Section 3: Evaluating, Implementing and Managing Instructional Programs and Projects

1. Chapter 10 discusses evaluation in instructional design and provides you with two evaluation models, the CIPP and Kirkpatrick models for evaluation. Search for at least two other models used for evaluation and summarize these models. Describe how you would use them to evaluate your instruction. 

Flagg

The Flagg model of instructional design evaluation, requires that first a needs assessment be conducted.  This will reveal what content needs to be included in the instructional design.  Next, experts and “users” will be surveyed to determine if in fact the needs included are correct and presented in a way to promote maximum learning outcomes.  After testing the instructional design on small groups, it is adjusted to better meet the needs of the learners. This step usually includes experts as well as the comments from the target group.  Finally, the design is presented on a wide scale and additional tweaks are made to finalize the program.

I would use this model in creating new training models for curriculum.  I have to first determine what the teachers and administrators need to know to implement the new curriculum with fidelity.  Then I would survey our curriculum department and some of our existing customers to find out how to best explain this material.  After tweaking the content, I would present it to a few test groups who are new to the curriculum.  Upon completion, I would have these groups complete a survey and then make the determined changes to the presentation.  At this point I would release the training model for broad use, making small changes when necessary.

Seels & Glasgow  

The Seels and Glasgow method for instructional design evaluation uses a team of experts, and designers as well as experts on the learners to determine what the needs are.  After determining these needs and designing instruction to meet these needs, the instruction is used on a small group.  After conducting these “tryouts,” necessary modifications are made.  Finally, the instruction is presented in an operational tryout or “field test”.  This tryout ensures that all necessary modifications have been made and that the instruction will be successful. 

When using this in the same training scenario, I would gather a team made up of curriculum writers, field trainers, and current customers.  After reviewing the new product and determining what needs to be presented to new users, I would conduct training with a few small implementations.  After reviewing these sessions, I would make modifications to the instruction and then send it out with the field trainers.  Most likely minor modifications would need to be made to have best use. 

2. Think about a technological innovation within your social system that was recently introduced (social system = place of work, home, etc.). Any innovation has what is known as perceived attributes - relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. Describe these attributes of the innovation and which of the attributes assisted and/or hindered adoption of the innovation. For example, was it not compatible with the existing beliefs of the system or was it overly complex to use or understand?

The most recent technological innovation that was introduced to me was at work.  At the recommendation of the marketing dept. we purchased several licenses to an email management system. I’ll call this system Eloquent.  Eloquent is designed to allow the user to design mail outs, landing pages and various other things in order to inform a specific population of educators about our products.  This would be a great benefit to our company. The information on the Eloquent system was that it would be compatible with the other systems we had in place for our marketing and sales depts. My department was responsible for the content to be included in the emails as well as the landing pages.  We were informed that there were tutorials on the Eloquent website that would show us how to use the program or we could also pay an additional $5000 to have someone come and train us onsite for 3 days.  As our budget did not allow for a $5000 training for two people, we decided to go with the online tutorials.  These tutorials were found to be not very helpful.  The user needed to have a great deal of prior knowledge to understand the online tutorials.  In accessing the website there wasn’t an opportunity for trialability and observability.  This innovation was not adopted due to the lack of trialabitiy and observability.  We are now going to use a separate system for email mail outs and landing pages.

3. Chapter's 12 & 13 focus on project management and how to manage projects when resources are scarce.  You have been assigned to develop a series of professional development sessions focusing on technology use in the classroom for teachers.  How will you use Situational Leadership to facilitate this project? 

As resources are typically scarce in education, odds are that I would have to use classroom teachers to assist in leading the professional development sessions.  After informing them of the topic of our sessions I would then begin a discussion on how to best transfer this knowledge to their fellow teachers. I would lead them to create an outline of the points that need to be covered in the session and then encourage them to each take responsibility for one or more of these points.  As we continued planning the sessions I would give consistently less input in the discussion, only stepping in to adjust the course or correct misinformation. My role would be to ensure the team has what they need to carry out the sessions successfully.