IDEL - A simple Instructional Design Tool for...

suitable context.Tested and successful face to face teaching practices do not translate and transfer easily to successful interactions inside the e-learning environments. Online courseware andcommunication tools are not as accessible for the learner as they claim to be, due to the technologies involved being not asnatural or intuitive to use. It is necessary therefore to study the contribution made by the Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and Communities of Practice (CoP) movements [5] - [7] (and develop the mechanisms for the realignment of human and technology resources across institutions and organisations, and a realignment for thedevelopment of the environment with their particular needs inorder to improve efficiency and quality, enriching, thus, previous works of other researchers to this direction [8] - [10]and in online professional development [11]. The structure of this paper is as follows: section II will briefly discuss Instructional Design, Instructional Systems Design and the ADDIE ISD model in an attempt to define the formal aspects for the development of the IDEL (Instructional Design for Electronic Learning) tool and the e-learningcourse. Section III will present the phases of analysis, designand development of the course. In addition, the various modesof operation available in the constructed tool IDEL and the relative screen forms that students and educators use extensively will be presented. More, some results of evaluating the learning impact of the course as well as the quality of operation of IDEL will be reported. Finally section IV will summarise with concluding remarks and ideas forfuture work. II. INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMSTo achieve active and meaningful integration of technology in the everyday teaching and learning process, it is important that technologiesare integratedpedagogically andharmoniously by using Instructional Systems. Instructional Systems aim to support and partially automate the instructional process on a knowledge area, such as a course, a seminar or a series of lectures [12]. The instructional process refers to the combination of all the actions that educators and learners perform to achieve best learningobjectives. Instructional Systems consist of resources that are classified in three categories: human, educational andtechnological ones. According to the educational philosophy and the available learning resources, instructional systemsdiffer from each other. Of particular importance is the one that is open, in the sense that learners are at the centre of the system and around them are all the resources and tools facilitating the learning process.A. Instructional Systems DesignTo build a successful Instructional System a teaching andlearning design methodology which facilitates the process ofcourse design with an emphasis on the use of technology enhanced learning must be adopted. The most widely usedmethodology for developing new learning programs is calledInstructional Systems Design (ISD). It is also known as Instructional Systems Design & Development (ISDD), the Systems Approach to Training (SAT) or just Instructional Design (ID). This approach provides a step-by-step system tothe evaluation of students』 needs, the design and developmentof learning materials, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the learning intervention. The application of a systems approach to learning insures that educational programs and the required support materials are continually developed in an effective and efficient manner to match the variety of needs inan ever rapidly changing environment.Instructional Systems Design combines instructional practice, research and theory into a methodology for learningdevelopment that is systematic (inputs produce outputs which in turn, become inputs) and systemic since the components have a symbiotic relationship [13]. The goal of ISD is to create successful learning experiences and to create transfer oflearning. ISD provides a road map to guide designers andinstructors throughanalysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation to the goal as it appears in Fig.1 [14]. Fig. 1 Dick and Carey Model (Systems-oriented) PROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740367? 2009 WASET.ORG

ISD is based on an instructional design model which is a representation of a view on how people learn. The main goal of an ID model or process is to construct a learningenvironment in order to provide the learners with conditionsthat support the desired learning processes. They normallycover the five phases of developing an ISD, while formative evaluations are embedded in each of the five phases for judging the value or worth of that process and while the program activities are happening. Most model creators subscribe to one or more learning theories which shape their model. If the creator is a behaviourist, a cognitivist or a constructivist the model will reflect that theoretical background. According to [15], instructional design modelshave the ambition to provide a link between learning theories and the practice of building instructional systems. Accordingto the taxonomy defined by [16], models are described as being classroom oriented, product oriented or systemsoriented. Systems oriented instructional design models aim to provide 「a complete instructional system for managinglearning needs」 [17]. People with a relevant background in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are normally responsible for developing an e-learning system, or designing suitabletools for developing an e-learning system. It is reasonable toassert that they need to be guided by people who haveappropriate knowledge and suitable background in Instructional Systems Design Methodologies, since the deliberate and intentional act of communicating content to student (educational communications) and the technologies inwhich they are encoded are conceived, analysed and designedby educational analysts [18]. Effective instruction in any mode (traditional or networked) is a result of careful planning that follows a transparent process from the project idea toevaluation and review. Thus, in developing an e-learningsystem there is a need to face the matter in a systemic (holistic) approach. Β. The ADDIE Model In delivering instruction various models have been proposed. The most well-known and frequently used modelsin Instructional Systems Design are usually based on the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation,and Evaluation) concept. The ADDIE model is a generic and systematic approach to the instructional design process whichprovides instructional designers with a framework in order tomake sure that their instructional products are effective andthat their creative processes are as efficient as they canpossibly be [14]. This fundamental model consists of the fivesteps mentioned above which are found in almost all ISD models. Each step has an outcome that feeds the subsequent step. During the phase of analysis, the designer identifies the learning problem, the goals and objectives, the learners』 needs, existing knowledge and any other relevant characteristics. Analysis is also concerned with the learningenvironment, any constraints, the delivery options and the timeline for the project. The design phase documents specific learning objectives, assessment instruments, exercises andcontent. The actual production of learning materials iscompleted in the development phase. During implementation, a procedure for educating the learner is developed and the materials are delivered or distributed to the student group. After delivery the effectiveness of the learning materials is evaluated.The ADDIE ISD model covers the whole process of development of learning programs from the minute the question 「what must the students learn」 arises to the minute the question 「 did the students learn what they needed ? 」 is submitted and also provides a complete linear process whichmanages the development of a course』s design. Its methodology consists of the five phases mentioned alreadyand each phase is characterised by a set of activities and a project output in the form of a tangible deliverable. Thedeliverable for one phase is the input for the next one. Each phase of the ADDIE model is an important element of the instructional design process. In each phase the instructional designer makes decisions that are critical for ensuring the effectiveness of the instructional experience. An adaptation of the basic framework structure and,subsequently, its transformation in order to satisfy the needsand requirements posed within a Networked LearningEnvironment could be made in a way that follows theprinciples of Information Systems (IS) development, since e-learning is an IS itself. III. USING THE ADDIEMODEL FORDEVELOPMENT OF AN E-LEARNING COURSEIDEL is a web-based learning framework which was developed to facilitatecoursedevelopmentand implementation in accordance with the ADDIE model and the instructional design principles. It aims at providing theeducators with facilities to develop their own courses with the essential educational material and manage communicationwith students. The implementation of a course is given as anexample case of how a teaching and learning system designcan be materialized and utilized. The IDEL tool was applied at the Informatics Department of the Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki.One of the department』s objectives was to provide studentswith a simple environment suitable for e-learning. The first course that was developed and applied on IDEL was Web Programming to help students to acquire the basic knowledgeand skills in developing web-pages. Achieving such a goal, the students were benefited by the acquisition of basicprinciples and suitable knowledge, and programming skillsregarding the programming languages HTML and JavaScript, the techniques of XHTML and DHTML and the use of XMLand CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).A. The Analysis PhaseIt was not required students to have any previousPROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740368? 2009 WASET.ORG

knowledge in developing web-pages. Thus, the lessonsprovided were focused both on introductory issues and moreadvanced ones, as the course proceeded. In the end of the course, students were able to develop their own web-pages,either simple or more complicated interactive ones, using CSS for their formation. B. The Design PhaseThe lesson materials existed in electronic form. The subject』s content was organized in autonomous units. The order of these units was critical in understanding the subject. Self-evaluating tests helped students to rank the level ofunderstanding they achieved either during the course or as a summative evaluation. The results of either form of evaluationbecame part of their final grade. These tests were composedwith multiple choice questions, blank completion and multiple answers correspondence. Project assignments were providedin the form of homework that students were able to complete throughout the application. Students were, also, able to trytheir programs code throughout the development of theapplication. Any information needed by students to know was provided through suitable bulletins and a diary. Forums and chats took place, and educators』 e-mails were at students』 disposal, so that they could communicate with their tutors andraise any additional questions. Finally, all lesson』s documentation and useful links were provided to studentsthroughout the application. C. Use Cases From the moment a student logs into IDEL, he/she can choose one of the following options: ?Start a lesson.?Study a unit.?Move onto the next unit, after completion of the current unit. ?Test a particular piece of code. ?Answer a self-testing questionnaire, after completionof a unit.?Look at the course』s assignments. ?Communicate with his/her tutor through the e-mail service. ?Visit any given course』s links. ?Search through the diary for any part of the course he/she is interesting in. ?Deliver an assignment. ?Check his grades. ?Be informed about the discussion matters of the forum.?Add a new subject. ?Use the chatting facility to communicate with his/her tutor and peers. ?Give an answer concerning a raised question.Accordingly, an educator is able to intervene in order to addor erase any of the following:?Documentation about the course. ?Assignments regarding the course.?Information relevant to the course. ?Bulletins about the course. ?Links referred to the course. D. The Development Phase Based on the design specifications, IDEL begins with amain menu that provides, on the left hand side of the screen, the necessary buttons for navigating through the application. There is also a help menu, at the top of the screen, whichincludes only the basic choices. The course』s materials exist inan electronic form and so, through a reasonable use of a suitable button, any part of the course can be visited. The prototypes (screen forms) available regarding the course are the following:?Announcements. ?Documentation. ?Assignments. ?Communication. ?Discussion. ?Forum.?Chat. ?Units.?Self-testing.?Code testing.?Assignments delivering. ?Diary.?Grades checking.?Control Table (used only by educators). ?Maintenance. E. Evaluation During the reviewing phase some errors were detectedregarding the cross browser operation of the tool. Also, someothers were related to the letter fonts used. All types of errorswere faced effectively. During testing, students from variousother departments located some errors in the lesson texts usedand some inconsistencies in questions and the evaluation system, as well. All types of errors and inconsistencies were faced and corrected. IDEL, was used and tried with success by four students. Two of them were registered with the department ofInformatics, while the other two were registered with other departments. The usage of the system delivered good results and gave a hopeful message regarding its effectiveness. The students from the department of Informatics, who were aware of some basic principles regarding the web-page development process, found the advanced parts of the lesson particularlyinteresting. The students from the other departments considered of particular value the system interactivity features, as well as the navigation facilities and the feedbackpossibilities the system offered. The following figures display screen forms regardingprototypes about lesson information, lesson documents, lesson assignments and various lessons, respectively. PROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740369? 2009 WASET.ORG

Fig. 2 Lesson Information PrototypeFig. 3 Lesson Documents Prototype PROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740370? 2009 WASET.ORG

Fig. 4 Lesson Assignments Prototype Fig. 5 Various Lessons Prototype PROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740371? 2009 WASET.ORG

IV. CONCLUSIONIn recent years, many universities and learningorganisations have been developing courses using a variety ofmedia, multimedia and hypermedia, with most common the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet, to deliver education programmes, with e-learning being the most popular form. However, the task of transforming a lesson plan from a description to a complete learning design is not trivial and requires a thorough knowledge of techniques and instructional systems design practices. Approaches whichsupport E-learning need to be complemented with tools allowing educators, researchers and learners to organise their learning material and actions into a comprehensive framework. IDEL is a simple ISD framework that facilitates the learning process of e-learning courses with the emphasis placed on the use of technology enhanced learning. Learners, with the many screens available in the tool, can easily satisfy their instructional and learning needs and collaborate withtutors and fellow students. Educators can easily draw useful conclusions about the effectiveness of the learning systemdesign or the use of selected educational content and if neededcan proceed with useful modifications. We intend to continue our efforts to improve IDEL, so that eventually it becomes a useful tool for designing and implementing successful andeffective e-learning courses. REFERENCES[1] N. Lambert and B. McCombs, 「Learner-centred schools and classroomsas a direction for school reform」, in How students learn: Reforming schools through learner-centred education, N. Lambert & B. McCombs(Eds.), Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1998, pp.1-22..[2] M. Goodman, Creative Management, Hemel Hempstead, Prentice Hall, 1995.[3] R. Benjamin, 「Managing Information Technology enabled Change」 in Human, Organisational. And Social Dimensions of Information SystemsDevelopment, (A-24), Avison D., Kendall J. E., De Gross J. I. (Eds.), Elsevier Science Publishers, IFIP, North-Holland, 1993, pp. 381-398.[4] M. Asgarkhani, 「Web-Assisted Teaching and Learning: A Case StudyCurrent Trends and Issues for Future Consideration」, The New Zealand Journal of Applied Computing and Information Technology, vol. 1, no.1, pp. 7-10, 2003.[5] E. Wenger, R. McDermott, W. Snyder, Cultivating Communities of Practice: a Guide to Managing Knowledge, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002.[6] J. Lave, E. Wenger, (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Cambridge, University Press, 1991.[7] E. Wenger, Communities of practice, Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. [8] L. Beaty, G. Cousin, F. Deepwell, 「Introducing E-learning via aCommunity Network: a Teaching and Learning Strategy in Action」,Networked Learning Conference 2002.[9] S. Banks, A. Powell, 「Developing Institutional Readiness for Implementing Networked Learning」, Networked Learning Conference2002.[10] R. A. Harris, R. Ewins 「Peer-to-peer Networked Learning acrossInstitutions: The Virtual Learning Space and the Support oh StaffDevelopment」, Networked Learning Conference 2002.[11] M. Zibit, M., 「The Peaks and Valleys of Online Professional Development」, eLearn Magazine, vol. 4, issue 3, March 2004.[12] S. Retalis, P. Avgeriou, (2002). 「Modelling Web-Based Instructional Systems」, Journal of Information Technology Education, vol. 1, no. 1,pp. 25-41, 2002.[13] G. S. Edmonds, R. C. Branch, P. Mukherjee, P. 「A Conceptual Framework for Comparing Instructional Design Models」, Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 42, no. 4, pp 55-72, 1994.[14] W. Dick, L. Carey, J. O. Carey, 「The Systematic Design of Instruction」, 5th ed., New York: Longman, 2001.[15] B. Gros, J. Elen, M. Kerres, J. Merrienb?er, M. Spector, 「Instructional Design and the Authoring of Multimedia and Hypermedia Systems: Does a marriage make sense?」, Educational Technology, vol. 37, no. 1,pp. 48-56, 1997.[16] K. L. Gustafson, R. M. Branch, 「Survey of instructional development models」, Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University, 2002. [17] G. Prestera, 「Instructional Design Models」, [on-line]. Available: http://www.personal.psu.edu/users /g/e/gep111/html/M4/, 2002 [18] D. H. Jonassen, T. C. Reeves, 「Learning with Technology: Using Computers as Cognitive Tools」, in Handbook of Research for Educational Communications and Technology, David H. Jonassen (Ed.),Simon & Schuster Macmillan, New York, 1996. PROCEEDINGS OF WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740PWASET VOLUME 37 JANUARY 2009 ISSN 2070-3740372? 2009 WASET.ORG
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