From Software Documentation to E-learning: Making a Switch  

Interested in making the transition from software documentation to e-learning? Read about some steps that will help you ease the switch and make the most of your new opportunity.

Malhotra, Dhupinder K. Intercom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design

From Soup to Nuts: Fashioning the Menu for a New Program in Technical Communication  

The process of revising an English Communications emphasis proceeded smoothly for the most part because of good planning by a Curriculum Committee. However, unseen pitfalls and departmental politics hindered some aspects of the experience. It will be necessary to apply lessons learned to continue the revision process and create a successful emphasis.

Allen, Lori A. STC Proceedings (2002). Academic>Education>Instructional Design>Assessment

From Writer to Trainer: Designing an Effective Technical Training Class  

You spend six months working side by side with the designers and engineers, learning every nuance of the new system. You then spend another six months writing a complete set of training and reference manuals. Face it, you know this system inside and out. So it should come as no surprise when your boss decides you are the perfect person to conduct the training class.

Michaels, Dana. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Software

Gauging the Value of Online Grade Posting: An Inquiry into Full Disclosure  

With the continued development of the Internet, distance learning initiatives and Web-based mechanisms designed to support traditional classroom pedagogies are here to stay, and traditional notions of teaching are forever changed. Online colleges and universities like the University of Phoenix already boast burgeoning enrollments, as students flock to a curriculum that will gladly meet them on their own terms and in their own homes and offices. On the Web, teaching moves from brick and mortar classrooms with thirty students entering and leaving every hour, on the hour, to a compendium of synchronous and asynchronous experiences characterized by bulletin board posts, downloads, real-time chats, file transfers, and video and audio files. Web-based approaches to teaching writing and rhetoric are, generally speaking, multivalent, offering new and important capacities that surpass some of the dimensional and practical constraints of the traditional written page. Moreover, many of the practices common in Web-based pedagogy are well supported by theories of dialogism and negotiated learning, and those in the computers and composition community have long trumpeted these benefits.

Knievel, Michael. Kairos (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

A Gendered World: Students and Instructional Technologies  

Gender has become a significant issue in the various discussions related to the use of computers and instructional technologies (IT) in higher education. Are gender differences relevant in the students' learning process and their use of technological components in their courses? Is gender significant in determining the use of IT by students in colleges and universities? Does the study of how gender influences students' use of software and presentation formats, throw light on other general behavioural aspects of academic computer-users? This study uses surveys, both direct and online, of students in universities and colleges to explore whether gender is a critical variable in understanding what is labelled as user-friendly computer instruction and learning, Internet searches, and presentation software tools. It also seeks to explore whether and if so why, women students, as distinct from the men, do or do not embrace IT in their learning endeavors or use the new technological tools in handling their courses.

Rajagopal, Indhu and Nis Bojin. First Monday (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Gender

Globalizing the Technical Communication Classroom  

In today’s global economy, knowing how to communicate in an international environment is more important than ever. The United States leads the world in the number of foreign students attending its educational institutions. The student body is becoming increasingly diverse. Instructors can no longer assume that all students have had the same experiences. Often, in an attempt to treat all students equally, instructors overlook or misunderstand the needs of international students. But if the teachers acknowledge and welcome cultural diversity in the classroom, students can become more aware of the varied audiences they will encounter in their future careers.

Sharpe, Victoria. Intercom (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>International

Heuristics for Sustainable Distance Education  

Discusses eight conditions for technological change that can support innovation in educational settings. These conditions, which were first directed toward library contexts and then studied in a variety of education-related contexts, encapsulate the majority of sustainability issues associated with distance education. These eight conditions are not exhaustive, but programs that achieve many of them will probably experience a high degree of sustained success.

Selber, Stuart A. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Hither, Thither, and Yon: Process in Putting Courses on the Web      

Educational institutions are employing a variety of processes to support Web-based courses.  In our efforts to help faculty mount such courses, we found it helpful to divide course material into knowledge-based versus skill-based elements, and to develop activities that capitalize on the unique environment of the Web.  In this article, we discuss our successes and failures, and cover some legal issues we discovered that affect how we use both preexisting and student-produced materials.

Thrush, Emily A. and Necie Elizabeth Young. Technical Communication Quarterly (1999). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

How to Create Web-Based Training (WBT)  

The market for Web-based Training (WBT) products and services is expected to grow from $197 million in 1997 to $5.5 billion in 2002. Many technical communicators and trainers are already interested in creating WBT, but they do not know how to get started. In this session, I will explain the advantages and disadvantages of WBT, when to consider WBT, who is using it—and why, how much it costs to develop WBT, and design issues to consider. I will also share some WBT examples.

DeLoach, Scott. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Education>Instructional Design>Online

How to Develop and Implement a Usable Training Database  

The results of a Motorola human resources survey revealed an inadequate procedure for selecting training programs pertinent to specific job functions and individual career aspirations. A cross-functional team was formed to remedy the situation within one division. The team selected skill and knowledge criteria for career paths (early, middle, and late) in specific technical disciplines, such as applications engineering, technical communications, applications support, etc. The new training database also includes training, book, and article evaluations that other employees can review. In addition, the database provides access to the Motorola University training catalog and the Motorola technical libraries.

LeVie, Donald S., Jr. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Databases

How to Figure Out Your Learning Style

Learning style refers to your natural preference for having new ideas and information conveyed to you. It does not mean that you can't learn in other ways, only that you have a particular manner that suits you best. When things are not presented in your preferred method, it can become frustrating for both you and your instructor as you struggle to understand concepts which seem to be clearly within your grasp.

OEDb (2007). Articles>Education>Instructional Design

Hybrid Classes: Maximizing Resources and Student Learning

Hybrid courses are courses in which significant portions of the learning activities have been moved online, a combination of traditional classroom and Internet instruction. Time traditionally spent in the classroom is reduced but not eliminated. The goal of hybrid courses is to join the best features of in-class teaching with the best features of online learning to promote active independent learning and reduce class seat time. Using computer-based technologies, instructors use the hybrid model to redesign some lecture or lab content into new online learning activities, such as case studies, tutorials, self-testing exercises, simulations, and online group collaborations.

Spilka, Rachel. Durham Technical Community College (2002). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Improving Documentation with Learning Techniques  

It is important to recognize that because we all differ in our experience and background the learning process is different for each of us. Consequently, in our documentation we should by to put users on an equal footing by, for example, clearly and exactly defining terms we use and including a glossary. We can also put everyone on an equal footing by using 'bridges to understanding,' from analogies, examples, and metaphors to mnemonic strategies. For overall comprehension, we can employ 'frameworks,' from conceptual maps to road maps, that give patterns of meaning to what we say.

Livingston, Dick. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design>Glossary

In Defense of Cheating

I am not in favor of deception, trickery, fraud, or swindle. What I wish to change are the curriculum and examination practices of our school systems that insist on unaided work, arbitrary learning of irrelevant and uninteresting facts. I'd like to move them toward an emphasis on understanding, on knowing how to get to an answer rather than knowing the answer, and on cooperation rather than isolation. Cheating that involves deceit is, of course wrong, but we should examine the school practices that lead to cheating: change the practices, and the deceit will naturally diminish.

Norman, Donald A. JND.org (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Testing

Information Architecture 2.0

Modern Web technologies permit greater flexibility in navigation, search, retrieval, and display. At the same time, the quantity of information is growing exponentially, and users expect greater control over content.

Brown, Dan. UXmatters (2005). Design>Web Design>Instructional Design

Instruction-Writing Exercises (for High School)

These guidelines and 14 scaffolded exercises respond to the unmet need for a psychologically solid, work-relevant way to learn technical writing by students who are NOT facile writers already.

Girill, T.R. STC East Bay (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Documentation

Instructional Design

This site is designed to provide information about instructional design principles and how they relate to teaching and learning. Instructional design, also know as instructional systems design, is the is the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of instruction. Instructional designers often use instructional technology or educational technology as tools for developing instruction

InstructionalDesign.org. Articles>Usability>Instructional Design>Methods

Instructional Design and Learning Theory

To students of instructional design the introduction and subsequent 'sorting out' of the various learning theories and associated instructional design strategies can be somewhat confusing. It was out of this feeling of cognitive dissonance that this site was born. Why does it seem so difficult to differentiate between three basic theories of learning? Why do the names of theorists appear connected to more than one theory? Why do the terms and strategies of each theory overlap? The need for answers to these questions sparked my investigation into the available literature on learning theories and their implications for instructional design. I found many articles and internet sites that dealt with learning theory and ID, in fact, it was difficult to know when and where to draw the line. When I stopped finding new information, and the articles were reaffirming what I had already read, I began to write.

Mergel, Brenda. University of Saskatchewan (1998). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Theory

Instructional Design and Software Quality Assurance, Part I  

Describes how instructional design principles can improve documentation.

Nayar, Pawan. Intercom (2001). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design

Instructional Design and Software Quality Assurance, Part II  

In the second article of his two-part series on the application of principles of instructional design to quality assurance processes, Nayar discusses how these principles affect document development.

Nayar, Pawan. Intercom (2002). Articles>Education>Instructional Design

Instructional Design Bibliography

Assembled with the advice of instructional designers from several universities, this bibliography provides citations to classics in instructional design along with recent articles tracking current trends.

University of North Carolina. Resources>Directories>Instructional Design

Instructional Design Models

Models, like myths and metaphors, help us to make sense of our world. Whether it is derived from whim or from serious research, a model offers its user a means of comprehending an otherwise incomprehensible problem. An instructional design model gives structure and meaning to an I.D. problem, enabling the would-be designer to negotiate her design task with a semblance of conscious understanding. Models help us to visualize the problem, to break it down into discrete, manageable units. The value of a specific model is determined within the context of use. Like any other instrument, a model assumes a specific intention of its user. A model should be judged by how it mediates the designer's intention, how well it can share a work load, and how effectively it shifts focus away from itself toward the object of the design activity. Models, like other tools, shape the consciousness of those who use them. The tool molds the wielder who molds the tool, ad infinitum. Our models frame the reality we impose on the world and the experience that is forged out of their use brings us to higher levels of understanding about the design problem, but only within the framework of the specific models we adopt.

Ryder, Martin. University of Colorado at Denver. Resources>Education>Instructional Design

Instructional Design: Choosing the Proper Authoring Tool  

Searching for the right tool for your instructional design needs? Learn about your options through capsule reviews of instructional simulation programs and full-service authoring tools.

Holden, Gene. Intercom (2004). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design

Instructional System Design

This process provides a means for sound decision making to determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of training. The concept of a system approach to training is based on obtaining an overall view of the training process. It is characterized by an orderly process for gathering and analyzing collective and individual performance requirements, and by the ability to respond to identified training needs. The application of a systems approach to training insures that training programs and the required support materials are continually developed in an effective and efficient manner to match the variety of needs in an ever rapidly changing environment.

Clark, Donald. Instructional System Design (1995). Books>Education>Instructional Design>Methods

Instructional-Design Theories

Instructional theory describes a variety of methods of instruction (different ways of facilitating human learning and development) and when to use--and not use--each of those methods.

Reigeluth, Charles M. Indiana University (1999). Resources>Education>Instructional Design