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Instructional Design and Performance Improvement

Structure of a Usability Test
A detailed description of a usability study by a company that offers services in user interface design and testing.

Instructional System Design - Analysis Phase
Includes Analyze the System, Compile Task Inventory, Compile Task Inventory, Analyze tasks for performance problems or perform needs analysis, Select tasks for training (tasks that have non-training related performance problems should be solved by using other solutions), Build performance measures, Select instructional setting, and Estimate Cost.

Dick & Carey Model
A PowerPoint slide presenting the Dick and Carey Design Model that uses a systems approach for designing instruction.

Competencies and Skills for Instructional Designers
A list of 16 skill areas an instructional designer should know including performing a needs assessment/analysis, assessing the relevant characteristics of the target audience, performing job, task, and/or content analysis, selecting instructional media, evaluating the instruction/program and process, and more.

Instructional Design Resources
Published by the University of Wisconsin - Madison, this short list has some excellent links.

Design Guidelines for the World Wide Web
A good resource including general guidelines, page size and length, graphics, digital audio and video, text, and links.

Performance Technology
This resource includes various definitions of Performance Technology, interviews and comments from Performance Technologists, Professional Organizations and a PT Model.

A Performance Technology Glossary
A useful reference for PT terminology.

EPSS Resource Home Page
What is an Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS)? Do you need an EPSS? Bibliography. EPSS-Related Web Sites

epss.com
A business site for innovative approaches to the analysis and design of software systems that result in improved business performance (EPSS, Performance Centered Design, Knowledge Management), and Performance Support Engineering. Included examples and definitions.

Instructional Design Articles & Links
A list of articles and links to do with instructional design models, theories, methodologies, and more. Maintained through the University of South Florida.

Instructional Theory and Design Resources
The links on this page provide specialized information about instructional development, curriculum theory, and instructional design.

Bloom's Taxonomy
Benjamin Bloom's classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning is a taxonomy that includes three overlapping domains; the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective.

Gagne's Conditions of Learning
This theory stipulates that there are several different types or levels of learning. In addition, the theory outlines nine instructional events and corresponding cognitive processes.

M. David Merrill on Instructional Design
This site contains online text of many works by David Merrill, author of Component Design Theory.

The Training Process:
Performance Consulting, Needs Analysis, Design and Development, Implementation

Explorations in Learning & Instruction: The Theory Into Practice Database
TIP is a tool intended to make learning and instructional theory more accessible to educators. The database contains brief summaries of 50 major theories of learning and instruction. These theories can also be accessed by learning domains and concepts.

Funderstanding: About learning theories
How Do People Learn? This section examines ten different theories on how people learn

What's Your Learning Style?
There are three basic types of learning styles. The three most common are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To learn, we depend on our senses to process the information around us. Most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others. This online survey will help you determine which of these learning styles you rely on the most.

Instructional Design
Twelve essays on issues in design such as technology implementation in the classroom, the creation of an instructional package, the learning implications of constructivism, the ADDIE model of instructional development, methodologies for evaluating instructional software, the influences of student's prior knowledge and desired goals on the benefits and dilemmas while using hypertext, and more.

An Assessment of Training Needs in the Use of Distance Education for Instruction
An example of a needs assessment report.

An Instructional Design Checklist
A short checklist of the instructional design process inspired by R. F. Mager.

Multiple Intelligences: Gardner's Theory
By Amy C Brualdi, ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation

Current Educational Trends and Concepts
Includes brief discussions on Collaborative Learning/Cooperative Learning, Constructivism, Distributed Learning Environments, Generative Learning, Just-in-time Learning, etc.

Learning Theories and Instructional Strategies Matrix by George Mason University Instructional Technology Program
Introduces and discusses Behaviorism, Information Processing theory, Schema theory, Advanced Organizers, Keller's ARCS Model of Motivation, Generative Learning theory, Collaborative Learning, Authentic Learning, Object-based Learning, etc.

Schema theory of learning
Schema theory was developed by R. C. Anderson, a respected educational psychologist . This learning theory views organized knowledge as an elaborate network of abstract mental structures which represent one's understanding of the world.

Intentional Learning and Learning Orientations
A summary of Intentional Learning Theory and the Learning Orientation Construct

Instructional Strategies for a 21st Century Applied Technology Classroom
To support innovative applied technology learning, the instructional strategies that follow are provided as examples that educators can use or modify to provide useful and engaging educational experiences.

Constructivism
Definitions, models, positions, environments, and strategies

Define Course Goals
Learn how to define the instructional goal for your course or unit.

Conducting an Instructional Analysis
Design effective courses by defining, in detail, what your students must know and be able to do to achieve your predefined course goal.

Conducting a Learner Analysis
Learn how to conduct a learner analysis to determine key characteristics of the target population, as well as identify the learner's prior knowledge and prerequisite skills.

Conducting a Context Analysis
Learn how to conduct a context analysis to determine the resources and constraints of the learning environment or instructional setting, and to identify the performance setting or environment in which the learners' new skills and knowledge will be applied.

Defining Performance Objectivies
Generate performance objectives for each unit which clearly define what you think your students should know and be able to do as a result of an instructional unit.

Generate Interactive Strategy
Examine the process of systematically instruction that promotes active learning and the development of learning communities.

Prepare a Formative Evaluation
Learn how to design an effective plan for a formative evaluation.

Task Analysis
Introduces various types of task analyses and how to use them in interactive multimedia instruction.

Instructional Design Models
Instructional models are guidelines or strategies, based on learning theories, that aid teachers and designers with their approaches to training and instruction.

Learning Strategies
Discusses Collaborative instruction/Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Situated/Case-Based Learning, Anchored Instruction, and Scenario-Based Learning.

Learning Theories and Paradigms
Discusses Constructivism, Cognitivism, Gagne's Conditions of Learning, Bloom's Taxonomy, and Ausubel's Theory.

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre
A technical glossary of adaptive technologies

Learning Styles from the Center for Teacher Effectiveness
Includes The Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and The VARK Preferences.

Measurement and Evaluation

Evaluation of training and development programs: A review of the literature
This paper outlines some of the findings of a research project on evaluation, which involved a review of the Training and Development (journal) literature for the period 1970-1986.

Evaluation Design and Tools
Eight steps to a successful evaluation, including a discussion of various research designs and common threats to validity

Needs Assessment, Task Analysis, Objectives
A PowerPoint presentation covering these topics

Needs Assessment
A PowerPoint presentation discussing the purpose of needs assessment

Needs Assessment tools
A short list on tools used to conduct needs assessments

The Training Process:
Evaluating the Training

An Assessment of Training Needs in the Use of Distance Education for Instruction
An example of a needs assessment report

Return On Investment (ROI) Bibliography
The following resources can help trainers perform cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness analyses to determine whether training is a viable solution to a performance problem, and help them decide on the most cost-effective training method.

Rethinking ROI
Some projects have become so important that companies are looking for new ways to measure their return on investment--or are dispensing with ROI studies completely

The Real Reason for ROI
Some 97 percent of IT executives say ROI measurements in their organizations are focused on cost-cutting, not programs for delivering strategic or competitive advantage.

Instructional System Development - Evaluation Phase - Chapter VI
Highlights the evaluation process and discusses Kirkpatrick's Four Level Evaluation Model.

Thinking Outside the Evaluation Box
It has been 40 years since Kirkpatrick introduced his four-level evaluation model. Is it time to reexamine how we value workplace training? Some say yes.

What Does Research Say About Assessment?
A report by R.J. Dietel, J.L. Herman, and R.A. Knuth. NCREL, Oak Brook, 1991

EVALUATION articles from Ericae.net
Numerous full-text articles categorized by Evaluation Design & Methods, Personnel Evaluation, Program Evaluation

Basic Guide to Program Evaluation
Written by Carter McNamara, PhD. Includes Where Program Evaluation is Helpful, Basic Ingredients, Planning Program Evaluation, Major Types of Program Evaluation, Overview of Methods to Collect Information, Selecting Which Methods to Use, Pitfalls to Avoid, etc.

Evaluation Primer: An overview of education evaluation
By Lana D. Muraskin. Includes Why Evaluate Education Programs, What is Evaluation, Why Conduct Program Evaluations, Steps in Planning Evaluations ,etc.

EVALUATION HANDBOOK
By Judith Wilde, PhD and Suzanne Sockey, PhD, Evaluation Assistance Center-Western Region, New Mexico Highlands University, Albuquerque, NM

Prepare a Formative Evaluation
Learn how to design an effective plan for a formative evaluation.

Formative Evaluation Procedures
Discusses the purpose of formative evaluations and strategies that can be used to collect formative data.

Summative Evaluation Procedures
Discusses the purpose of summative evaluation and poses three specific and sequential types of summative evaluation questions that should be addressed for any intervention.

Evaluation Models
Five evaluation models are discussed including Traditional, Decision Oriented, Case Study, Goal Free, and Four Level.

User and usability testing - How it should be undertaken?
Six usability evaluation methods and six data collection techniques are discussed, including advantages and limitations of each.

Summative Evaluation
Presents the two phases of summative evaluation -Expert Judgement Phase, and Field Trial Phase.

Summative Evaluation
From The Systematic Design of Instruction, Dick and Carey (1996). Includes background and concepts.

Technology and Production Proficiency

Learning & Leading with Technology
A publication by ISTE Articles that appear in L&L are written by educators for educators: classroom teachers, lab teachers, technology coordinators, and teacher educators. Our readers-from raw beginners to seasoned veterans-have a broad range of experience in integrating technology into the curriculum and the classroom. Both readers and contributors are willing to try something new, and many of them are involved in technology-purchasing decisions for their schools and districts.

Learning and Technology: Sandy's Glossary
A glossary of computer terms from the AARP that are easy to understand and easy to use.

Codec Central: Introduction to Multimedia Architectures and Codecs
If you are new to digital video, especially compressed video for CD-ROM and the Web, the two terms that you may find confusing are "architecture" and "codec".

Developing a Technology Plan
A paper on developing a school technology plan including infrastructure and management considerations.

Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan
Version 2.0 of the "Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan" was released officially by the National Center for Technology Planning (NCTP) on June 11, 1996, and is available here for downloading as an Adobe Acrobat file.

Management & Consulting

Management vs. Leadership -Online Newsletter
Management Styles - Glossary of styles, Managers vs. Leaders - Comparison of traits, Changing Styles for the New Millennium - New styles for new times, Middle Managers - Facing the re-engineering challenges, Resources on the Internet.

Basic Management Skills by Gerard M Blair
Teams and Groups, Presentation Skills, Time Management, Quality in the Team, Writing Skills, Delegation, Managing People, Oral Communication, Project Planning, Becoming a Great Manager.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
A PDF download from the Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) serves as a basic reference for anyone interested in project management. The PMBOK® Guide includes nine basic knowledge areas that project managers and project teams must apply to successfully complete any project.

Estimating Time to Develop Interactive Courseware in the 1990s
An online paper presenting a method for estimating the time required to design, develop, and evaluate ICW products was prepared and evaluated by 20 ICW experts from industry and the government. Establishing timelines is an essential part of project management.

Grant Proposal Development
A description of how to write an effective grant proposal including sources of funding.

Kathy Schrocks Grant Sources for Educators
An extensive list of possible sources for grant funding

Leadership

Leadership Resource Links
An index of leadership resources intended to build effective leadership skills

THE SECRETS OF GREAT GROUPS by Warren Bennis
The Myths of Leadership, New Rules for Leaders, Power of the Mission

THE ECOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP by Peter M. Senge
The Context for Change, What People Want from the Boss, Where Executives Miss the Mark, A New Role for Hierarchy, Strategies for Personal Learning, How People Learn

THE LEADERSHIP ADVANTAGE by Warren Bennis
Generating Intellectual Capital, Qualities of a Leader, Demands of Followers, The Anatomy of Character

WINNING AT CHANGE by John P. Kotter
The four most common mistakes of leadership, Managing Multiple Time Lines, Building Coalitions, Creating a Vision, Traits of Effective Leaders, Eight Steps to Transform Your Organization, The Ways Change Happens.

THE ENDURING SKILLS OF CHANGE LEADERS by Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Forces for Change, Keys to Mastering Change, Classic Skills for Leaders, Sticky Moments in the Middle of Change -- and How to Get Unstuck.

BARRIERS TO LEADERSHIP by Frances Hesselbein
Self-Imposed Barriers and Institutional Barriers to Leadership.

Acceptable Use Policies
Sample acceptable use policies from Northwest Schools and links to online resources.

Research Fundamentals

Becoming a Better Web Researcher
Three issues of central concern in Web research are finding information efficiently, effective resource selection, and critical evaluation of Internet resources.

Evaluating Information Found on the Internet
Because so much information is available on the WWW, and because that information can appear to be fairly "anonymous", it is necessary to develop skills to evaluate what you find.

American Educational Research Association (AERA) AERA is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results.

APA Bibliography Styles Handbook
An online resource for creating APA-style bibliographies from the University of Illinois

Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological Association
An APA guide to citing electronic resources.

Intelligence and Personality Assessment
An excellent resource discussing a variety of topics such as validity, reliability, intelligence/ability assessment, and psychometrics in general.

Psych On-Line Glossary of Terms
A glossary of psychometric terms from the article listed above.

Mathworld.wolfram.com > Probability and Statistics
This site is a convenient resource for probability and statistics intended for students, educators, math enthusiasts, and researchers.

Search ERIC Database
ERIC is the world's largest source of education information, with more than 1 million abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. Our version of the Database, updated monthly, provides access to ERIC Document citations from 1966 through December 1999 and ERIC Journal citations from 1966 through December 1999.

Scott's Research Library
Designed to help instructors, researchers, and scholars to discover new and effective methods of utilizing instructional technology in classroom work, curriculum development, and advanced research.

RESEARCH articles from from Ericae.net
Numerous full-text articles categorized by Research Design & Methods, Surveys/Questionnaires/Interviews, Qualitative Research, Action Research, Evaluation of Research/Research Quality, Research Utilization.

Introductory Statistics: Concepts, Models, and Applications
By David W. Stockburger. Provides definitions and examples of statisical tests.

HyperStat Online
By David M. Lane. A user-friendly site which addresses statistical concepts and applications including descriptive and inferential statistics.

How to Write a Scholarly Research Report
By Lawrence M. Rudner, ERIC & University of Maryland and William D. Schafer, University of Maryland.

Communicating educational research data to general, nonresearcher audiences
By Gail S. MacColl & Kathleen D. White, Program Evaluation and Methodology Division, U.S. Government Accounting Office.

The Research Methods Knowledge Base by William M. Trochim, Cornell University
A comprehensive web-based textbook that addresses all of the topics in a typical introductory undergraduate or graduate course in social research methods.

Action Research
A comprehensive list including definitions, articles, and other resources related to action research.

Professional Associations

American Evaluation Association
Devoted to the application and exploration of evaluation in all its forms.

American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) - ASTD is the leading resource on workplace learning and performance issues, providing information, research, analysis and practical information derived from the knowledge and experience of its members, its conferences and publications, and the coalitions and partnerships it has built through research and policy work. ASTD's mission is to provide leadership to individuals, organizations, and society to achieve work-related competence, performance, and fulfillment.

Association for Applied Interactive Multimedia (AAIM) - AAIM was created to support professionals who use and develop interactive multimedia. AAIM is a diversified organization with an international membership with backgrounds in K-12 education, higher education, business, industry, medicine and government.

Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) - AACE (founded in 1981) is an international, educational, and professional organization dedicated to the advancement of the knowledge, theory, and quality of learning and teaching at all levels with information technology. This purpose is accomplished through the encouragement of scholarly inquiry related to information technology in education and the dissemination of research results and their applications through: publications, conferences, divisions/societies/chapters, and inter-organizational projects.

Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI) - the scope of SIGCHI consists of the study of the human-computer interaction process and includes research and development efforts leading to the design and evaluation of user interfaces. The focus of the SIG is on how people communicate and interact with computer systems. SIGCHI serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas among computer scientists, human factors scientists, psychologists, social scientists, systems designers and end users. SIGCHI offers its members the "Member Plus" package and co-sponsors a number of conferences and workshops each year, including the annual CHI conference. The SIGCHI Bulletin is published quarterly.

Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) - the AECT is the only international, professional association dedicated to the improvement of instruction through the utilization of media and technology. It provides a forum for the exchange of information among professionals in educational technology: audio-visual media, library and microcomputer specialists; education administrators; researchers; teachers and professors; media service directors; learning resource specialists; curriculum developers; television producers and directors; and a variety of other professionals who require expertise in instructional technology.

Association for Educational Communications and Technology International Council for Educational Media (AECT-ICEM) - The objectives of the council are to provide a channel for the international exchange of information and experience in the field of educational technology, with particular reference to preschool, primary and seeondary education, technical and vocational training, and teacher and continuing education: to encourage organizations with a professional responsibility for the design, production, promotion, distribution and use of educational media in member countries: to promote an understanding of the concept of educational technology both on the part of educators and on the part of those involved in the training of educators to comtribute to the pool of countries by the sponsorship of practical projects involving international cooperation and coproduction, exchange and other means: to advise manufacturers of hardware and software on the needs of an information service on developments in educational technology and to provide consultants for the benefit of member countries: to cooperate with other international organizations in promoting the concept of educational technolgy. ICEM enjoys consultative status with UNESCO.

Association for Telecommunication Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA) - ACUTA is a member-driven organization dedicated to the enhancement of teaching, learning, research, and public (community) service by providing leadership in the application of telecommunications technology for higher education.

American Evaluation Association (AEA) - AEA is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. The American Evaluation Association's mission is to: improve evaluation practices and methods, increase evaluation use, promote evaluation as a profession, and support the contribution of evaluation to the generation of theory and knowledge about effective human action.

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) - the ACM is an international scientific and educational organization dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of information technology. With a world-wide membership of 80,000, ACM functions as a locus for computing professionals and students working in the various fields of Information Technology.

American Statistical Association (ASA) - Founded in 1839 to foster excellence in the use and application of statistics to the biological, physical, social and economic sciences, ASA is a leader in promoting statistical practice, applications, and research; publishing statistical journals; improving statistical education; and advancing the statistics profession.

EDUCAUSE - The mission of EDUCAUSE is to enable the transformational changes occurring in higher education through the introduction, use, access to, and management of information resources and technologies in teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and institutional management.

International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) - Founded in 1962, the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) is the leading international association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace. ISPI's mission is to improve the performance of individuals and organizations through the application of Human Performance Technology.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - ISTE promotes appropriate uses of technology to support and improve teaching and learning. Representing more than 40,000 educators, ISTE provides: curriculum for learning about technology and integrating it into the classroom, research results and project reports, and leadership for policy affecting educational technology.

National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) - NCME is a professional organization of about 2,300 members. Many members are involved in either the construction and uses of educational tests or the development and evaluation of measurement models and methods. NCME members are committed to the continual improvement of testing and measurement practiced in education.

Northern Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association (NRMERA) - NRMERA is an educational organization whose purpose is to encourage quality educational research and to promote the application of the results of such research in schools. It provides a responsive forum that promotes a trusting atmosphere in which graduate students and public school personnel have the opportunity to conduct and disseminate research. The organization facilitates an effective communication network among the regional member states relative to sharing of educational research.

Society for Applied Learning Technology (SALT) - Founded in 1972, membership in the Society is oriented to professionals whose work requires knowledge and communication in the field of instructional technology. It is a professional society, designed for individual membership participation with classes of membership keyed to the interest and experience of the individual. The Society provides a means to enhance the knowledge and job performance of an individual by participating in Society sponsored meetings, and through receiving Society sponsored publications. It enables one to achieve knowledge for work in the field of applied learning technology by association with other professionals in conferences sponsored by the Society.

Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) - The Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education is an international association of individual teacher educators, and affiliated organizations of teacher educators in all disciplines, who are interested in the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the use of information technology in teacher education.

Teaching, Learning, and Technology Group (TLT) - The TLT Group is an affiliate of AAHE. Its mission is to provide materials and services that motivate and enable institutions to improve teaching and learning with technology, while helping them cope with continual change.