Knowledge and Skills Needed by Instructional Designers in Higher Education

In this paper, we sought to address the following research question: What knowledge and skills are needed by instructional designers in higher education to be successful in their roles? We interviewed eight instructional designers from across the United States, all working for institutions of higher education. Using the constant comparative method, we analyzed our data to identify relevant themes. Our results suggest that instructional designers in higher education must have a solid foundation in instructional design and learning theory, possess soft skills and technical skills, and have a willingness to learn on the job. Most instructional designers felt their academic backgrounds assisted them with their job roles, and, in particular, valued their professional experiences. Instructional designers in higher education must also keep abreast of multiple emerging information and communication technologies. We provide a discussion to synthesize our findings. The findings are relevant to professionals, professional academic programs, and professional associations.     

The Use of Task Analysis Procedures by Instructional Designers

The purpose of this study was to learn about the use of task analysis procedures by instructional designers. Task analysis is regarded by many to be the most integral part of the instructional design process and the most technical aspect of the instructional designer's job. It is also thought to be the most ambiguous of the instructional design, processes. A questionnaire was developed that surveyed 164 members of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) with instructional design responsibilities. This research learned what instructional design activities designers associate with task analysis and the percentage of time instructional designers devote to task analysis. It also learned what task analysis methods are most and least often used by instructional designers and identified those task analysis methods not known by instructional designers. Finally, this study determined how instructional designers learn to conduct task analyses and the factors that impact task analysis practices.     

Preparing Instructional Designers for Game-Based Learning: Part 2

As noted in part I of this article (published in TechTrends 54(3)), advances in technology continue to outpace research on the design and effectiveness of instructional (digital video) games. In general, instructional designers know little about game development, commercial video game developers know little about training, education and instructional design, and relatively little is understood about how to apply what we know about teaching and learning to optimize game-based learning. In Part I, a panel of recognized and emerging experts in the design of instructional (digital video) games set the context for this three part series and one of four panelists discussed what he believes instructional designers should know about instructional game design (Hirumi, Appleman, Rieber, Van Eck, 2010). In Part II, two faculty members who teach courses on instructional game design presents their perspectives on preparing instructional designers for game-based learning. Part III will present a fourth perspective along with conclusion that compares the four views.     

Preparing Instructional Designers for Game-Based Learning: Part 1

Like many rapidly growing industries, advances in video game technology are far outpacing research on its design and effectiveness. Relatively little is understood about how to apply what we know about teaching and learning to optimize game-based learning. For the most part, instructional designers know little about game development and video game developers may know little about training, education and instructional design. In this three part series of articles, four recognized and emerging experts in instructional game design discuss their perspectives on preparing instructional designers to optimize game-based learning. In Part I, we set the context for the series of articles and one of four faculty members who teach a graduate level course on game design discusses what he believes instructional designers should know about instructional game design based on his experiences. Part II will present alternative perspectives from two additional faculty members who teach courses in instructional game design, and Part III will present a fourth perspective along with conclusion that compares the four views.     

对开放教育法学专业教学改革的若干思考

教学改革是开放教育法学专业的核心问题，需要教师转变教育观念，充分认识开放教育法学专业人才培养模式改革的现实基础并进行积极探索。本文分析了法学专业在教材、课程体系、教学方法、考核方式等方面存在的问题，结合自己的教学实践，对法学教学改革提出了相应的改进和完善的建议。     

Preparing Instructional Designers for Different Career Environments: A Case Study

The competency requirements, content, culture, and value systems of business and industry career environments can differ significantly from that of the higher education context where instructional design and technology (IDT) students receive their formal training. Therefore, faculty should consider how they might provide flexibility in their programs to allow IDT students to experience the contexts in which they choose to work following graduation. The article reports on the results of a case study of an exemplary IDT program identified through a national survey. The emphases and preparation practices of faculty in the case study program were noted to provide an example of how one program successfully prepares its graduates for a variety of career environments, and specifically for a business and industry environment. By studying the successes and challenges of specific programs, new or existing programs may gain ideas for building or re-working existing programs to better meet the needs of students desiring contextualized preparation for different career environments.     

关于教学督导员工作的一些思考

教学督导工作是提高办学效益必不可少的一项措施。讨论了教学督导员的工作态度、工作内容和工作方法等问题。     

Utilizing Performance Technology to Improve Evaluative Practices of Instructional Designers

Although it is clearly established that an effective instructional systems design (ISD) process requires evaluation, previous studies provide evidence to show that everyday practices of instructional designers do not include sufficient or appropriate evaluation. Research suggests that organizational barriers and lack of support for evaluation are a leading cause of its inadequate usage. Without appropriate and sufficient evaluation practices, it is impossible to maintain the integrity of the systematic quality of ISD and threatens to undermine the entire concept of instructional design. This article first examines the purposes and importance of evaluation. Second, it reviews research that describes the less‐than‐optimal performance of practitioners as it relates to conducting evaluation, along with identifying causes for this performance deficiency. Third, it proposes using a model of human performance technology for improving the environment leading to implementation of evaluation.     

关于广播电视大学开放教育"混合型" 教学模式构建的思考

如何面向学习条件、学习层次、学习背景参差不齐的学习者的学习需要,采用多种远程教育技术手段,多种媒体进行教学,提供完善的、多种内容和多种形式的学习支持服务,建立有利于学习者个别化自主学习的良好环境,是现代远程开放教育教学模式改革能否取得成功的关键。     

基于远程教育的教学模式设计

随着现代远程教育工程的提出和实施，我们对基于远程教育的新型教学模式进行探索和研究，探究教学模式的基本特征、教学实践及相关的课例设计，必将促进我国远程教育的健康发展。     

对成人教育质量的思考

成人学生来自社会的各个阶层，他们的年龄、知识结构、个人素质等各方面差异较大，这就使得成人教育与其它教育有着显的区别。针对目前成人教育中存在的观念、师资、管理，教材等几个方面存在的问题进行探讨。以期为提高成人教育质量提出对策。     

How Designers Make Decisions: A Descriptive Model of Instructional Design for Informal Learning in Museums

In response to a call for theories of instructional design that are grounded in practice, I conducted a naturalistic study of the instructional design process for three permanent museum exhibits. An analysis of the data indicated that design involves a series of decisions, each of which has 4 components: • Design goals: principles to be achieved through the decision process and that must be realized before the choice is considered complete. • Design resources: the materials–both physical and intellectual–available to present information. • Design techniques: the strategies for achieving the goals using the design resources available. • Constraints: outside influences such as budget and schedule that limit the use of resources and techniques to achieve a goal. Each phase in the design process is characterized by certain types of decisions in which one of the four components dominates. Design team members participate to different extents in design decisions based on their roles. In theory, the model should transfer from museum exhibition design to instructional design. Further study would indicate the extent as well as which design decisions are guided by research, theory, or instinct, so we might understand and ultimately improve decisions about instructional programs.     

关于我校艺术兴学的哲学思考

艺术为什么能够兴学,主要基于人们对艺术教育的本质和价值的认识,而人们对艺术教育的本质和价值的认识以及所发生的艺术教育行为,却总是受一定历史时期的哲学思想的影响。据此,文章从哲学层面,对桂林师范高等专科学校不同历史时期艺术兴学的不同内涵,进行了研究与思考;从音乐教育方法论和音乐教育观的角度,阐述了艺术兴学实践活动需要高扬人文主义精神的哲学思想。     

学习反思促进教学设计课程教学改革研究

教学设计课程是教育技术专业本科生的核心课程,学生学好该课程对以后的发展非常重要.本研究通过对教学设计课程教学中学生学习反思现状的情况分析,依据建构主义学习理论,参考学习反思在课程教学中运用的相关文献,提出在教学设计课程教学中,有效运用学习反思策略的相关建议.最后,本研究还通过行动研究构建了教学设计课程教学中不同类型学习内容学习反思策略的具体操作过程,希望能对教学设计课程教学改革的发展有所借鉴参考.