
on the left side of the chart with the red
circle in the corners), we wanted to be sure
that every base was covered or acknowledged.Items
that were out of our control pertained to the
Google Chrome Books, the purchasing of the
books, the IT/wireless support, as well as
software installation (this was supposed to be
taken care of by the school).The
things that my team and I did need to consider
were concerns related to training, training
supervisors, providing appropriate materials
for staff/faculty, creating instruction,
producing job aids, and evaluating the
staff/faculty, which was displayed in the RBS.But
how did we come to the realization that these
were the aspects needing to be cover in our
project plan?
Reviewing the problem/opportunity
statement, we established that training,
instruction needed to be implemented within
our project plan.However,
we needed to determine who was going to be
trained?Whether or not we would need to train
administrators to train other faculty?And
we needed to know what materials, if any,
would be produced from the instruction?Reading
the objectives from our team’s POSdocument, it
was evident that teachers needed to be trained
(this included non-teaching faculty as well),
and some type of instruction needed to be
produced for the faculty and staff.Naturally,
the idea of using a job aid to increase the
faculty and staff’s retention was suggested.Also,
due to my common utilization of videos from
various media sites, I thought that using
videos or at least providing links for the
faculty and staff to see videos on how to use
different features on the Google Chrome Books
would be helpful.Thus,
these aspects of the project were arranged
within a document, charting the initiative
that my team and I planned on implementing.
2.My
group
had to create a Project Network Diagram
Creating the Project Network
Diagram around the same time as the RBS (both
assignments had the same deadline); the
Project Network Diagram in ways was a replica
of the RBS.The main difference between the two
documents was that the Project Network Diagram
had a timeline illustratinghow
long each phase in the project was supposed to
last.
Having to map out how long we
wanted each phase of the project to last, and
whether phases should overlap each other, we
had to first decide on a timeframe for the
project plan.Working
on this portion of the project myself, I did
not ask for any opinions on the timeframe of
our project; but rather asked if the timeline
looked feasible after I had constructed the
document.Thinking that the project could be
executed within 30 days, my diagramlooked
something like this.I
figured that as soon as the first order of
Google Chrome Books was placed, the team
should commence in designing the instruction
for the faculty/staff.I
assumed that IT support would need to be
increased if it had not already happened.Figuring
that training/creating instruction for the
faculty and staff was not going to be that
time extensive, and the materials going to be
used to teach them would be easily accessible
(you can see within the chart where delivering
instructional materials and training lasts for
a minimum of 5 days), I made the time blocks
for those tasks short.And
lastly, , if I would have thought about it
more at the time I would have changed it (due
to unpredictable variables and priorities); I
suggested that the staff should be capable of
being evaluated within a week.
The production of the document
was fairly simple.After
selecting the box option, adding text to the
box, and changing the box color, and arranging
the boxes in the preferred location, all I had
to do was insert lines pointing in one or
multiple directions.This
by far was the simplest document I had
produced throughout the project plan.
3.My
group
had to create a Work Breakdown Structure –
WBS
Stated within my experience
with Google Drive, the RBS was
essentially a condensed version of the WBS.Attempting to be precise with
listing tasks stemming from the categories
within the RBS, the WBS (a deliverable
oriented decomposition of a project into
smaller components such as products data, and
services (Wyoski, 2012, 164)) broke down the
tasks involved in my project.This
chart allowed my team and I to acknowledge
each component/deliverable within our project.
Technically, I found it difficult
to produce this document so that it laid out
well on the page. I
didn’t know how I was going to be able to fit
all of the information on one page and make
the document easily readable. I could not
produce the document with a size 12 font.The
first thing that I did in creating the chart
was extending the margins on my page, and then
inserting some of the boxes that were present
on the RBS.Determining that seven boxes would be
needed in the WBS, I was then able to start
placing the necessary information under the
boxes that pertained to that aspect of the
project.I felt placing text in boxes would help
the reader distinguish deliverables more
easily.Boxes
could be used to separate subsections.However,
because I had used so many boxes within my
document, the alignment of the boxes became an
issue after a while.Clicking
and dragging the boxes to the desired area at
times would cause for other boxes to become
ajar, shifting from their previous alignment.Getting
the alignment of the boxes took more time than
expected.After the boxes were aligned though,
the rest of the document was easy to compose.Another
thing that I had to consider when creating
this document was highlighting additional
variables within subsections, bullets were
used to acknowledge how many more tasks,
documents, or aspects were going to be tied
into that subsection.I
decided using lines and arrows (starting from
the blue boxes, leading to the subsections)
would help the reader stay in the correct
column(s) or find the subsection being
referred to.Another component that was implemented
so that the reader would be able to identify
which subsection matched with the appropriate
box was by numbering each blue box, and
numbering each subsection by the first number
of the blue box.For instance, Technical Instruction was
number 5, and the subsections for Technical
Instruction were 5.1 and 5.2.
4.My
group
had to create a Work Package Assignment
Sheet
Knowing what tasks were going to
be included throughout the implementation of
the Google Chrome Book Initiative, my team was
ready to create a Work Package Assignment
Sheet.This
assignment sheet entailed who was going to be
responsible for which assignments.Produced
in Microsoft Excel, this document was short
and concise.The Work Package
Assignment Sheetcontained
the following information: the task being
managed, the earliest start date for the task,
the latest completion date for the task, the
person responsible for overseeing the task,
and the person’s contact information (email).
5.My
group
had to create a Resource and Cost Analysis
Assigned at the same time as the
Work Package Assignment Sheet, the Resource and
CostAnalysis
document was needed to showcase the project’s
budget, allocating which resources were going
to be costly.Primarily composed of personnel
(specialists) such as Instructional Designers,
Trainers, Administrator, Subject Matter
Experts (SME), and an ID Secretary, the
majority of costs were towards the utilization
of their services.Since
the instruction being produced was educating
staff and faculty on how to use Google Chrome
Books, our team thought that it would be a
good idea if all materials and instruction
could be accessed through the Chrome Book.For
instance, PowerPoint presentations used for
training the staff and faculty members could
be opened and accessed by the staff at any
time, by selecting the PowerPoint app uploaded
in the Chrome Books.This
would mean that instructional materials would
be free (there would be no paper-based
instruction); however, we agreed that Job Aids
were still a valuable tool, therefore, we
decided that we would charge for the
production of Job Aids.In
attempt to save our client money, not
producing thick packets of instruction reduced
the overall cost, as well as utilizing the
school district’s facilities to create
instruction or hold meetings/sessions.So,
all in all, my team and I tried our best to
look out for our client’s interest and save
them from additional expenses.
Produced within Microsoft Excel,
one of the more favored attributes about our
Resource and Cost Analysis document was our
usage of colors to distinguish phases
occurring throughout the project.Complementedby our peers,
we were reassured that our documents were of
high quality, or at least aesthetically
pleasing to the reader.Producing
this document, my team was consistent with the
formatting of the document, estimating the
intended amount of hours per specialist, the
cost for that specialist per hour, and the
total estimate for that specialist.Not
to mention, for tasks that might have seemed
vague or questionable, side notes were added
for further explanation, clarifying the intent
or reasoning for the designated amount.For
instance, within the row Presentation/Job
Aid Design, we note that “Per Cates
article one hour of instruction is about 75
hours of prep time.”This
statement provides reasoning to the client as
to why the Instructional Designer will be
working a total of 80 hours on the project.Because,
if the presentation to train the faculty and
staff members is going to take around an hour,
it will take the Instructional Designer around
75 hours to compose that hour.The
additional five hours might consist of
formatting, structure, organization, and so
forth.
6.My
group
had to create a Gantt Chart & Milestone
Like most of the charts and
graphs that I had either created or had the
privilege of reviewing, I had no idea what all
was entailed within a Gantt chart.Assuming
nothing more than this type of chart was used
for illustrating a project’s schedule, I was
not certain on what variables were going to be
included.Thankfully, Dianne Iberg was familiar
with creating a Gantt chart, so without any
resistance, I was more than happy to instill
her with the task of completing the Gantt
chart for the team.
Upon seeing Dianne’s chart that
she submitted to me, I immediately saw that a
Gantt chart is a chart in which a series of
horizontal lines shows the amount of work done
or production completed or in this case,
expected to be completed in a certain periods
of time.Observing the chart, a Gantt chart
appears to be a tool that could be quite
useful in showing activities, tasks, or events
displayed against time.If
you look at our Gantt
chart,
you will notice that on the left of the chart
is a list of the activities and along the top
is a suitable time scale. Each activity is
represented by a bar; the position and length
of the bar reflects the start date, duration
and end date of the activity. This allows you
to see at a glance 1) what the various
activities are, 2) when each activity begins
and ends, 3) how long each activity is
scheduled to last, 4) where activities overlap
with other activities, and by how much, and 5)
the start and end date of the whole project.
Sharing a common component across
charts, the Gantt chart and Milestone both
show the scheduled start or completion of
major deliverables. The difference between a
standard Gantt chart and a Milestone is that a
Milestone may signify an important decision
(critical piece of information) that will
outlines or affects the future of the project.
For instance, within my team’s Milestone,
I made a Weekly Status Tracking
section, designed to enact some form of
protocol when it came to beginning a new
deliverable, when Project Managers were to
report the status of their deliverables, what
the contingency plan was for late
deliverables, what to do if budget is
exasperated, and more (Wysocki, 2012).
Once again, my team felt that
color coding the Milestone chart would allow
for the reader to be aware of when they were
moving into another activity/deliverable in
the project.Also, within the Milestone chart, a
color code box was inserted at the top of the
page to help the reader know the status of the
deliverables completion.For
the most part, this Excel sheet was easy to
produce.Besides
needing to extend table/boxes so that more
text could be placed in the box, there were no
usability issues.Changing
the
color of the box was nothing more than a right
click of the mouse and selecting the fill
color option next to the change text
color option.Lastly, when it came to inputting the
information for the weekly status tracking,
all I had to do was select the box I wanted to
start writing in and type.
Designing
the Presentation
It was now time to put the
information into a presentation (project
plan).In
doing so, I had to ask myself an important
question, how do I present this information to
my reader/client in a format simple enough to
not be overwhelmed (reducing cognitive load)?Instantly,
the idea of paragraphs was tossed out (there
would have been too much to read).The
idea of bullets didn’t seem like a terrible
idea; however, I did not know the best way to
structure the information without it seeming
never ending (it would have taken several
pages).So,
still liking the idea of keeping my sentences
short and concise like a bullet, I decided
that putting my information into a table would
be the best way for me to present my
information in a format that would be simple
enough, and not overwhelming in appearance.
Aware that I was going to be
breaking down the project plan’s products into
categories, I decided that each product being
mentioned in the category referenced
(deliverables, training materials, and
Group/certified trainers) should state the
product, give a brief description of the
product, and what the intended outcome of the
product should be.This
can be seen under the section titled products
in the project plan
document.To
help the reader/client’s eyes stay in the
correct row, I decided alternating the tables
colors from blue to white (per row) would help
the reader keep their place.After
completing the table though, I had to answer
an important question.The
question required for me to explain the
problem as to why this initiative was needed?Being
around the same time when I had learned that
the word literacy meant more than just being
able to read and write the answer to this
question was all too easy.The
answer was this, as technology advances, so
does a student’s digital literacy.As
technology evolves, so does the idea and
definition of literacy.Therefore,
schools need to adapt to new technologies,
equipping students with the tools necessary
for success.My answer can be seen at the end of my
tables within the products section.
Conclusion
The most meaningful experience I
took away from this course was team work.The
efforts my team put into producing the Google
Chrome Book Initiative came at a price.That
price was forming common ground, understanding
one another’s strengths and weaknesses, and
being able to manage tasks.From
this course, I learned the value of a Gantt
chart, and intend on using this chart for
future projects.This chart offers a sort of
organization that keeps a project on task, and
offers a plan of contingency if deadlines have
passed. I
feel that this will come in handy as I work on
my doctorate. In
this course I also learned that I will not be
able to do all of the tasks within a project
by myself.I must be able to trust and rely on
other people to help in areas where I lack in
expertise or cannot devote time in completing.I
feel being able to work with teams is a good
skill for an Instructional Designer to
possess.The ability to work and manage groups
will be prevalent throughout my career.
Program Goal 1 - IT 540
Executive
Summary
Assigned the task of creating an
online course, I used a medium called Demo
Dokeos.Distance Education (IT 540) required me
to research the fundamentals and strategies
embodied in creating an effective online
course.The
subject
I chose to teach was an architect software
called Chief Architect. Chief Architect is a
3D computer aided design software used for
homebuilding.This software allows for its user to
design a home from the ground up.
My task was to implement relevant
content in the course, as well as setting
expectations and assignments for the learners.This
project was developed through a well-detailed
documentation section, utilizing aspects of
the Morrison, Ross, and Kemp approach..The
documentation covered the following: the
purpose of the course, the goals of the
course, a learner analysis, a task analysis,
instructional strategies, and the
logic/rationale for my decisions (feedback,
course assignments, structure, and more).As
you read through the life cycle of my project,
you will find links to various elements of my
documentation.
Project
Life Cycle
Envisioning
Like many of my course projects,
the IT 540 project began with me choosing a
topic.When
I had selected the topic of teaching people
how to use architect software, I thought that
I might be able to kill two birds with one
stone.I
intended on using the software Chief Architect
in my IT 597 course.Seeming
like a good idea, I planned on incorporating
the videos I produced in my IT 597 project
into my content folders in IT 540 (at the time
I had not considered the overlap the two might
have – this was overcome by good organization
skills).This appeared to be a great way for me
to master/grasp how to use Chief Architect;
because, not only would
I be producing videos, but I would be
incorporating my videos into my course’s
content.So within IT 597 I was the developer of
tutorials; and in IT 540, I was the designer
utilizing good instruction.
Positive that this was my topic
of interest, it was time to create a project proposal.Consisting
of four parts, my proposal had to acknowledge
the need of this course, the standards of the
course, the background/rationale for the
course, and describing context of environment
where the problem exists.The
four sections were fairly easy to compose.The
need section was in ways the pitch of my
topic, which ended with me stating for points
on how the course will be helpful.My
standards section addressed my requirements
and expectations of the learners.The
background/rationale section further explained
why learning various elements about
housing/home management is important.Lastly,
the fourth section, describing where problems
might exist within the course, explained how
learners will be able to troubleshoot issues
in Chief Architect.
Learner
& Task Analysis
Created around the same time, a learner
and task analysiswas written.These
sections were important.The
reason I say this is simple, 1) I needed to
list characteristics about who could take the
course, and 2) I needed a listing of tasks and
materials involved throughout the course.
Starting with the learner
analysis, I thought of basic requirements for
my learner’s characteristics.I
envisioned the average age of my learners at
16.If
you look at my document, you will see that the
specific characteristics I set were fairly
reasonable.I wanted to ensure that the learners
would be capable of utilizing a computer,
comprehending the readings, and physically
capable of using the software (motor skills
and visual ability).
Thinking about the numerous
folders I had to create for my course, I
figured I might as well decide on my main
shell folders.Based from several Instructional
Technology courses, I knew I wanted a
syllabus, content, coursework, announcements,
discussions, tools, and a my grades folder in
the main shell of the course.These
folders offer a great way of keeping the
course organized.If
you look at my task analysisportion of
the document, you will see within the second
task I have the listings of the folders I want
for my course shell (this analysis was more so
of a script as opposed to an analysis).The
third task stems off of the second, conveying
how the material will appear in the folder.The
remainder of the task analysis followed a
similar process, explaining what would be
entailed within a syllabus, coursework, and
tutorial folder.
Design
Goals &
Objectives
I developed three different types
of goals for this project.I
developed 1) goal to promote interaction among
students, 2) goal to promote the content, and
3) goals to promote students’ well-being.
First, thinking about the harder
goals, I wanted to create a course that was
challenging yet comprehensive, I decided that
that could be a goal.At
first uncertain on how I was going to assess
this goal, the ideas for objectives rushed to
me.This
goal in ways became the foundation for my
learner’s expectations.If
you look at the objectives in goal
4,
you will see my objectives encouraged the
learner to envision, and design and produce
images from what they have learned.Knowing
what I wanted the learners to do, I still
needed to determine how I would distribute
content to my learners.I
had to decide if using multiple learning
strategies would be effective, and if so,
which strategies would be more beneficial?
Second, writing the easier goals
and objectives (the goals and objectives
dealing with course content); I was able to
complete a large portion of my goals
and objectivessection with
minimal difficulty.Looking
at the goals and objectives link I provided,
you will notice that I have bulleted common
troubleshooting issues, as well as features
within Chief Architect.All
of these issues/features were placed in
objectives.
Reading several chapters from my
Distance Education textbook, I knew that all
of my goals for the project could not solely
focus on learning content.Instead,
I had to also consider the well-being of the
student.I needed to establish goals that might
aid in the releasing of tensions or fears
about an online course.
The third goal I had considered
was how to relieve my learner’s fears about
the course, and ensuring the learners are
engaged in providing feedback.Within
my goals and objective, found under the
heading Instructional Strategies
on page 6, you will see how variables ranging
from content to comfort were considered for
this project.I contrasted from content to comfort by
simply creating various discussion boards.My
strategy was not only to cause interaction
amongst learners, but to help form
bonds/relationships. I thought it would be
good for students to share more than course
content with one another.Students
should also be able to share and express their
feelings amongst one another.
Instructional
Strategies
Transitioning into writing my
instructional strategies, I had to envision
how my content would appear and impact my
learners.Placing an emphasis on retention levels
for my learners, my instructional strategies
focused on implementing two learning
strategies in each objective. The reason that
I took this approach is because I experienced
a similar structure in the IT program.Thinking
about my online courses, I can recall having
at least two learning strategies entangled
with each assignment.Whether
it originated from reading an article,
summarizing the article, and commenting on
other peers articles, multiple learning
strategies were used.If
you pay attention to my instructional
strategies (Starting on page 6), you will
notice that the reader is doing a combined
task of some sort.For
instance, within objective 1.4 I wrote,
“Reading about security issues with hardware
locks, the student will express what steps
they are taking to ensure that they can avoid
hardware lock issues.”The
learner was asked to 1) read, and 2) write
about how they can avoid the problem they just
read.This can be seen on pages 7 within the
Instructional Strategiessection.This
approach to maintaining high levels of
retention is evident throughout my entire
instructional strategy section (pages 6-17).
Rationale
behind Instructional Strategies
This section in my documentation
explained my
rationalefor 1)
standards I created for learners giving
feedback, 2) purpose for implementing certain
strategies, and 3) the structuring of the
course’s content.
Dialogue was an important aspect
of my course.I needed to make sure that my learners
would be able to make connections from
real-world experiences to their learning.I
wanted my learners to incorporate a level of
humanization within the course.Not
to mention, I had to try and help my learners
create attachments and bonds/relationships
(will occur through the learner’s level of
engagement).So, I decided that each learner had to
at least respond to two peers per assignment.Students
were to post what they had learned within 200
words; and the learners had to share their
experience from the assignment.
Determining which learning
strategies I would use, I reflected on the
tool my learners would be working with.Concluding
that writing procedural steps might be
confusing, I decided since the software was
visual-based, I should implement tutorials.The
tutorials could state the objectives of the
video, and list steps occurring within the
video.Another
strategy I included required the learners to
do readings.Finding articles on significant or
meaningful issues in home building, readings
would be assigned to educate and cause
learners to integrate past and current
knowledge.For further clarity behind my rationale
for selecting these learning strategies, look
at the second paragraph on page 18.
Being a fan of presentation, I
knew the structure of my course could
overwhelm my learners if not handled properly.So,
what structural concerns did I need to address
or be concerned of?Well
first off, I didn’t want my learners fretting
over coursework/assignments.Instead
of having my learners see all of the
assignments on one page, I placed assignments
into weekly folders.Second,
I wondered if I should post the weekly
assignment folders bi-weekly.Or
should I have all of the folders posted in the
course at the beginning of the semester?Uncertain
of my learner’s preference, but knowing I
prefer to know what precedes me, I decided all
of the weekly folders should be posted at the
beginning of the semester.For
the students wanting to look ahead, they would
be capable of doing so.
Learner
Assessment
Like all projects, a means of
assessing my learners was a question I needed
to answer. Placing
myself
in the shoes of a teacher, as opposed to a
designer, I knew a prototype or pilot test
would not be acceptable for this project.Instead,
I had to reflect and ask myself “how did my
teachers evaluate me?”My
answer was this: I typically completed a
survey midway and at the end of a semester.For
some classes, my work/efforts were measured or
graded by a rubric(seen at the
bottom of page 17).Probably
one of the more rewarding assessments though,
was the assessment of self (this can be
received by feedback from peers/professors).Seeing
how
all of these types of assessment worked for
me, I figured “why try to fix something that’s
not broken?”So I figured I would assess my learners
with those three assessments.Refer
to page 19, Definition of Success.
Building
the
Course
Learning to
use the Learning Management System (LMS)
The last phase of this project’s
life cycle was learning how to use the
features within Demo Dokeos.This
was an assignment in itself.Appearing
easy
enough at first glance, there were mechanical
issues that I faced in utilizing this media.For
instance, when I tried creating a new folder
in the main shell, I thought I accomplished
this task by creating a new folder within the
Downloads folder.I
was incorrect.My folder was only accessible after
selecting the downloads folder in the main
shell.I
discovered quickly that I could not add nor
edit the names of main shell folders.
Unable to create the main shell
folders that I originally labeled and outlined
in my documentation (task analysis– page 5 in
documentation), I needed to reassess how I
wanted to proceed.Observing
the folder titles provided by Demo Dokeos, I
had to select which folders I would keep or
discard.After deliberating which folders I
would use, I needed to choose which main
folders would contain what information.Seeing
how there was an assignment folder within the
main shell, I could make that folder my
coursework folder.Having
to compromise with using the document folder,
I decided to create a syllabus and video
folder within that folder.
The easiest task in Demo Dokeos
for me was inserting YouTube videos in my
video folder.Being nothing more than selecting a
link option, copying a URL from YouTube, and
pasting it in Demo Dokeos, inserting videos
was simple.To best ensure that my learners learned
how to use the feature of interest (walls,
bathrooms, kitchen, etc.); I selected two
videos for each feature.One
video was a tutorial I created, and the other
video was a tutorial I thought was
informative, resembling my own, and easy to
follow.
Producing
Assignments
Creating the material for the
online course was time extensive.I
had to enter a vast amount of material in a
variety of folders.The
repetitiveness of this process made it feel
longer than it should have been.The
first task, pertaining to inserting
information, dealt with me trying to create my
weekly assignments.Seeming
like a never-ending task, repetitive in
organization and sentence structure, editing
aspects in the assignment folder took more
time than expected.A
funny feature about mediums like Demo Dokeos
though, is that if you step away from your
computer for a while, you will be booted out,
lose what you were working on, and have to log
back in.This happened to me a couple times when
I was working on my weekly assignments.After
getting booted off the second time, I started
writing my weekly assignments in Microsoft
Office.Then
I would copy and paste my assignment(s)
in Demo Dokeos.
Creating
the Syllabus
I also had to create a syllabus,
and additional documents such as the Course
Project Assignment,
and the Final
Reflection Assignment.Taking
less time to compose, these documents were
necessary for my learners to have.I
know this strategy was helpful for me.In
my past courses, if I did not post anything
within a discussion board, knowing that others
were posting what I was feeling was good to
know.Also,
being able to see how the grades were going to
be weighed (project is worth x%, reflection
posts are worth x %), might help the learner
prioritize the importance of assignments, such
as the Course Project Assignment.However,
weighing
projects is something that should not be taken
lightly.Weighing assignments takes careful
consideration.It is important to have some kind of
balance.I did not want the Course Project
Assignment to be valued too much over general
assignments.This would cause for students to be
more susceptible to blowing off smaller
assignments, especially knowing those
assignments did not accumulate to be a
substantial portion of their grade.
Reflecting
on my project
Before this project, I had no
idea how much work teachers place into
preparing an online course.I
had underestimated the amount of time
professors, as well as instructional designers
place into creating online courses.Depending
how an instructor organizes and structures
their course, it can either be chaotic or
pleasant.When
I say chaotic, I specifically mean not being
able to know what my coursework load will be
like from week to week.Being
unaware of the instructor’s expectations on
what a good and bad response/post looks like.And
last, if a course has a vast amount of content
in one folder or section that looks never
ending.A
course can be pleasant when the following
issues are taken into consideration, and
relationships/bonds are able to be made within
the community/course.Students
must be able to relate or share their
experiences.Typically adults are more invested in
learning when course content is relevant and
practical, applying to the learner’s life. As I
learned in IT 500, with Adult Learning Theory,
in order to make connections, the learners
must be encouraged to discuss their
experiences, whether past or present.Being
able to make connections on a personal level
offers stronger correlations towards learning.This
is what I believe makes the IT program so
successful.
Program Goal 1 - IT 597
Executive
Summary
Within
Design Studio II (IT 597), I was tasked with
incorporating multimedia in learning.Choosing
to create several tutorials about an architect
software called Chief Architect; I had to
produce interactive instructional
videos/tutorials.This
project required a great deal of envisioning,
as well as an outline/script to ensure all
elements and features in the videos were
addressed.The design of the project was developed
from documentation, entailing what goals,
objectives, and how the tutorial(s) would be
presented.The
production of this project used a variety of
mediums, responsible for the recording of
instruction and the implementation of
captions.
The
evaluation method used in relaying the quality
of the tutorials was through a user assessment
test known as a Think a Loud Protocol.This
protocol assisted me in making changes
preferred by my users.Overall,
this protocol resulted in higher levels of
retention and clarity about certain features
used in Chief Architect.The
Rapid Prototyping model (a non-linear approach
allows for the quick development of a product,
offering flexibility between the design and
development phase) was used to help prompt
feedback assisting me in the revision of my
project.This non-linear approach allows for the
quick development of a product, offering
flexibility between the design and development
phase
Project’s
Life
Cycle
Envision
I
wanted to do something that I hadn’t done
before.I
have created websites, made audio tutorials,
and paper-based instruction before.I
wanted to do something different.In
search of looking for something new, I for
some reason was going through a phase where
architecture was on my mind.I
was imagining what I wanted my dream home to
look like.Not
thinking at the time that there might be
software that could help me design my home, a
couple of days before my topic/proposal were
due, it hit me that there is probably
architect software.Curious,
I
did a web search trying to find any free
architect software that I could.Next
thing I know, I stumbled onto Chief Architect.
I was
Impressed with the features within Chief
Architect, and the numerous videos I found on
YouTube. I
was adamant that I could do my project on
Chief Architect.I was able to storm through the problem
section of my proposal.Deciding
which design approach I wanted to use for this
project did not come as easily; but it wasn’t
a toss-up.Since I was going to be making videos
(which do not take too much time to create
when a script is provided), a rapid prototype
approach seemed effective.
Differing
slightly
from most courses in the IT program, this
course required me to do a Jury Writing while
working on this project.Required
to do this writing in the early stages of the
project, this assignment helped create my Project Scope(the
explanation of my projects envision phase).
When
envisioning my project, I needed to take time
and discover how I was going to begin the
project. Overall, I wanted my user(s) to be
able to construct their own home.My
logic was, this should draw out
characteristics of that person’s creativity
and envisioning abilities.I
wanted the user to be able to achieve these
wants through multiple user-friendly
tutorials, instructing the individual on how
to proceed with their own ideal house.So
my primary question was, “how will this be
goal/want be met?”Within
my envision portion of my Project Scope (Seen
on page 1), I found myself physically
exploring Chief Architect without any
instruction/guidance.Noting
my initial reactions (first experience) with
Chief Architect, I compiled a list of
responses, reactions, and thoughts that I had.My
list of reactions can be seen in blue text in
my Project Scopedocument
(Seen on pages 1 and 2).Thinking
other learners might have similar issues, I
had to work on resolving problems with user
ability and knowledge about features.
Straying
from more common ways of constructing
documentation, my documentation merely
addressed the objectives in each video, and
the steps involved.Seeing
how I would be using screen recording software
(BB Flashback Express) to capture my
instruction, an initial presentation section
seemed like it would have been repetitive.I
was aware that I would need to follow my
directions/steps and explain what I was doing.Within
the link, you will see what I meant when I
said I strayed from more common approaches to
constructing my documentation.You
will notice each heading starts with a “V” and
a number, followed by the name of the feature
being discussed.The “V” signifies that there will be a
video on whichever feature (walls, bathrooms,
floors, etc.).
Design
Being
aware of what to consider before designing my
tutorials, my next phase was determining what
points I wanted to discuss /present in the
video(s).I wanted the design of my videos to
have a simple structure/format, allowing the
learner to comprehend the video with ease.To
make sure I wasn’t missing any information, I
thought creating a list or script would help
me stay organized when making my tutorials.This
list would contain my objectivesfor the
video, and the steps applied in the video.Within
my design section, I also had to determine how
I was going to make my tutorials interactive.One
thing that I have learned in previous classes
is that good instruction must be interactive.In
IT510, we called this “generative.”In
IT486, we discussed “interaction” as being
with the self, with others, with content, or
with teachers.”But, how do I make a video interactive?A
learner can’t “generate” in a video.Seeking
the advice of Dave, he pointed out to me that
sometimes a well-placed question can at least
make a learner interact with themselves:“Do
you remember the steps needed to complete the
task you just learned?”So,
I realized that my videos could have
interaction.To see when this question was added in
the tutorials, as well as the time given to my
learners to answer the question, look at the
second paragraph on page 3 in my design
section.Lastly, this portion of my Project
Scope explained what I wanted my users to
assess and provide feedback on when applying
the rapid prototype method. .This
can be seen on page 3 paragraph 3.
Having
to write all of the steps in each video was
the most time consuming aspect of my
documentation.This required me to familiarize myself
with Chief Architect, and research how to use
and implement each feature.Next,
after I confirmed the steps I had learned from
other sources were valid (applying the steps
they suggested); I had to write all of the
steps that occurred.
Prototype
1
Not
being my first time making an educational
tutorial, I had forgotten how frustrating
recording can be.I
thought that creating these videos would only
take five minutes, but I found myself working
on each video for 30-60 minutes.I
did not want to record over material, so I
ended up restarting my videos quite a few
times.After
recording a videoI deemed
worth keeping, I then imported the file into
an AVI and opened the file in Windows Live
Movie Maker.In Movie Maker, I was able to create
the tutorials title page, and insert captions
towards the end of the video, recapping the
steps that occurred.Not
wanting a list at the end of the video, I made
sure to have the captions of each step appear
as they were mentioned.
I did
not use a word for word script.That
seemed rigid.Therefore, I referred to the steps I
had written in my documentation instead of
writing a script.After
creating tutorials in IT 596 (prerequisite
class prior to 597), I learned that having an
outline helps.Helping me stay organized, discussing
my steps in order, an outline turned out to be
useful.Without
an outline, I would have forgotten steps.
Think
A Loud Protocol
I
wanted to use a rapid prototyping approach. I
needed to determine how I wanted the
prototypes to be evaluated.So I
had to answer if I wanted my users to provide
an unstructured type of feedback?Or
did I want my users to be more organized in
how they assessed my feedback?Wanting
my feedback to be more structured, I decided a
Think a Loud Protocol would be efficient for
this project (a method which allows designers
to observe and understand the reactions and
verbal responses of an individual using a
product).I felt the best way of interpreting my
findings would be through video recordings.
The
method used to gather this information
consisted of users being stationed at my
computer desk, and utilizing my PC.The
users had minimal to no noise distractions
(they were in a room with the door closed,
removed from other people).The
users were recorded from a side view, in order
to capture both facial expressions and what on
the screen they were reacting to.
While
recorded, the users were asked to state if
anything stuck out to them, needed further
explanation, or did not make sense.After
completing the videos, the users were then
asked to create a home design, showcasing that
they understood the material shown within the
videos.However,
while creating the home, they were supposed to
state if they were facing any difficulties, if
they forgot how to do something, if there is
an easier way to get to a feature or tool, as
well as their overall feelings with the
software.
Feedback
on Prototype
I
assessed my prototype by using a Think a Loud
Protocol.The protocol assessed whether my users
were capable of creating a home with the
tutorials I produced.I
asked my users, as they were recorded, to
watch two sections of my prototype:Exterior
& interior walls and doors & windows.I
was able to gather great feedback.While
they watched these sections of my prototype,
they simply talked out loud, offering their
reactions to what they were seeing.
The
main problem that I was aware of before
conducting this user assessment was the
quality of the video.My
first user quickly addressed that issue in the
first tutorial.Unfortunately, the screen recording
software I had used did not make it possible
for me to enhance the quality of the video.
Having to import and export the video feed
multiple times, resulted in the reduction of
quality.
A
suggestion one of my users offered was having
all steps in each video placed in a table.The
user felt showing each step individually would
result in forgetting steps.Apparently
the user said they did not remember what the
first step was by the time they had reached
the fifth step, within the recapping portion
of the video.Fortunately, this was not an issue with
the other user.Ironically
though, the user claiming to have forgotten
the first step in the video was able to
successfully use the software without any
hesitation or questions.Both
users successfully navigated through the
software without any problems.No
one had extensively long pauses, or pauses at
all for that matter.Each
user was able to remember and carry out each
step stated within the tutorials with only
having to watch the tutorials once.
Overall,
each user stated that they enjoyed using the
software.They stated that the software was easy
to use, and that they might strongly consider
using a software program like Chief Architect
to design their future home or remodel a
section of their home.Shown
within the links below are two drafts of my
first prototypes of exterior/interior walls,
and windows and doors:
I did
not take notes within the protocol (since my
users were being recorded), but I kept mental
notes of how my users responded.Looking
at the recordings of the users, I not only
listened for feedback, but I also looked for
facial expressions.Expressions
such as grimaces, rising of eyebrows, smiles,
or anything of that nature was looked for.My
user’s body language and facial expressions
remained constant throughout the viewing of
the tutorial (they were relaxed, sitting
upright in their seat).It
was during the creating of their home that
brought about changes in posture and facial
expressions.While
creating their home, they leaned closer
towards the computer screen, and smiled when
they had completed a feature to their
satisfaction.
Another
form of feedback I received was from my peers
and Dave, within my Design Studio II
checkpoint.Below is a link providing possible
suggestions for improving my tutorials, within
this link you will see my reaction to each
ideal (in blue text) and whether or not I
implemented their suggestion(s).One
suggestion that really stood out to me from a
peer, supported a partial idea from one of my
users in the Think A Loud Protocol, was adding
a table.I was more prone to dismissing the idea
because it came from one person; however,
being favored by more people swayed my stance.
I redesignedmy videos in
attempt to find a balance.I
wanted to ensure my videos were interactive. This
was to deter my audience from feeling as if
they were in a lecture, being buried with
material.The new design of my videos accompanied
one of my user’s ideas of listing the steps of
the procedures that I was teaching after I
taught them.However, instead of inserting this list
at the end of the video, I followed advice
from Dave and another classmate and placed the
list at the beginning of the video, which made
the list an advanced organizer.So,
the learner was then able to see the steps
they were going to undergo, and were allowed
the chance to recap over each individual step
at the end of the instruction.I
began my videos by stating the feature being
taught and the objectives of the video; and
once I begun to speak about the first step, I
would then illustrate the steps (in a table)
needed to complete the feature being taught.
