Sub-Badge 5: Develop instructional materials

Challenge 1: Produce instructional materials in a variety of delivery formats 

Criteria for successful completion of this challenge: Evidence of creating instructional materials (lectures, readings, textbooks, multimedia components, Open Educational Resources, simulations, and other resources) in a variety of formats (online, eLearning, face-to-face, blended, micro learning, paper or digital, etc.).  Two or more documents must be uploaded. Reflection must address: The importance of being able to create and develop instructional materials in a variety of formats.

Examples: Solutions & Change Management (EDCI 528), Technology Integrated Project (EDCI 564), Learning Design Documents (EDCI 575, eLearning Proposal and/or Digital Prototype Assignment (EDCI 569 if taken prior to Spring 2021)), job aid (EDCI 566, EDCI 568, EDCI 528), Final Project (EDCI 569 if taken in Spring 2021 or later), artifacts of instructional materials (design, performance, workplace, educational, other). 

Reflection

The competency revolves around designing and developing instructional materials in a variety of delivery formats. The artifacts I have chosen to illustrate my accomplishment of this competency are an e-learning module I designed in Adobe Captivate called “Learn Dirga Pranayama for Stress Relief” and its accompanying script; I have also included an instructor-led script in order to illustrate how one would adapt the workshop to either delivery in person or virtually; and I have included a document that includes six theoretical approaches to teaching the module: Behaviorism, Social Cognitive Theory, Cognitive Learning Processes, Cognitive Information Processing, Gagne’s Theory of Instruction, and Constructivism. The e-learning module was designed using Gagne’s Theory of Instruction and developed in Adobe Captivate in order to appeal to a public audience. These materials showcase the competency being met because they illustrate that I understand how to adapt the same learning experience between delivery methods—online asynchronous and in-person/online synchronous.

This competency is important because in our current educational and professional climate, it is necessary to appeal to learners and learning opportunities in multiple modalities. My two examples showcase online asynchronous and in-person/online synchronous delivery because both methods are now ubiquitously available and preferred by learners and other stakeholders alike. In a corporate setting, for instance, one might need to be able to deliver training in an e-learning module, like my Adobe Captivate course here, in order to reach staff in different states or countries who are in significantly different time zones, while also considering any staff at the corporate office or in nearby time zones who could take the course in person or led by an instructor in person or otherwise live online. The scripts and approaches do differ in their instructions and prompts, and certainly the e-learning module has all of the visuals. My examples provided here showcase that I understand how to adapt an instructor-led workshop from an e-learning module, and vice versa. In fact, I have led this workshop many times in person over the last 12 years, so its origin is based in live delivery. Additionally, by providing the six theoretical approaches to designing this learning module on dirga pranayama for stress relief, I have shown that I have a very thorough understanding of how to design this learning experience across modalities and approaches.

My background in the creation of this learning experience started 12 years ago when I first completed a yoga teacher training where I learned dirga pranayama as a student. From there, because I was also teaching college writing and writing seminars at a local community college, I began teaching “Stress Relief for College Students” each semester. Because I know the content so well after over a decade of practice teaching it, I felt comfortable adapting it to the e-learning module in Adobe Captivate. This is the first Adobe Captivate module I have ever designed. Once I wrote the e-learning module’s script and created it in Captivate, I then went back and adapted the script to be instructor-led. It was like coming full circle. I have designed over 40 asynchronous writing tutorial videos for a local community college, and due to time and budget restraints, I used PowerPoint slides and a screen capture via Zoom to make those videos; however, now that I know how to use Adobe Captivate, I can adapt those previous materials into an e-learning modules with much more ease than if I were starting from scratch.

What stands out to me the most about the ability to adapt materials across different delivery formats is this: we always start somewhere with what limitations we have (time, budget, knowledge, etc.), and if we are given the opportunity to change or adapt what we create, assuming we have time, budget, and knowledge of the new modality (i.e. software or theoretical approach), we can do it! This is what I love about instructional design—that inherent to the field is an understanding that we can adapt with changing understanding of theoretical or other approaches, and with new technologies that emerge. I believe my artifacts here demonstrate that I can deliver on multiple approaches to learning the same material, both in practical terms (as in my e-learning module and my instructor-led script), as well as in theoretical terms. It took quite a lot of intellectual energy to re-frame this lesson via those six theoretical approaches, and my instructor for EDCI 531 gave me nothing but praise on that assignment, so I know I am on the right track in terms of accurately understanding how to frame learning experiences around different theoretical approaches.  

What would I do differently? For the instructor-led module, I could also create handouts or a minimal PowerPoint slide deck to accompany it, depending on whether it was delivered in person or online. Because this particular learning experience is not grounded in needing to see many visuals, and is more about feeling and experiencing your own body and breath, I did not focus on that in adapting my e-learning script into an instructor-led script. When I originally taught this topic, I had a few handouts that I would give to students to give background on the concepts and also websites they could visit to learn more. There are so many options for how one would design a learning experience. It really is case-specific and up to the designer and his/her/their learning outcomes or directives from other stakeholders.

Where will I go from here? As I continue teaching myself Adobe Captivate, I want to adapt at least one of those older writing tutorial videos that I mentioned before into a Captivate module because I’d like to see how the approach would shift from asynchronous video instruction to e-learning module. And as I move into my career as an instructional designer, one way I can ensure I am remaining flexible in terms of how my designs can be developed in different delivery formats, is by always analyzing the needs for the learning experience against stakeholder expectations, and being open-minded to how I could deliver on an optimally-developed learning experience using whatever means necessary!

Artifacts 

• E-learning Script to accompany Adobe Captivate e-learning module: Learn Dirga Pranayama for Stress Relief. Contains the Adobe Captivate e-learning module's "review link" as well.

• Screen capture of the Adobe Captivate e-learning module, Learn Dirga Pranayama for Stress Relief.

• Adapted script for Instructor-Led module, Learn Dirga Pranayama for Stress Relief.

• Designing with the [Six] Theories graphics, which showcases designing Dirga Pranayama for Stress Relief via Behaviorism, Social Cognitive Theory, Cognitive Learning Processes, Cognitive Information Processing, Gagne’s Theory of Instruction, and Constructivism.

All materials Copyright 2024 Cindy Spires Malerba