Step 2: Construct Prototype (Rapid Prototyping - 4 Step Instructional Design Model)

The rapid prototyping process continues with the parallel processes of design and review, or construction and utilization. It involves:

• Incorporating your chosen pedagogical approach such as problem-based, collaboration, self instructional
• Deciding what content should be contained and how it should be structured and sequenced
• Preparing review and/or assessment questions, learner assignments
• Deciding what multimedia you require
• Deciding what is the proper ratio of text to audio, graphics, and interactivity

Structure and Sequence
The learning content should follow a simple, logical structure with clear sequence and instructions. The structure should include:

• Prerequisite knowledge requirements – this allows students to be able to put the learning episode into context
• Clearly stated learning objectives – both at the start and end of the learning episode. This allows the student to reflect on the knowledge that they have gained and provide closure by relating it to other learning episodes
• Sequenced content – ideally in increasing order of complexity, that matches specified learning objectives. Content should be relevant, meaningful practical and supportive, but unnecessary content should be made available in a downloadable document or perhaps into a wiki. If there is still a substantial amount of content then consider smaller learning episodes, rather than one big one.
• Formative assessment
• Summary of the key concepts
• Further reading resources
• Employ clear navigation which is consistent and accessible from anywhere within the session
• Employ real-world examples and scenarios where possible

Creating Assessments
A number of factors can determine how you assess or measure learners’ performance including your philosophy as an educator, the types of students you are dealing with and the delivery system you are using. However, the biggest consideration has to be the content you are teaching, particularly the levels of learning it represents and the performance objectives you have specified during the analysis phase of the process. Formative assessments enable the learner to test their knowledge, and to modify it or fill in gaps if necessary. A diversity of measures can be incorporated into your design either embedded or at the end of the module. These range from:

• Multiple choice, matching, or fill in the blanks (Bloom’s knowledge lower order content) to …
• Online discussions and simulations for performance objectives (Bloom’s higher levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation)
• Performance measures that encourage critical reflection, are open-ended, practical, and provide opportunity to contextualize learning, are often more valuable and relevant than formal testing based on right or wrong answer

 If your assessment is robust enough, those who understand the content will pass, while those who don’t will fail. Ask a colleague to bluff their way through your assessment. If they pass, it’s obviously too weak. However, in every instance provide rich feedback.

Multimedia Options
All of us learn differently: some of us need to physically manipulate objects, others require auditory stimulus to reinforce key concepts, and still others require graphs, charts, diagrams, and photographs to create understanding. Few of us are either one way or the other. Rather, most of us learn best when a combination of learning styles are engaged to deliver concepts.

One of the key characteristics of e-Learning is its capability to integrate different media to create effective multimedia instructional material. Each medium offers unique opportunities to deliver instructional methods that others cannot. To exploit each medium fully, the unique capabilities of the technology should be used in ways that effectively support learning. However, a note of caution, be selective as too much unnecessary multimedia may distract learners and actually decrease learning performance. It can also prove to be impracticable and very costly to re-edit content with a short life expectancy.

Instructional Design Guidelines
This is where the learner interacts with the content by listening, reading, manipulating, and viewing the instructional content. Your choice of words, images, sounds, content flow, variety, and novelty all affect the success of a lesson. A balance of each ensures you are meeting the learning styles of diverse learners while creating an engaging and entertaining user experience. The five elements of the instructional component to consider are:

Text – Reading from a computer screen is around 25% slower than from paper; therefore as a guide text should:

• Be set into narrow columns rather than allowed to stretch across the entire webpage
• Have 50% of the word count of its paper equivalent
• Be written in a way that is easy to read and digestible
• Be used in conjunction with graphics, photographs, animations, audio and video to add meaning where appropriate
• Have a minimum font 10pt/line height 12pt and stick to one font type where possible
• Have enough whitespace
• Be mindful of using coloured text and backgrounds
• Have limited bold text – generally key terms, headings and subheadings
• Be enclosed in a box to make it easier to digest when necessary

Graphics/Photographs
Graphics in the form of illustrations, photographs, charts, graphs etc… can be an effective way to describe concepts and add visual interest. However, avoid bright decorations that compete with the substantive content for the learner’s attention. In addition, the overuse of graphical elements can be distracting and reduce the speed at which pages will load, given that good quality images can be large and require additional wait time for the user as they download, their effectiveness must be carefully weighed against this reality. Where possible use real photos rather than cartoons or illustrations to highlight key concepts. Be mindful of the School’s copyright and consent policy.

Audio – By no means should you use audio to read the entirety of a lesson to a learner. Nevertheless, audio done the right way can greatly enhance your e-learning materials because you are directing information to both the auditory and visual channels, distributing the mental workload. Audio can assist with humanizing the content by having a voice either welcome the learner to the course or give an introduction to a lesson. Audio can also be effective for providing auditory interest to simulations and to add authenticity to your content via subject matter experts. Users, however, must have a soundcard and speakers installed in their computers to benefit from audio.

Interactivity/Simulation – Animations can provide much needed interaction where appropriate and include: flip books, rollovers, click-ons etc… Again, avoid bright decorations and looped animations that compete with the content for the learner’s attention. Formative Assessments are also vital and can include: drag and drop, True/False, single best answer, multiple correct answer or hotspot. Simulations are time consuming to build but provide a powerful means for bringing content to life.

Video – Has long been accepted as a valuable teaching resource. It can provide a clarity and explicitness not possible with words or still pictures alone and it is an easily reusable/ shareable resource. Video is great for simulations and demonstrations. However, using video doesn’t guarantee effective learning, and it can create a passive experience if used inappropriately. Although it is true that digital video can now be produced on desktop equipment, there are still some important issues to consider including: very large file-sizes, quality, cost and content re-editing factors.

Once you have completed the design step and are happy with your prototype, again, please talk through your session progress with one of the e-learning team. This way we can:

• Review your chosen multimedia
• Provide any requested assets
• Provide further instructional design advice
• Proof read and apply specific quality standards
• Answer any questions and offer advice and guidance on best practice

 Click here for more information on Step 3 – Utilize Prototype.
Click here for more information on Step 1 – Analyze.

Step 1: Analyse (Rapid Prototyping - 4 Step Instructional Design Model)

In essence, the first step of the Rapid Prototype process is to conduct a focused and structured analysis of the students and their needs and requirements. The following elements should be considered.

Learning Needs
An assessment of student needs and the identification of any potential problems at this stage will allow you to make some general goal statements. Any analysis should consider:

• The task and conditions
• Current performance levels
• Potential problems/s or potential causes
• Desired performance outcomes and the associated expectation of your learning episode as related to the outcomes

This analysis is vital in order to identify the best way to achieve those needs and check your interpretation.

Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult. Five categories of audience characteristics can be considered including:

• Instructional preference - The type of presentation, the need for practice, the type and amount of feedback, the time available and the likely location when reviewing content
• General characteristics – Student demographics, IT skills
• Affective characteristics – Motivation, self-concept, attitudes, interests
• Entry skills – Existing knowledge, skills and abilities
• Personal/Physical characteristics – Geographic location, sensory, motor or mental conditions

Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources such as financial, time, facilities, equipment, materials, institutional characteristics and existing instructional resources.

This is also an opportunity to expose your students to new media and methodologies and to demystify technology; however, do not assume too much prior knowledge. At this point you should be able to:

Identify the delivery methods most conducive to learning and any associated learning constraints
Check accessibility elements
Use self-study materials and distance learning methodologies that allow learners to study independent of time and space (however, it is important that learners do not feel isolated)

Content
Essentially, what the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis considers what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform. Your analysis should discover:

• What the lesson should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal
• How you will organise and sequence the content in easily completed chunks
• How you will balance self-direction carefully with more structured learning
• What level of learning each piece of content represents (e.g. does the content require the simple recall or recognition of facts, or more abstract mental processes and intellectual activity?) This is crucial because it determines how you will write your performance objectives, and how you will assess performance based on those objectives

Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions. Conducting an analysis of learning outcomes allows you to formulate a general aim and establish the associated objectives. At this stage a statement of objectives is simply the definition of a plan for the design and as a plan, it serves two functions:

1. To communicate to everyone involved the purpose of instruction
2. To delineate tasks the learner will pursue

Establish Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson. Improperly stated objectives are frustrating to the learner and will ultimately mislead. It is important to explain up-front why the learner should bother.Having already established through your content analysis the level of learning your lesson represents, Bloom’s Taxonomy and corresponding list of verbs may be helpful at this stage (Table 1).

Level of Learning	Associated Verbs
Knowledge	Arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state
Comprehension	Classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate
Application	Apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write
Analysis	Analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticise, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test
Synthesis	Arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set-up, write
Evaluation	Appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend, estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate

Table 1: Bloom’s level of learning taxonomy

Once you are happy with the analysis you have conducted and are ready to move forward and develop your prototype, please talk through your session requirements with one of the e-learning team. This way we can establish:

What multimedia you may need to use
What graphics, illustrations, animations etc… you require
Answer any questions and offer advice and guidance on best practice

Click here for more information on Step 2 – Construct Prototype.

Rapid Prototyping: 4 Step Instructional Design Model

The rapid prototyping instructional design model offers a systematic approach to aid you in the creation of learning materials for the web. It allows you to develop a prototype, which gives you and others the opportunity to visualise and evaluate your lesson design early in the process, ultimately saving you time and costly revisions.

The design model itself is a four step process. The overlapping boxes represent the fact that the various processes do not occur in a linear fashion. In other words, the analysis of students and their needs, content requirements and resources depends in part upon the knowledge that is gained by actually building and using your prototype.

Step 1 Analyse
In essence, the first step of the process is to conduct a focused and structured analysis of the students, their needs and requirements.

Learning Needs
Assessing student needs and any potential problems allows you to make general goal statements. Analysis is needed of the task and conditions as well as the current and desired performance outcome requirements.

Student Audience
Students will not buy in to you tutorial unless it suits their needs, interests and motivations. Without this information it would be possible to end up with a learning episode that is either too easy or difficult.

Resources
When choosing the right delivery system – or combination, you must consider your students resources, constraints, facilities, materials, equipment, institutional characteristics and time availability.

Content
What the learning episode should contain in order to achieve the instructional goal/s. Content analysis should consider what learners need to do to perform and what learners need to know to perform.

Learning Outcomes
These will describe what students will be able to do upon completion of the instruction and should be stated in terms of precise, measurable, and observable actions.

Establishing Learning Objectives
Clearly defined learning objectives lead the learner into the learning episode. They drive the lesson and inform learners of what they will be able to do upon completion of the lesson.

Click here for more information on Step 1 – Analysis.

Step 2 – Construct Prototype
The rapid prototyping process continues with the parallel processes of design and review, or construction and utilization. It involves:

Incorporating your chosen pedagogical approach such as problem-based, collaboration, self instruction
Deciding what content should be contained and how it should be structured and sequenced
Preparing review and/or assessment questions, learner assignments
Deciding what multimedia you require
Deciding what is the proper ratio of text to audio, graphics, and interactivity

Click here for more information on Constructing your prototype.

Step 3 – Utilise Prototype
A crucial part of the prototyping process is the utilization of the design with peers and potential learners. During utilization, the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype can be discovered. However, this needs to be done in a structured and timely way. Ideally you should gain feedback on the following elements:

• Content
• Sequence, layout and navigation
• Media chosen
• Graphics/animations
• Assessments
• Objectives and Outcomes
• Overall comments

Click here for more information of utilizing your prototype.

Step 4 – Install, Maintain and Develop
Once you have implemented your amendments, the learning episode should be installed and appropriately maintained.

Your evaluation should continue as part of an iterative process, in particular feedback from students. This will allow you to improve the effectiveness of your tutorial.

Click here for more information on installing, maintaining and developing your prototype.