Planning and Analysis
As Dwight Eisenhower famously said, "Plans are nothing; planning is everything." Good planning and analysis are critical to the success of any project. As learning designers, we must invest time and attention in this phase to help ensure a smooth and effective process moving forward. Below are artifacts and personal reflections that demonstrate my competencies in these areas.
Gap analysis. It is essential for helping instructional designers (IDs) identify the needs and issues within an existing plan.
Challenge: Conducting a gap analysis
Success Criteria: This challenge focuses on conducting a gap analysis to describe the nature of a learning or performance problem and propose potential instructional and/or non-instructional solutions and strategies. Gap analysis is a process of determining the gap between the actual situation and the desired situation, as well as the root causes of this gap.
Reflection must address: How did you determine or identify the learning or performance problem, including the data sources you used? How did your artifact demonstrate your competence in each of the performance statements?
Target Population & Environment. To roll out effective learning plans, IDs must understand the characteristics of the student body, which may include but are not limited to age, gender, literacy level, cultural/language background, environmental barriers, multiple intelligences, and disabilities.
Challenge: Determine characteristics of a target population and/or environment that may impact the design and delivery of instruction.
Success Criteria: Evidence of assessing, testing, or surveying a population or environment in part of a learner or content analysis. Evidence must show data collection methods (such as survey, interview, observation, research, or other data).
Reflection must address: How you collected your data, determined the characteristics of your target population, and how these characteristics impacted your design choices.
⭐ Click to view the evidence (scroll to Design Document Part 2 - Learner Analysis) and the reflection.
Analysis Techniques for Instruction. To design effective instructional content and learning activities, IDs must apply valid techniques and strategies to identify the background knowledge learners need to achieve learning goals successfully.
Challenge 1: Determine subordinate and prerequisite skills and knowledge.
Success Criteria: Evidence of determining subordinate and prerequisite skills and knowledge.
Reflection must address: How you determined subordinate and pre-req skills/knowledge for an audience (goal analysis, instructional analysis, etc.)
Challenge 2: Use appropriate techniques to analyze various types and sources to validate content.
Success Criteria: Evidence of utilizing validation techniques (checking the source, researching the author's education, experience, reputation, how many times cited, etc.).
Reflection must address: The specific techniques you used to validate your sources and content.
⭐ Click to view the evidence and the reflection.
Analyze Technology. In the 21st-century educational landscape, IDs will inevitably employ technology tools in the design of learning materials. We must be equipped with the skills to analyze and evaluate both existing and emerging tech tools for effective integration into learning design packages.
Challenge: Analyze the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and their potential use.
Success Criteria: Evidence describing emerging technologies and evaluating the benefits and limitations of the tool’s usage.
Reflection must address: How you determined the use of a piece of technology and described its potential use or non-use.
⭐ Click to view the evidence and the reflection.