Week Three
Future Links


What do we need to do?

     "What skills and information are necessary to address the identified needs?"

"What knowledge [do you (the expert)] have that is essential for the task?"

"What related subject content should be taught?"

"How can the subject content items be organized?"

"How is a task analyzed to identify its componenets and then to sequence the actions required?"

"To what other elements of the instructional design process is task analysis most closely related?"
Questions from text by Morrison, Ross and Kemp

Decisions, decisions, decisions
     Our text "Designing Effective Instruction" leads us through many questions and ways to answer the questions. The next question is how are we going to apply this? And that's aexactly what we are going to do. We are going to design our own instruction, so we did to start with some of the first decisions.

"What are we going to teach? What need for instruction are we going to address?"

     So our task specific to this course at this time is to start our final project by doing one step at a time. The first project which will lead us into the final project is to decide on a topic.

     Let's chat about this. Not literally, but by writing our thoughts in a document and submitting to the instructor for review and comments. Keep it informal but serious. What do you plan to teach in the future? What are you teaching now that you would like to improve by a notch or two? What are your favorite topics? What would you like to know more about? ---The effect of the interactive Internet on teenagers? How to prepare for child birth? How to identify trees of Oregon? What did different presidents contribute to our nation? How does American government work?---

     Why do you want to design instruction around this topic? What is the purpose of this instruction? In general terms, what do you expect the learner to learn? How do you expect the learner to be different after the instruction?

     Imagine a supportive friend asking you all these questions and more about your inital ideas? Write your thoughts and answers and ideas in a document of about two pages. Be serious about your questions of yourself. What would you ask a colleague who is doing the same assignment? Use your textbook as a friend asking some of these same questions. Allow yourself to doubt and change your minds. This is an important decision but it is adjustable.

     Finally give your topic, your lesson a title. Something that you can place on a poster or brochure to advertise you lesson. Keep in mind that ultimately your lesson will evolve into an electronic lesson presented either on a CD or as a website.

     Let's set the goal for completing this writing about our them or topic by April 17. That gives us a whole week to mentally chat about our topic. Upload the document to Moodle.

     Remember also that the Museum Project and the journal review are due around April 13th.