Selection and utilization of problem information by instructional designers

Based on the notion that instructional design is a goal-directed problem-solving activity, this study seeks to describe and compare the ways that instructional designers organize and utilize problem information in making design decisions. Research in areas such as architectural, computer software and engineering design suggests that the design process involves identification and selection of a variety of elements from a large number of possible configurations. Designers tend to decompose design problems into smaller sub-problems which can be solved separately. Little is known about how problem information is used by instructional designers, but it is likely that the instructional design process is similar to design in other domains. Participants who had a minimum of five years of instructional design experience in a variety of settings accessed information contained on individual note cards in order to develop a tentative solution to a problem involving training for librarians. The data provided by videotapes of the think-aloud sessions was analyzed to determine which information was selected, the sequence in which the information was accessed, and the i strategies used to acquire the information and use it in designing a solution. Results indicated that certain categories of information, particularly information about the learner, l skills to be trained, time for training and available resources, were accessed more than others. Designers also tended to access the information in similar sequences. The descriptions provided by this research may help to achieve a better understanding of the instructional design process. Once we know how designers organize the process, it will be possible to track the development of instructional design expertise.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Department dc:contributor.department

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1988

Author dc:creator

• Nelson, Wayne A.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Burton, John K.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Dodl, Norman R.
• Hartson, H. Rex
• Sherman, Thomas
• Wildman, Terry

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/53597

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53597