A Model for Effective Online Instructional Design PDF

Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 A Model for Effective Online Instructional Design Li-Ling Chen California State University at East Bay, USA...

Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 A Model for Effective Online Instructional Design Li-Ling Chen California State University at East Bay, USA Abstract With the ever-increasing popularity of online effectively, to assist and support learners, and to instruction in education or e-learning in corporate promote engaging, meaningful, and active learning. training, there is a strong need for developing an Therefore, it is essential now more than ever as more effective instructional design model to facilitate the and more learning shifts to online. development and delivery of online learning The purpose of this paper is to address principles environments. A poor-designed online course often of effective online instructional design and then to confuses online students, loses their focus, and propose a stand-alone online ID model, particularly makes them feel frustrated. Online students will not relevant for online course development with the know where to start, what to do, when to consideration of learning theories and pedagogical communicate, and how to learn if an online course is philosophy. The proposed ISD model in this paper not well-designed. Thus, developing a pedagogically will effectively guide an online instructor and effective instructional design model is essential now educator to better design a quality online course more than ever as more and more learning moves to which promotes and enhances online students’ focus virtual classrooms. on active and engaging learning. 1. Introduction 2. Literature review In the past decade, online instruction continues to The review of literature will start from reviewing grow rapidly. With the popularity of online the two most frequently mentioned traditional ISD instruction in education, there is a strong need for a models, ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, pedagogically effective instructional design model Implementation, and Evaluation) and Dick, Carey, for online education to facilitate the development and and Carey’s model. Then, the literature review will delivery of engaging online learning environments. examine the current five ISD models or standards A poorly designed online course often makes that are mostly cited and applied for designing and students get lost, loses their interests, and feels developing an online or a hybrid class. distressed. If an online course is not well-designed, students will not know where to start, what to do, 2.1 Traditional ISD models when to communicate, and how to learn. The status will become even worse if a student is still learning Instructional design models have some history in how to operate the technology aspects of an online education and thus many instructional design models course. With unclear instruction, ambiguous exist yet few are specific to course design for online organization, and inefficient applications, the focus teaching and learning. The two most frequently cited of online learners will be on technology, not on traditional ID models are the ADDIE model and learning which creates more obstacles for online Dick, Carey, and Carey’s model. The ADDIE learners. model offers five universal course design principles: Instructional design (ID) also called instructional Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, systematic design (ISD) is “the practice of creating and Evaluation (ADDIE). instructional experiences which make the acquisition Like all ID models, both pros and cons have been of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and claimed with ADDIE. Its advantages include: appealing". An effective ISD model benefits providing structured guidance for design, serving as both instructors and learners. An instructional design a valuable checklist to ensure a solid course design, serves as a framework and also a tool that provides and including a great focus on implementation and guidance for the structure and organization of a evaluation. The disadvantages of ADDIE include course design. With systematic guidance, it helps to that the analysis step is not being broad enough in lead learners to focus on a topic quickly and to the design process; the model is too linear and not remove distractions, yet it still allows learners to take flexible; and it does not encourage inspiration. control of their learning. It also helps instructors to Sequentially similar to the ADDIE model, Dick, organize contents, to sequence instruction Carey, and Carey’s ISD model is more specific and rigid to each instructional step. Their model focuses on real-world settings, considers learners’ Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2303 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 needs, assesses learners’ prior knowledge levels, and model with the addition of two phases, Execution integrates learning and performance context into the and Review. design. The model is well accepted and respected in higher education and business settings because it is well-researched and it relies heavily on theoretical principles of learning. Although Dick, Carey, and Carey claim that their ISD model is also applicable to online instructional design, many educators criticize that their model is “rigid, cumbersome, driven by predetermined objectives, thus incompatible with learner- determined objectives. The model is also instructor- focused, assumes the learner is a consumer of content and materials, and not active in the learning process”. Apparently, both ADDIE and Dick, Carey, and Carey’s models provide a great guidance for designing instruction. At the same time, critics of the models also indicate that they are too linear and inflexible. Their designing process is also driven by Figure 1. Alonso, Lopez, Manrique, and Vines’ e- predetermined instructional objectives which are learning instructional model with a blended learning contradictory to learner-centered learning with approach learner-determined objectives. This IDOL model, designed and proposed by 2.2 Online instructional design models Siragusa, Dixon, and Dixon , gears toward online course design in higher education with three Although distance education has been existing for proposed main steps: analysis, strategy, and a long time, the history of online instruction or e- evaluation. One can tell that the model derives from learning has just started in early 1990’s. Thus, there the two above-mentioned traditional instructional are few online instructional design models, theories, design models, ADDIE and Dick, Carey and Carey’s and standards exist. Literature review reveals that model. It presents 24 pedagogical considerations there are five instructional design models, theories, when designing an online learning. The main and standards relevant to online instruction or e- drawback of the model for online design is that it is learning design. They are: (1) Alonso, Lopez, only recommended for use alongside with other ID Manrique, and Vines’ E-Learning instructional models and is inefficient to use alone for designing model, (2) the Instructional Design Model for Online an online course. Learning (IDOL), (3) Roblyer’s online and blended Roblyer’s instructional design model was learning design theory, (4) the online instruction proposed in his book, entitled “Introduction to rubric by Quality Online Learning and Teaching Systematic Instructional Design for Traditional, (QOLT), and (5) Quality Matters (QM) Publisher Online, and Blended Environments” published in Rubric. Each of the model or rubric will be 2015. His theory also draws from ADDIE and described and reviewed below. Dick, Carey, and Carey’s model. Besides the In 2005, Alonso, Lopez, Manrique, and Vines traditional instructional design process, he proposes proposed a web-based e-learning education model how to organize traditional, online, and blended with a blended learning approach. They describe learning environments. Strictly speaking, it is not an their model is “a psychopedagogical instructional online instructional design model but just model based on content structure, the latest research suggestions and considerations for online into information processing psychology and social instructional design. contructivism, and define a blended approach to the The rubric for online instruction by QOLT was learning process” (p. 217). They claimed that the first released in 2010. It is a state-wide program purpose of their model is “for learners to be engaged developed by the California State University System. by the e-learning contents to the extent that they get It provides a framework for online course design and to understand things that they did not comprehend delivery and it also serves as a means for supporting before. This will make them ready to practice and in developing online instruction. According to QOLT take action to perform new activities.” (p. 222). , the rubric can be used for designing online In their model, there are seven main steps: learning in two ways: “1. as a course "self- Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, evaluation" tool - advising instructors how to revise Execution, Evaluation, and Review (See Figure 1.). an existing course to the Rubric for Online Apparently, their model was built upon ADDIE Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2304 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 Instruction. 2. As a way to design a new course for with small portion of online components, to high the online environment, following the rubric as a portion of online components, or to an entirely online road map.” Although the rubric provides a great class. An online instructor needs to identify which checklist to design online courses, it overlooks the course format that he/she would like to adopt for actual implementation and evaluation of an online instruction first. The course format identification instruction. will help the instructor to better identify instructional Quality Matters Publisher Rubric was created objectives. by Quality Matters (QM), a non-profit organization After a course format is set, an instructor can dedicated to assure the quality of online and blended move the step to identify instructional objectives. instruction. There are two sets of rubric: one for When identifying instructional objectives for online higher education and the other one for K-12 courses, online instructors should consider questions, education. The rubric was created to address the need such as what are the terminal objectives for the of design standards for higher education and K-12 online or blended course? Are the terminal objectives educational settings to guide the design of online and mandated by the institution that the online course blended instruction. The QM rubric is also a great will be offered? Is there any flexibility that the guide for designing online courses. Like QOLT instructor can create his/her terminal objectives for rubric, the actual delivery, implementation, and the learners? assessment of an online instruction are not When terminal objectives or course objectives are addressed. set, instructors should identify their learners’ needs and characteristics. With the understanding of the 3. A pedagogically effective model for needs and characteristics of the learners, online online instructional design instructors can better identify technologies to maximize their students’ learning. For example, Based on the literature review, we can find that instructors can better choose a technology tool to there are some basic principles for designing and incorporate into their online course design if they developing an effective online course. The basic know their student’s prior experience of technology principles can be theorized and diagramed as an use. Another example is an online instructor can online course design model (See Figure 2.). There chose a delivery system that complies with Section are five main principles or steps in the model: 508 if there are students with disabilities in his/her Identify, Choose, Create, Engage, and Evaluate online class. (ICCEE). The unique characteristic in the model is Then, online instructors have to identify and that all main steps and their associated sub-steps analyze the learning context. Different from majorly follow a sequential order, yet they can be in traditional teaching which classrooms or computer circular order as well. By following the model, an labs are the main learning contexts, online learning online instructor can maximize the efficiency of context for online instruction focuses on web-based designing an online course. online learning environments. It is very essential for online instructors to provide a comfortable, safe, and collegial online learning environment for their online learners. After appropriate technologies have been identified to use for delivering an online course, an online instructor can now move to identify appropriate pedagogical strategies. In this stage, online instructors can ask themselves what learning and teaching approaches that he/she would like to apply, behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, project-based learning, or student-centered learning? Step 2: Choose. After identifying appropriate necessary formats and elements for an online instruction, then an online instructor can begin to choose. At this stage, online instructors choose Figure 2. Online instructional design model content organization layout which is a way to organize their online course contents and materials, Step 1: Identify. Because the nature of an online linear or nonlinear. Choosing content organization course is very different from a traditional face to face format is essential in this step as it influences course and a hybrid course, identifying a course students’ first impression of the online courses as format becomes essential in the initial process when well as their access to and navigation of the course designing an online course. Course formats range contents. Poorly organized online course contents from totally face-to-face class to blended courses Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2305 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 will confuse its learners, and make them lose media technology usually will help in facilitating patience to navigate around. dynamic communication. After content organization layout has been Step 4: Engage. According to a research report, chosen, online instructors need to choose effective online learning tends to have a high drop-out rate , technology tools to facilitate various online , how to retain and engage online learners activities. For example, online discussion is one of becomes essential. According to Willging and the major activities for online learning, online Johnson , the factors which cause online students instructors need to choose effective technology tools to drop out from online courses include isolation, to facilitate online interaction and communication. A disconnectedness, and technological problems. user friendly online discussion tool will ease Therefore, in the implementation stage for an online students’ anxiety as well as promote a more dynamic course, online instructors should focus on the process online discussion. For content presentation, online of how to carry out the online learning. Casimiro instructors can choose technology that is familiar to proposed five conditions that could have supported students or easy to use to present information to the engagement of online student: nature of students. discussion questions, the mitigating factors for the In this planning stage, online instructors will level of student response, learning community, have to choose appropriate resources to help their student characteristics, and teacher facilitation. He learners learn or enhance their learning. The furthermore claims that “of these five, the nature of resources can include both curriculum related discussion questions, quality of student response, and resources, technical support resources, and learning community appeared to be the best to university-based mentoring supporting resources. promote cognitive engagement” (P. 441). According Step 3: Create. The third step is to create or to to the author’s conclusion, online instructors can develop. At this step, online instructors start building engage students from three perspectives: academic, and creating intuitive course path or flow, create social, and emotion. To engage learners instructional methods and materials for content academically in an online class, online instructors presentation, assignment, and assessment, create could provide prompt feedback for students’ interactive communication methods, and create performance in their assignments and projects as supporting materials for students. well as their questions regarding technological To build and create intuitive course path or flow, issues. Providing immediate feedback for students’ online instructors can work with their institutionally questions will ease out student’s worry and keep designated instructional designer to sketch or story students stay in their online class. Offering prompt board about the course site architecture in a learning and just-in-time feedback for students’ assignments management system. At this stage, online instructors and projects allows learners to track their progress have to decide whether they would like to display and keep on task. their course contents in a linear or hierarchical way. Student’s feeling of isolation in an online class is They also have to decide how to cluster their course another influential drop-out factor and it can also be contents in order to enhance their students’ learning. detrimental for student’s learning. Building a After course site architecture has been decided, positive online learning community is the key to online instructors can move to create and develop solve the problem. Online instructors can apply materials for instructional content presentation, various technology tools to facilitate and promote the assignments, and assessment. Creating and establishment of online learning environment. The developing instructional materials require a logical tools include: traditional text-based discussion plan and organization. For course contents involving boards, forums, multimedia-based discussion boards, multimedia, online instructors can work such as VoiceThread, wiki, or course texting collaboratively with professional staff in faculty functions, such as Remind, to establish an online support offices to make sure audio, video, and learning community. To make sure the learning graphics all work smoothly and comply with community is comfortable, safe, and positive, online accessibility regulation. Assignment submission and instructors should set online netiquette guidelines for assessment feedback also need to create logically and their learners before the class starts. While transparently so that online students can track their implementing or delivering an online class, online progress for improvement. instructors should facilitate and monitor their online When instructional materials, assignments, and discourse in all discussion platforms constantly. assessment methods have all been in place, online To engage online learners emotionally, online instructors have to focus on how to create and instructors can apply some instructional strategies to facilitate interactive communication methods. The increase student’s confidence level. When students establishment of an interactive communication or feel confidence in an online class, they will have a building a robust online learning community is one better chance to succeed. Strategies to increase of the major keys in determining the success of an student’s confidence in an online class include: online instruction. In this stage, applying a social providing extra credit, offering visual or musical aid, Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2306 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 and so on. “A picture is more than 1000 words.” proved the effectiveness of the model in her online Providing visual or musical aid can help students, instruction, it is suggested that more empirical especially for the second language learners, to researches can be done. comprehend the new materials easier. This includes assessments that require online learners to 5. Conclusion demonstrate mastery. Step 5: Evaluate. The final step in this model is The proposed ICCEE model can provide online evaluation. Student assessment should be holistic and educators or instructors an effective guidance and formative. Online instructors can evaluate students’ checklist when designing online course materials. A performance with multiple strategies, such as proper implementation of the model can support projects, presentation, assignments, test, online student’s engagement, involvement, communication posts, etc. Students’ performance in motivation, and focus on learning. The five basic an online class should also be evaluated principles are in a both linear and circular process. progressively and periodically. Online instructors That is, online instructors can return back to any should also evaluate the effectiveness of their previous step to modify their instructional design instructional methods and materials by checking with while they develop or deliver online instruction. The their online students either via survey, questionnaire, end goal of the online instructional design model is interview, online observations, or others. to assist online instructors to better design online courses or lessons, to facilitate online students 4. Discussion focusing on their learning, and to promote active teaching and learning. There are several advantages of applying the five principles proposed in this model for online course 6. References design. First, the model is built upon with considerations from traditional ID models as well as Alonso, F., Lopez, G., Manrique, D., & Vines, J. M., currently existing online ID models. Furthermore, (2005). An instructional model for web-based e-learning both pedagogical approaches and learning theories education with a blended learning process approach, are also taken into account. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(2), 217- Second, it is well-designed by outlining 235. http://www.fisme.science.uu.nl/publicaties/ conceptual framework for online instruction. The literatuur/2005_modelforwebbasedelearning.pd (April 28, 2016) researcher has received state wide recognitions and awards for her outstanding online course design and Casimiro, L. T., (2016). Cognitive engagement in teaching and also has accessed to numerous online intercultural interactions: Beyond analytics, exemplary online courses. To develop the model, she International Journal of Information and Education and her research team had listed essential elements Technology, 6(6), 441-447. of the theoretical framework for online instruction based on the examination of various online courses. Dick, W., Carey, L., & Carey, J. O., (2014). The They reviewed online courses, made tables and systematic design of instruction. 8th Ed. New Jersey: charts to compare ID theories and elements that were Pearson Education, Inc. used for the online course design. Haynie, D., Experts debate graduation rates for online Third, the model is flexible. Online instructors students. US News: Education, http://www.usnews.com can tailor the instructional sub-steps in the model to /education/online-education/articles/2015/01/30/experts meet their own specific online teaching needs. In -debate-graduation-rates-for-online-students (Jan. 30, addition, online instructors can go back to previous 2015). steps to revise their course design and contents if they deem a need. Merrill, M. D., Drake, L., Lacy, M. J., & Pratt, J., Fourth, the model is learner-centered. According (1996). Reclaiming instructional design. Educational to the model, online instructors have to identify their Technology, 36(5), 5–7. learner’s needs, prior knowledge, characteristics, and learning context in order to provide appropriate Molenda, M., (2003). In search of the elusive ADDIE model. Performance Improvement, 42(5), 34-37. instruction that matches their students’ learning needs. The model considers the importance of Morrison, D., (2013). “Start here”: Instructional design engaging learners from academically, socially, and models for online courses. Online Learning Insights. emotionally which has not been taken into account in https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/tag/online- any of the existing five ISD models related to online pedagogy-2/page/5/ (April 25, 2016) instruction. The proposed ICCEE (Identify, Choose, Create, Quality Matters (2015). QM publisher rubric: Engage, and Evaluate) model is still in its infancy. https://www.qualitymatters.org/ (May 1, 2016) Although the researcher has adopted, tested out, and Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2307 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 Quinn, C., (2010). The great ADDIE debate. http://blog.learnlets.com/?p=1489. (Access date: May 5, 2016). Roblyer, M. D., (2015). Introduction to systematic instructional design for traditional, online, and blended environments. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Rubric for Online Instruction (2010). QOLT (Quality Online Teaching and Learning). http://courseredesign. csuprojects.org/wp/qolt/(Access date: May 5, 2016) Siragusa, L., Dixon, K. C., & Dixon, R., (2007). Designing quality e-learning environments in higher education. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/ singapore07/procs/siragusa.pdf (Access date: May 1, 2016) Willging, P. A. & Johnson, S. A., (2004). Factors that influence students’ decision to drop out of online courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 8(4), 105- 118. Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2308