Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management) Review"Instructional design in the real world: a view from the trenches", by Anne-Marie Armstrong was published by Information Science Publishing in 2004. The author has thoughtfully compiled accounts of many different instructional designers throughout the world. The designers report on the various models and businesses that they have worked for. Many of the designers were hired to create online or e-learning modules. They discussed the successes and failures of their ventures. I will be honest; my first reaction to reading this book was not positive. But, as I engaged myself in the reading, it was a very easy read. The authors of each "story" were very honest when describing their working situations. Many reflected on mistakes they made in the ID process, others reflected on what worked best within the process.
The part of the book that I enjoyed most was that the Instructional Designers realized the importance of knowing the needs of your learner. One of my favorite quotes was that "Learners were considered identical, homogeneous raw
materials in a standard process of educational production (Cameron, 1996). They were considered as an empty vessel that only needed filling. Hence, there was no active communication between instructional developers and learners during the learner analysis process" (p.3). As an instructional designer especially for the online learner, it is very hard to know a learner that you never see or come in contact with, however, the author still keeps this in the forefront of what we should keep in mind when designing instruction.
The chapter that stuck out in my mind was the one that specifically dealt with knowing the needs of your learner. There was a case study on how job aids are used in a manufacturing plant. The instructional designers realized after the needs analysis of the learners, that they did not need full content learning, but specific tasks the worker could look up. The author compared the information they needed to a phone book. The learner already knows how to use the phone; they just need specific phone numbers sometimes.
In closing, this book really opened my eyes to the
role of the instructional designer, especially as they worked with the company and the SME (Subject Matter Expert). As the designers of an online course stated, "Merrill (1997) is often quoted as saying `information is not instruction.' This simple and profound statement seems to make a whole lot of sense; there's a lot more to teaching than just telling students about something and then expecting knowledge and skills to magically appear. Yet what we find in a majority of textbooks, lecture halls, and online courses is a whole lot of telling and not much instruction. We certainly didn't want our course to be categorized as just another "electronic page-turner" (p. 171-172). We can not expect to throw information out there and expect people to learn. The instructional design process must be carried out to achieve high levels of learning.
Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management) OverviewText addresses issues of how practices are adapted and applied in numerous environments; emphasizing the constraints on the design process that have been imposed by the timelines, resource distributions, and needs of various systems. Hardcover, softcover available. DLC: Instructional systems--Design--Data processing.

Want to learn more information about Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches (Advanced Topics in Information Resources Management)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers ReviewThis book dives deep down into the process of selecting the precise software and hardware one needs to create, deliver and access e-learning. As in his previous books, Horton has done an admirable job at presenting the tools, and the process for selecting them, into small, step by step discussions.
However, I have two significant quibbles with this book.
First, it begins with chapter after chapter on all the individual tools you might possibly use and concludes with the process for deciding what you need. To me that is akin to starting off a book written to help someone decide what type of home they want, with chapters on all the different types of roofs or windows there are, rather than first walking readers through such important questions as: how big is your family? and do you intend to entertain?, which instantly narrow your best options. Reading this book, I found myself quickly bogged down in deep detail on tools I learned I might not even need.
Secondly, many of the e-learning tool categories overlap in functionality, and some tools do it all. If this book had provided specific reviews of the best tools out there and how their features co-mingle, it would have been a big help. Instead, he neutrally lists scores of products in several of the categories discussed.
I did come away from this book with a solid understanding of the tool categories. Unfortunately, I am still pretty befuddled as to how to wade through all the complexities of those tool categories and how they relate to my objectives to decide which tools to buy.E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers OverviewA comprehensive guide to help you cut through the hype in order to select the best E-Learning tools and vendors for your specific needsWith its ability to both reduce operating costs and train more people, E-Learning is an attractive option for companies that are trying to balance business and educational goals. But in order to implement an E-Learning program, you'll have to wade through hundreds of learning management systems, learning content management systems, authoring schools, and collaboration environments to determine what solution will work best for your situation.In this in-depth book, recognized E-Learning experts William and Katherine Horton survey the entire field of E-Learning tools for you. They provide you with a systematic way to identify, evaluate, and choose products and services based on different E-Learning scenarios.In this no-holds barred look at E-Learning tools, the authors:* Arm you with a complete list of questions to ask vendors before you commit to a product* Describe product limitations throughout each chapter and include special Rant sections that you must read* Present tips and tricks as well as common mistakes to avoid* List potential vendors and contact information by tool categoryThe companion Web site contains design forms, checklists of features to look for in the various tool categories, spreadsheets, and lists of specific tools and vendors.

Want to learn more information about E-learning Tools and Technologies: A consumer's guide for trainers, teachers, educators, and instructional designers?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...