Instruction Design
...refore if learning has to take place, the design has to be appropriate. For this, Instructional Designers should be involved in the process of designing programs where their role will be to provide advice on how the teaching should occur. Johnson and Foa (1989) states, "Instructional Designers are people who know how to generate, evaluate and communicate information. They have good questioning, listening, speaking and writing skills. They are curious about the content of each instructional situation and personally care whether or not the learner successfully acquires the necessary knowledge or skill". Instructional Design is concerned with the organization of many complex parts or elements, for the purpose of meeting learning outcomes. A system designed to meet identified outcomes includes the following: • an analysis of needs, goals, and priorities • identify learner characteristics • setting outcome or performance objectives for the total program and each element • analysis of outcomes or objectives (task analysis) • analysis of resources, constraints, and delivery systems • analysis of the learning environment • scope and sequence of curriculum • delivery system design • formative and summative evaluation The system is not directed at the production of materials or the actual teaching of the curriculum. The instructional design process is concerned with the analysis, planning, and evaluation of what needs to be learned, This system should be defined as a set of concepts or parts that work together to perform a particular function. There are four inputs necessary in the system to produce the product/service: • People: The workers making up a group and linked by the activity • Material: The products which go into the design • Technology: The technique for achieving a purpose or goal. • Time: The measured period from when the process begins til it ends. The Instructional Design product must also have one output in order to be functional. The output can be a material product, such as television or computer software. It may even have a service like an agency or some type of insurance policy. Viewing the instructional environment as a system creates a relationship among and between all the components of that system - the instructor, the learners, the materials, and the technology. When this procedure is followed, attention is drawn to considering the components of the system. The interaction of the components - learner, content, method/material, and environment - provides results in creating the type of learning experience necessary for student learning. These components must interact both efficiently and effectively to safeguard quality learning experiences. There should be a balance among the components. None can take on a higher precedence over the others. This equal interaction of the system's components safeguards that the instruction will reach the goal of learning by the participants. The characteristics of an effective Instructional Designer must be varied. Their skills must enable them to be able to create interactive courses that are del...