Tips for Selecting Software to Enhance Instructional Design

Instructors can use technology to enhance or replace instruction. One way to do this is by selecting a software package that fits your technology and instruction needs. Software packages fall into 5 categories:

• Drill and Practice-gives students the opportunity to answer questions and get immediate feedback.
• Tutorial-gives students information/instructions needed to master a specific topic.
• Simulation-gives students the opportunity to see systems at work and/or demonstrates underlying concepts.
  
• Instructional Games-gives students game rules for drills or simulation to increase motivation.
• Problem Solving-either teaches students directly how to solve problems or provides them with the opportunity to solve problems themselves.
  

Below are several tips to help in the software selection process:

1. Consider what your needs are before you begin reviewing software packages.
   
2. Make sure that you actually do a hands-on review of the software you are considering. Software reviews from the manufacturers make claims about what their software can do, but you need to make sure that the claims are really true and fit your needs.
3. Make sure the software you are reviewing is the full version of the software package and not a demo. The demos do not always give you an accurate picture of the software features.
4. Make sure the software package you select is user-friendly. The software should provide appropriate feedback without using graphics that are distracting or better feedback when an incorrect answer is given.
5. Make a list of essential criteria and optional criteria to consider when reviewing the software.
   
6. Before making the final selection, if possible, have a group of students work with the software to see if there are any needs that are not being met or if the students have any difficulties that you did not anticipate.

Selecting software packages can be a daunting task. There are so many options out there to choose from. If you identify your instructional needs, decide which type(s) of software can fit those needs, review software packages, and have students test the packages, you will end up with software that enhances your teaching or replaces parts of your instructions successfully.

Learning Theories Used in Instructional Design

Robert Gagné’s Nine Steps of Instruction

1. Gain attention

2. Inform learner of objective

3. Stimulate recall of prior knowledge

4. Present the material

5. Provide guidance for learning

6. Elicit performance

7. Provide feedback

8. Assess performance

9. Enhance retention and transfer

John Keller’s ARCS Model of Motivational Design

• Attention-can be gained by perceptual arousal or inquiry arousal.

1. Perceptual arousal: gaining interest through surprise

2. Inquiry arousal: uses challenging questions or problems to

stimulate curiosity

• Relevance-emphasize instruction using the following strategies: experience, present worth, future usefulness, needs matching, modeling, and choice.

• Confidence-allow learners to succeed while providing appropriate challenges.

1. Provide objectives and prerequisites

2. Grow the learners

3. Feedback

4. Learner control

• Satisfaction-provide learners the chance to use new knowledge and provide feedback.

Merrill’s Component Display Theory

Comprised of 3 parts:

• Performance/content dimension

• Primary presentation forms (rules, examples, recall, practice)

• Set of prescriptions for the performance level and type of content for the presentation forms

Reigeluth’s Elaboration Theory

Reigeluth believes that instruction is made out of layers, each layer elaborating on the previous concept or idea. The information starts out general and moves to specifics.

Seven steps in elaboration:

• Sequence

• Organize

• Summarization

• Synthesize

• Analogy

• Cognitive-Strategy Activator

• Learner Control

Constructivism

• A learning theory that places the learner at the center of the equation.

• The learner constructs knowledge and does not passively absorb it.

• The learner constructs meaning in their own way.

• Strategies for Using Constructivism in Training:

1. Small group activities - small group of learners work on an

exercise to come up with the correct answer (cooperative learning)

or to reach a consensus (collaborative learning).

2. Learner developed instruction - instruction that incorporates the

learner’s point of view in the design process.

3. Metacognition and reflection – learner plans by setting time lines

and allocating resources, as well as reflects on his/her own

performance.

Instructional Design Defined

Instructional design or instructional systems design can be defined as a combination of learning theories used to develop instruction using various media resources. Some think that instructional design is composed mainly of how technology is used for instruction. This is not the case. Instructional design can include these elements, but it incorporates more than just technology. Instructional design is the method used to create instruction, not the techology used to create the design.

There are five important learning theories that need to be considered when developing instruction. The theories build upon each other and a combination of theories are used to optimize student learning and retention. The five theories are: Robert Gagne's Nine Steps of Instruction, John Keller's ARCS Model of Motivational Design, Merrill's Component Display Theory, Reigeluth's Elaboration Theory, Constructivism.