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Starting a journey in instructional design can be an exciting and rewarding process. Whether you're looking to design courses, training programs, or learning experiences, there are several key steps you can take to get started. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you embark on your instructional design journey. Understanding Instructional Design Instructional Design in a Nutshell Instructional design (ID) is a discipline involved with the process of creating training and educational programs in a way that helps learners acquire the relevant knowledge and skills effectively and efficiently. Over the years several learning models have been developed to systematize the process of ID, however, instructional designers should not restrict themselves to these models as every training is unique. Nevertheless, here are some popular models that can help you get better acquainted with ID. ADDIE : The ADDIE model is an ID framework that is widely used to develop training programs. It's an acronym for Analyze, Design, Develop. Implement and Evaluate. Analysis: The Analysis phase is about understanding the needs, the target audience, and the context before beginning to design any learning program or course. It's like the prework before you even begin to design a course. Design: The Design phase involves planning the structure and approach for the training program. This is where you outline the blueprint for the learning experience. Besides, you also determine the authoring tools or the presentation methods in this phase. Develop: In the Develop phase, you start developing the actual course. Based on the blueprints from the design phase, you develop the learning modules, assessment and other learning activities. Implement: The Implement phase is when the training program is rolled out to the learners. It’s the stage where you put your plan into action and deliver the learning experience. In many cases, it includes successful delivery of the course using a learning management system (LMS). Evaluate: The Evaluate phase occurs across the ADDIE phases but becomes more focused at the end. This phase assesses the effectiveness of the course or program and provides feedback for improvements. It can include direct feedback from the learners or a long term observation of the change in behavior of the learners (as expected after the training). SAM : The SAM (Successive Approximation Model) is an agile, iterative approach to instructional design that prioritizes flexibility, feedback, and continuous improvement. Unlike ADDIE, SAM offers a more dynamic and flexible approach to ID, enabling frequent revisions and improvements. This model broadly depicts course development in three phases that functions in an iterative fashion. Evaluate: The evaluation phase is integrated throughout the design and develop phases. Even the ideas are constantly evaluated before getting started with the designing of the program. Design: The design phase constitutes the prototype development initially. In the later iterations, it can used to incorporate new design approaches into the existing module. Develop: This phase deals with the development and implementation of the prototype from the design phase. Being a part of an iterative cycle means, develop phase can have several iterations in itself, thereby improving the final training module. While the above models help you with the training development and evaluation, there's another important aspect to ID : Adult Learning theories and Models. In simple words, you need to understand the science behind learning before you start with ID. So, without further ado, let's dive into them. Bloom's Taxonomy : Bloom's Taxonomy is a hierarchical model that categorizes educational learning objectives into levels of complexity and specificity. Bloom’s Taxonomy is widely used in instructional design to help teachers create clear, measurable learning objectives, as well as to guide assessment and curriculum development. It is a powerful tool for instructional designers because it helps in the development of learning objectives that encourage students to progress from simple recall to deeper, more critical, and creative forms of thinking. Let's dig deeper into the six levels of Bloom's taxonomy: Remembering: This is the most basic level of cognitive learning, where learners retrieve or recognize information they’ve previously learned. It involves simple recall of facts, terms, or basic concepts. Understanding: At this level, learners demonstrate that they understand the meaning of the material by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, or summarizing it. Applying: Learners at this level are able to use the information they’ve learned in a new context. They apply their knowledge to solve problems, complete tasks, or answer questions. Analyzing: This level involves breaking down information into parts to understand its structure. Learners distinguish between different components and examine relationships. Evaluating: At this stage, learners make judgments or form opinions based on criteria. They can evaluate the quality, validity, or relevance of information, arguments, or methods. Creating: The highest level of cognitive learning, this involves putting information together in a new and unique way. Learners combine elements to form new patterns, designs, or proposals. Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction : These are a set of principles and strategies designed by educational psychologist Robert Gagné to enable instructors and instructional designers effectively deliver and organize lessons. These nine events offer a systematic approach to designing instruction that supports the learning process via initial engagement through to successful performance. Here's an overview of Gagne's nine events: Gain Attention: It's to capture the learner's attention even before the learning begins, . This step is aimed at preparing the learner to focus on the lesson. Inform Learners of Objectives: Clarifying the course objectives is a great way to keep your learners engaged as it helps the to understand the scope of the course and what's expected from them. Stimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge: Learners might come to your training with prior knowledge base. This step is all about how to bridge the existing knowledge to the new information. Present the Content: This step is where the actual learning happens. The new information is introduced in a clear, organized, and engaging way. Provide Learning Guidance: Providing learners with guidance helps them process the content more effectively. This includes support such as explanations, cues, and strategies to make learning easier. Elicit Performance: Giving learners opportunities to apply what they have learned is essential for solidifying their understanding and skills. Provide Feedback: Feedback helps learners understand how well they are performing and what they need to improve. Positive feedback reinforces correct behavior. Assess Performance: Assessing performance help measure if the learning objectives have been achieved and if learners can transfer their knowledge to new contexts. Enhance Retention & Transfer: This step ensures that the learning is retained and can be applied in different contexts. Cognitivism and Constructivism

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