Instructional technology is a systematic way of designing, developing, implementing and evaluating the process of teaching and learning. It uses a combination of technical and human resources to make instruction more effective. It includes some elements of the instructional design, product development, interactive learning technologies, multimedia, distance education. library and information literacy. Each of these elements makes its contribution to the teaching and learning learning process. Instructional design is based on a process that makes learning more efficient. It consists in identifying the learner needs, setting some instructional goals and designing a teaching process that addresses those needs. The instructional method uses the ADDIE model that includes six phases: Analysis, Design Development, Implementation and Evaluation. The first step is developed below
Analysis. This phase comprises 8 steps:
1. Define the Purpose
2. Identify the Needs
3. Identify the Learner characteristics
4. Identify the Learning environment
5. Discover the Technical constraints
6. Write objectives
7. Decide the content
8. Prepare a brief project plan
Defining the purpose
In this phase the purpose of instruction is defined. The purpose includes the benefits that the learner will get from the instruction. Example the social studies teacher is teaching about the Industrial Revolution so that students understand how the Industrial Revolution influenced people at that time and how it impacts people's lives today.
Identifying the needs
In this phase is identified what the learner needs to learn or do in order to reach the goal of instruction. The learning prerequisites are identified. The gap between what students can actually do and what they need to do define the knowledge and skills that the students need to acquire. Example: In order to achieve a level of understanding of the past influence and the present impact of the Industrial Revolution the students need to describe some major aspects of the Industrial Revolution. Actually they lack the learning prerequisites about the Industrial Revolution or they vaguely remember the major aspects of it if they already learn about it. The focus of the Instruction at this point is to give the specific details about some major aspects of the industrial Revolution. This is what the students need to know at this point.
Learner characteristics
In this phase the designer learns about the learner's characteristics in order to match the instruction to the goals, attitude and abilities of the students. The essential information required is : age and grade, attitude, background experience, etc. the student's attitude determines if the students are interested or not about the subject. The background experience includes their current knowledge level about the topic to be taught. Other characteristics include the ability to learn through different media (audio, video, text), reading level, computer literacy, student's aptitude to learn the content, etc.
Learning environment
Some aspects of the learning environment include:
- location, facilities for instruction
- delivery platforms and medium
- teacher availability, involvement during instruction
- number of students involved
- learning done individually, in small groups or in class
Technical constraints
In this phase is analyzed the availability of equipment and program. For example: availability of computers, internet access, projector, etc. In cases where equipments and programs are not available, plans can be made to provide or substitute them.
Writing of objectives
In this phase are written the objectives which are the actions the learner are supposed to perform. The objectives are also skills related to the topics that have to be taught. They are also based on course goals and what is needed for the students to accomplish. Objectives need to be observable and measurable.
Content
In this phase are outlined the topics needed to be taught. They are based on the objectives stated.
Brief project plan
A brief project plan includes the project and main phases due dates., people involved and their role.
