Developing Instructional Materials

1
Developing Instructional Materials

• WED 460

2
What the

• Heuristic
• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• For other uses, see Heuristic (disambiguation).
• A heuristic is a method to help solve a problem,
  commonly informal. It is particularly used for a
  method that often rapidly leads to a solution
  that is usually reasonably close to the best
  possible answer. Heuristics are "rules of thumb",
  educated guesses, intuitive judgments or simply
  common sense.
• In more precise terms, heuristics stand for
  strategies using readily accessible, though
  loosely applicable, information to control
  problem-solving in human beings and machines.1.

3
Heuristics for Developing Instruction

• Make it concrete
• Control the Step Size
• Appropriate Pacing
• Maintain Consistency
• Use Cues

4
Make it Concrete

• Words that create mental image
• Use Illustrations
• Shorter words /active sentences
• Abstract ideas need support

5
Step Size

• Know your audience
• Consistent Terminology
• Make explicit references
• Different steps for different folks

6
Pacing

• Speaking rate
• Number of examples
• Also problems, Interactions, exercises
• Bases on prior knowledge, ability, and complexity
  of material

7
Consistency

• Use consistent terminology
• Try to prevent confusion
• Will prevent cognitive overlaod

8
Cues

• Written Reminders
• Such as..
• Italics, color, font size, underline, BOLD
• Verbally
• Turn off the power,
• Put switch in the on position

9
Getting Started

• Pre instructional strategy
• Initial Presentation
• Generative Strategy
• Transitions
• Cognitive Load

10
Pre instructional Strategy

• Overview
• Pre test if necessary
• Objectives
• Sequencing
• Sound familiar..

11
Initial Presentation

• Concept Name
• Definition
• Best Examples
• Summaries of previous lessons or topics
• Tools if Needed
• Safety Precautions

12
Generative Strategy

• Relate new information to existing knowledge by
  generating new linkages
• Contrast expert paraphrases to students
  perceptions / response
• Generate questions / discussions that have no
  right or wrong answer

13
Transitions

• Help reduce the step size or jump from one idea
  to the next for learner
• Any Examples..

14
Cognitive Load

• Learners can remember between 5 to 9 items at one
  time
• Information will be held in working memory for
  only a few seconds unless we refresh information
  repeatedly

15
Two Types of Cognitive Load

• Intrinsic interactivity of the contents
• easy versus hard concept (see page 207 text)
• Extraneous refers to design or layout of
  instruction
• Which one do you control???

16
Controlling Cognitive Load

• Goal-free Effect
• Worked-example Effect
• Split-Attention Effect
• Redundancy

17
Goal-Free Effect

• Means-end analysis to Problem Solving
• Determine what is known, then find the
  shortest path to the solution of the problem
• Learner develops a schema or formula that solves
  the problem

18
Goal-Free Effect

• Efficient for solving problems but not for
  learning how to solve problems
• Reduces cognitive load so you can develop a
  problem solving strategy

19
SplitAttention Effect

• Directions that unintentionally create situation
  that increases the learners cognitive load
• Learner must divide his attention between the
  text and the graphic to understand the material
• Any examples..

20
Redundancy

• This is good!! It helps reinforce learning
  right???
• Not really, repeating the same information both
  the text and illustration creates redundancy
  effect that increases the cognitive effort to
  process the information

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)