What should be the focus of an instructional designer? Many of us create our designs in a neat box where we adhere to the application of design principles, i.e. define objectives, organize content, select media, determine learning events, and develop evaluation measures and hope for the best. After much research, after many chats with colleagues who value quality instructional design, perhaps the designer's focus should shift to the success of the participants, thus enabling them to perform at higher levels of competency.Questions I have pondered...If learners have done well on the post-test, does this mean that the course was successful? Does it mean that they will now do well performing that aspect of their job? Do I consider my course successful if the participants learned something they didn’t know before? Does success come from knowing things? Ohhhhh....the angst.
According to an article entitled, Designing Outside the Box (http://www.learningcircuits.org/0308_allen.html), written for Training and Development by Michael W. Allen, instructional designers need to change their focus on the types of activities they create. Although Mr. Allen talks about e-learning, these same principles could be applied to our face-to-face and blended workshops as well. He breaks down instructional design into three learning phases: Pre-instructional Phase, Instructional Phase and Performance Phase.
Pre-Instructional Phase - get them thinking about change
This is the period just preceding the skill-building instruction. It is the time for setting expectations for change. Change is a word that usually resonates negatively in the hearts and minds of many participants who may not want to be plucked out of their comfort zone. As an aside, brain researchers have actually discovered that the brain is wired to avoid change. It senses a sort of pain even when change is being contemplated. And haven't we all experienced painful change sometime in our lives?
Pre-Instructional Phase - get them thinking about change
This is the period just preceding the skill-building instruction. It is the time for setting expectations for change. Change is a word that usually resonates negatively in the hearts and minds of many participants who may not want to be plucked out of their comfort zone. As an aside, brain researchers have actually discovered that the brain is wired to avoid change. It senses a sort of pain even when change is being contemplated. And haven't we all experienced painful change sometime in our lives?
The pre-instructional phase should be used to get learners in the mindset of thinking about change by using exercises such as asking them to think about how things could be better and then having them describe how such improvements could occur. Better yet, the designer could present specific problems that ask learners to evaluate possible solutions. This will help them move forward to understand the need for change. According to design guru Bob Pike, “people don’t argue with their own data”. Can you imagine how powerful this type of opener would be? The end result of the pre-instructional phase would be to have the learners see the need and value of the change so that they will be more willing to commit to the concept and to the skill-building exercises that follow in the instructional phase.
When designers create icebreakers instead of openers with cutsey games that have no meaning , when they use statistics for a dramatic effect without making a connection for change, when they neglect to open their design by getting participants to think about the need for change, then they are way off target. The opener provides the perfect opportunity to get the need for change ball rolling. Designers - Instead of opting for pointless games and even less meaningful statistics, don't forego this opportunity to get them in the mindset for change.
Stay tuned to my next Blog where I will continue with the instructional and performance phases of Thinking Outside the Box.
I'm blogging out of here.Kyna
