A Model for Effective Online Instructional Design

1 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016. A Model for Effective Online Instructional Design Li-Ling Chen California State University at East Bay, USA. Abstract With the ever-increasing popularity of Online effectively, to assist and support learners, and to instruction in education or e-learning in corporate promote engaging, meaningful, and active learning. training, there is a strong need for developing an Therefore, it is essential now more than ever as more Effective Instructional Design Model to facilitate the and more learning shifts to Online . development and delivery of Online learning The purpose of this paper is to address principles environments. A poor-designed Online course often of Effective Online Instructional Design and then to confuses Online students, loses their focus, and propose a stand-alone Online ID Model , particularly makes them feel frustrated.

2 Online students will not relevant for Online course development with the know where to start, what to do, when to consideration of learning theories and pedagogical communicate, and how to learn if an Online course is philosophy. The proposed ISD Model in this paper not well-designed. Thus, developing a pedagogically will effectively guide an Online instructor and Effective Instructional Design Model is essential now educator to better Design a quality Online course more than ever as more and more learning moves to which promotes and enhances Online students' focus virtual classrooms. on active and engaging learning. 1. Introduction 2. Literature review In the past decade, Online instruction continues to The review of literature will start from reviewing grow rapidly. With the popularity of Online the two most frequently mentioned traditional ISD. instruction in education, there is a strong need for a models, ADDIE (Analysis, Design , Development, pedagogically Effective Instructional Design Model Implementation, and Evaluation) and Dick, Carey, for Online education to facilitate the development and and Carey's Model .

3 Then, the literature review will delivery of engaging Online learning environments. examine the current five ISD models or standards A poorly designed Online course often makes that are mostly cited and applied for designing and students get lost, loses their interests, and feels developing an Online or a hybrid class. distressed. If an Online course is not well-designed, students will not know where to start, what to do, Traditional ISD models when to communicate, and how to learn. The status will become even worse if a student is still learning Instructional Design models have some history in how to operate the technology aspects of an Online education and thus many Instructional Design models course. With unclear instruction, ambiguous exist yet few are specific to course Design for Online organization, and inefficient applications, the focus teaching and learning.

4 The two most frequently cited of Online learners will be on technology, not on traditional ID models are the ADDIE Model [6] and learning which creates more obstacles for Online Dick, Carey, and Carey's Model [3]. The ADDIE. learners. Model offers five universal course Design principles: Instructional Design (ID) also called Instructional Analysis, Design , Development, Implementation, systematic Design (ISD) is the practice of creating and Evaluation (ADDIE). Instructional experiences which make the acquisition Like all ID models, both pros and cons have been of knowledge and skill more efficient, Effective , and claimed with ADDIE. Its advantages include: appealing" [10]. An Effective ISD Model benefits providing structured guidance for Design , serving as both instructors and learners. An Instructional Design a valuable checklist to ensure a solid course Design , serves as a framework and also a tool that provides and including a great focus on implementation and guidance for the structure and organization of a evaluation.

5 The disadvantages of ADDIE include course Design . With systematic guidance, it helps to that the analysis step is not being broad enough in lead learners to focus on a topic quickly and to the Design process; the Model is too linear and not remove distractions, yet it still allows learners to take flexible; and it does not encourage inspiration [9]. control of their learning. It also helps instructors to Sequentially similar to the ADDIE Model , Dick, organize contents, to sequence instruction Carey, and Carey's ISD Model is more specific and rigid to each Instructional step [3]. Their Model focuses on real-world settings, considers learners'. Copyright 2016, Infonomics Society 2303. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016. needs, assesses learners' prior knowledge levels, and Model with the addition of two phases, Execution integrates learning and performance context into the and Review.

6 Design . The Model is well accepted and respected in higher education and business settings because it is well-researched and it relies heavily on theoretical principles of learning. Although Dick, Carey, and Carey claim that their ISD Model is also applicable to Online Instructional Design , many educators criticize that their Model is rigid, cumbersome, driven by predetermined objectives, thus incompatible with learner- determined objectives. The Model is also instructor- focused, assumes the learner is a consumer of content and materials, and not active in the learning process [7]. Apparently, both ADDIE and Dick, Carey, and Carey's models provide a great guidance for designing instruction. At the same time, critics of the models also indicate that they are too linear and inflexible. Their designing process is also driven by Figure 1. Alonso, Lopez, Manrique, and Vines' e- predetermined Instructional objectives which are learning Instructional Model with a blended learning contradictory to learner-centered learning with approach learner-determined objectives.

7 This IDOL Model , designed and proposed by Online Instructional Design models Siragusa, Dixon, and Dixon [12], gears toward Online course Design in higher education with three Although distance education has been existing for proposed main steps: analysis, strategy, and a long time, the history of Online instruction or e- evaluation. One can tell that the Model derives from learning has just started in early 1990's. Thus, there the two above-mentioned traditional Instructional are few Online Instructional Design models, theories, Design models, ADDIE and Dick, Carey and Carey's and standards exist. Literature review reveals that Model . It presents 24 pedagogical considerations there are five Instructional Design models, theories, when designing an Online learning. The main and standards relevant to Online instruction or e- drawback of the Model for Online Design is that it is learning Design .

8 They are: (1) Alonso, Lopez, only recommended for use alongside with other ID. Manrique, and Vines' E-Learning Instructional models and is inefficient to use alone for designing Model , (2) the Instructional Design Model for Online an Online course. Learning (IDOL), (3) Roblyer's Online and blended Roblyer's Instructional Design Model was learning Design theory, (4) the Online instruction proposed in his book, entitled Introduction to rubric by Quality Online Learning and Teaching Systematic Instructional Design for Traditional, (QOLT), and (5) Quality Matters (QM) Publisher Online , and Blended Environments published in Rubric. Each of the Model or rubric will be 2015 [10]. His theory also draws from ADDIE and described and reviewed below. Dick, Carey, and Carey's Model . Besides the In 2005, Alonso, Lopez, Manrique, and Vines traditional Instructional Design process, he proposes proposed a web-based e-learning education Model how to organize traditional, Online , and blended with a blended learning approach [1].

9 They describe learning environments. Strictly speaking, it is not an their Model is a psychopedagogical Instructional Online Instructional Design Model but just Model based on content structure, the latest research suggestions and considerations for Online into information processing psychology and social Instructional Design . contructivism, and define a blended approach to the The rubric for Online instruction by QOLT was learning process (p. 217). They claimed that the first released in 2010 [11]. It is a state-wide program purpose of their Model is for learners to be engaged developed by the California State University System. by the e-learning contents to the extent that they get It provides a framework for Online course Design and to understand things that they did not comprehend delivery and it also serves as a means for supporting before. This will make them ready to practice and in developing Online instruction.

10 According to QOLT. take action to perform new activities. (p. 222). [11], the rubric can be used for designing Online In their Model , there are seven main steps: learning in two ways: 1. as a course "self- Analysis, Design , Development, Implementation, evaluation" tool - advising instructors how to revise Execution, Evaluation, and Review (See Figure 1.). an existing course to the Rubric for Online Apparently, their Model was built upon ADDIE. Copyright 2016, Infonomics Society 2304. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016. Instruction. 2. As a way to Design a new course for with small portion of Online components, to high the Online environment, following the rubric as a portion of Online components, or to an entirely Online road map. Although the rubric provides a great class. An Online instructor needs to identify which checklist to Design Online courses, it overlooks the course format that he/she would like to adopt for actual implementation and evaluation of an Online instruction first.