What is Instructional Design?
Instructional Design is the practice of arranging media and content to help learners and teachers transfer knowledge most effectively. The process consists broadly of determining the current state of learner understanding, defining the end goal of the instruction, and creating some media-based intervention to assist in the transition. This allows your online courses to meet the needs of students with various or blended learning styles. It is important to incorporate elements other than reading and discussion into your course. Many learners are visual or kinetic learners and need various activities that will help them learn in their own style.

The instructional designer is here to help you create an effective learning environment.

You can get assistance with:

• Blackboard instruction and although
• Course layout, images, and a course banner.
• Implementing media content from the web or other sources
• Creation of interactive learning activities

Podcasting & Vcasting
The Instructional Designer can help you get started with audio and video media. Contact ext.3125 to get started. It is easier than you think. The rewards for students can be well worth the initial effort.

Introduction_to_Podcasting

PowerPoint File Conversion
Most instructors post the same PowerPoint files into their online course as they use in their face-to-face course. The problem is that PowerPoint file size can be very large and difficult, if not impossible, for students to download. I can convert your PowerPoint presentations into Flash-based files that are much smaller and easier and quicker for students to download.

Here are some examples of interactive learning activities:

• Flashcards
  • These are web-based flash cards that pose questions to the student, then allow him or her to reveal the correct answer. See an example
• Short quizzes
  • Theses are short multiple-choice quizzes that students take to quiz themselves on their knowledge. See an example
• Knowledge Challenges
  • This activity is in a 'Jeopardy' like format that poses questions to the student to earn points for correct answers. See an example
• Crossword Term Activity
  • This activity allows the student to uses course terminology to fill in a crossword puzzle challenge. See an example

Video Downloading
There is a wealth of great content on the web about any subject. The days of the film projector are long gone and in its place are videos that can be incorporated right into your learning units. Sites like U-tube, Google Video and news sites like ABC News, NPR, and BBC offer countless options to bring theory into perspective. Take advantage of the vast wealth of created videos out there. Contact me to learn how to download and implement videos into your classroom.

Classroom Video Taping
Do you have an especially useful lecture you would like included in your course? Contact the Instructional Designer to learn how to incorporate classroom video in your teaching.

Denise Friend, Instructional Designer
denise.friend@garrettcollege.edu
301.387.3125