The Blueprint

March 26, 2021

Instructional Plans

In previous posts, Analyze and Empathize and Job Aids and Performance Requirements, we discussed documents created in both the Analysis and Design & Development phases. This post we will continue to explore the design phase with instructional plans (IPs). Specifically, we will address what is an IP, what should be included in an IP, and how start to creating an IP.

Image by Senne Hoekman from Pexels

What is an IP?

An important component of a project’s design phase is the development of an IP by the instructional design (ID) team. An IP is a single document that will act as the lesson plan or the blueprint for the training development that will be done by the ID team. Information from previously developed documents, such as the training and task analysis, performance requirements, and the performance assessment instrument should be used by the ID team to create the IP. There are four main purposes of an IP (OPWL Instructors, 2020, pg. 205):

Planning tool: a tool to describe all pieces of the instruction and they how they fit together.
Communication tool: a tool to create a clear map for everyone involved in the project.
Project Management tool: a tool to document what the ID is providing and what the client is accepting.
Tool for reaching mastery: a tool to document how components will be arranged so learners completing the instruction will meet the mastery level. For further explanation of mastery level check out the blog post Assessing Performance.

What should an IP include?

The IP should be a single document that contains everything the ID teams will need to create training as the project progresses from design to development. According to OPWL Instructors (2020, pg. 204) this will include:

Mode of delivery and a rationale for that selection- how will the training be delivered? (This was likely first addressed in the training requirements analysis but will need to be revisited to see if any adjustments should be made.)
Sequence for the objectives- what order should training address the objectives for the learners?
Division of the objectives into instructional units- how will you group the objectives?
A plan for each unit - how will you plan each unit of material to build and transfer workplace skills?
A summary and introduction for the training program- how will you introduce and summarize the material in a clear, succinct way?

It is important to remember for the IP to be both effective and efficient, the conditions, performances, and criteria need to align with what was identified in the training and task analysis, performance requirements, and the performance assessment instrument

How to start creating an IP?

When creating an IP, the ID team can utilize an instructional model as their framework. There are many different instructional models that help the ID team meet their design needs based. The ID will need to determine if they will use a single model, parts of a model, or a mix of models. Five models presented by the OPWL ID Handbook (2020) include Herbart’s Steps, ROPES, Yelon’s Learning Activities, Merrill’s First Principles, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. It is noted in the OPWL Instructional Design Course Handbook (2020) that Merrill and Gagne’s models are the most commonly used.

Herbart’s Steps, is a 5-step teaching method that incorporates steps starting with: preparing the learning, presenting the lesson, information association, using examples, and testing the learners.
ROPES uses an acronym “ROPES” to describe the 5 essential components: Review, Overview, Presentation, Exercise, Summary.
Yelon’s Learning Activities describes 5 types of student learning activities that IDs could sequence: Motivation, Orientation, Information, Application, Evaluation.

Adapted from Merrill (2002, 2007, 2009, 2013) as cited in OPWL Instructors, 2020, pg. 208

Merrill’s First Principles describes 4 principles of instruction that can act as phases in an instructional plan: Problem/Task, Activation, Demonstration, Application, Integration. (image above)
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction describes nine events of instruction: Gain attention; Inform learners of the objectives; Stimulate recall of prior learning; Present the stimulus; Provide learning guidance; Elicit performance; Provide feedback; Assess performance; Enhance retention and transfer.

In my career, I have not had a lot of exposure to the development of an IP. However, I have been brought onto projects that required me to review the document so that I was better prepared to join a project. Having this document was critical in my ability to quickly become an effective member of the team. I also realized the importance of having this document to ensure the client is aware of what they are getting and there are no major surprises at the end requiring significant re-work.

I am still gaining formal experience with IPs but since learning about Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction last year, it has been the most common model I have used for training. I have found this tool easier to follow and explain to members of an ID team that may have less formal experience with ID. I don’t have previous experience with Merrill’s First Principles, but my initial thought is that it is thorough and systematic. I think Merrill’s First Principles provides a clear and logical explanation of transitioning through each phase.

Reference

OPWL 537 Course Instructors (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.

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