Last week I set the following goals for myself:  .... I plan to immerse myself in the content and I would like to accomplish the following:

• Identify Tasks and sub-tasks and group by similarity and/or appropriate sequence
• Draft a curriculum map
• Draft performance objectives

According to the Gannt chart the following items should be in progress this week and next:  

• CONTENT ANALYSIS
  
• Identify tasks for each instructional goal
• Assessment items; each objective w/ key
• Curriculum Map
  

NEARLY 20 HOURS LATER... I am pleased to say the week has been productive.  I have developed a thorough curriculum map and subdivided it into another separate seven maps to make the content more manageable.   I also posted all of the maps in a PowerPoint presentation on our team website.  Furthermore, the curriculum map and tasks were then available for us to begin drafting performance objectives and assessment items.  Each learning goal, task, objectives and assessment item have been drafted in a working document.  After identifying all of the tasks in the map, the objectives came more easily.  Specifically I worked on five of the learning goals: #2 Learning Objectives, #3 Course Organization, #5 Course Communication, #6 Assessment and Evaluation, and  #7 Development Standards.  Additionally, Danita and I talked at length about all of the goals, objectives and assessment items.  In our first conversation, we discussed various examples and possible types of assessment questions.  In our second conversation we discussed modifying the items to reflect a variety of question types (higher order thinking).  

After class tonight, I realize that I may have made some mistakes in the documentation (i.e. I referred to the course management system as a LMS - sorry Dr. G.) and I have also realized that I need to go back and rework some of the objectives.  This phase of the design work is iterative in nature.  Reflection and revisions are extremely important to designing the content because the analysis and instructional strategies are key to providing  effective instructional content.  

Although I understand revisions are necessary and an unavoidable pattern of instructional design, I wish that I did not see as many places for improvement as I do now... This process is one that I will use over and over in future design work, planning professional development, etc. and I recognize that continuous improvement produces quality results.  

Overall, I believe that I worked really hard this week.  I was productive and provided a lot of feedback to the team.  I also feel like we are not quite "there" yet so I know that I need to keep at it.  As a team I think we are in agreement about our goals for the project and we seem to have a common vision.  I am fortunate to have team mates who let me talk through ideas and we help each other find solutions to problems.  

The content analysis is due next week.  Over the week I plan to rewrite the performance objectives and try to help Danita with the assessment items.  I also want to begin drafting the instructional strategies so that we can all have a clearer picture of the muddy road ahead.  


 

 

Our project plan was due this evening.  Fortunately, our team completed the majority of the plan last week and we have spent this week working through some initial development trials.  I focused graphic design and obtained the University of Memphis logo and added text for eCampus branding. I also created a few storyboard drafts in PowerPoint.  Developing the PPT slides allowed me to think about color, layout, fonts, art, screen size, and compatibility with the Camtasia software.  Additionally, I designed the PPT slides as a draft for the first three events of instruction (in accordance with Gagne’s nine events) and have been talking with Kris about methods for tying text/slides/images into the screencasts.  Kris has been working hard to learn the software and develop some expertise in developing screencasts. 

Through our discussions about development and content design our project is starting to take shape.  It is still early in the process yet I can see that we are headed in the right direction.  Fortunately, our team has maintained open communication and we are working through any differences of opinions about design and development.  I imagine that the road ahead will not be completely smooth but we are working hard to make sure that all voices are heard and that we are producing the best instructional product possible. 

This weekend, I plan to immerse myself in the content and I would like to accomplish the following:

• Identify Tasks and sub-tasks and group by similarity and/or appropriate sequence
• Draft a curriculum map
• Draft performance objectives

Danita and I are planning to talk through the instructional design work on Sunday and merge our individual parts.  The content analysis is due in two weeks but the development of our project needs to begin before then.  It is important that we work to stay ahead of schedule. 

The Project Plan

This week....our team wrote the project plan for our instructional design project Online Course Development for Faculty.  The plan is not due until next week but we are trying to stay ahead of the game because we know “hard times may be coming…” 

Developing a project plan is an important phase for instructional design because it requires the team to think through all aspects of managing the project from scope to staff, expected completion time to budget and potential risks.  At first, the requirements seemed overwhelming but we divided the parts and were able to accomplish the tasks without much difficulty.  I was responsible for writing the scope, deliverables and risk analysis. 

The project scope is a “big picture” statement but is specific enough to describe the final product, in this case instructional videos for online faculty developers.  Writing the deliverables caused me to think through the critical phases of the project and determine which sections should be sent to the client for review/approval.  Finally, the risk analysis afforded me with an opportunity to focus on all potential threats to the project.  After reviewing the plan with the team I believe that my sections have been thoroughly developed and provide a significant contribution to the plan.  When combined with my team member’s sections, the plan provides a detailed map for this instructional design project.

Although I am typically an organized “planner,” this is the first time I have helped to write a project plan.  I am glad to have had the opportunity to create this type of document because I now realize that it is necessary for project survival and success.  Without a clear scope/goal, an understanding of how many people (and how many hours they are needed), potential risks, etc. a project is doomed to fail – or at least to flounder. 

As our team moves forward with content analysis, design and development, it will be important to return to this plan and keep it updated.  Should any changes need to be made to the project, we will need to note those changes and the potential impact to the project.  Additionally, we will need to constantly review the status of our risks and work in proactive ways to avoid pitfalls to the project. 

_ This week...
I collected information and wrote parts of the analysis report for the Online Course Development Training for Faculty project.   Specifically, I wrote the performance analysis and learner context portions of the report.  The performance analysis is a review of the desired performance as compared with actual performance and identification of possible causes for gap in performance. The learner context analysis reviews the setting, equipment, support etc. that will be available to the learner while they participate in the instruction. 

On Sunday, our team combined all parts of the analysis report and peer reviewed each other’s work.  We made edits and suggestions.  Later in the week, I reviewed the document, made additional edits and published online prior to the due date.  This part of the assignment required our team to think through the client need, stakeholders, and conditions surrounding our project development.  The analysis report enabled us to identify critical factors to the success of the project and therefore begin to think through potential risks.  

Like my teammates, I have done this type of report twice before.  The difference was that this time the work was divided between three of us!  Although it is tempting to skip this part of the design process, I realize each time how important analysis is for identifying critical aspects of the project.  Understanding earner needs and motivation, learning conditions, support personnel and so on, are all important to the success of an instructional project.  I am pleased that this phase of the design process has continued to be reinforced throughout my program.  Repetition in a variety of projects has caused me to realize a few things: 1) not all learners are the same, 2) not all problems require instructional solutions, 3) the learning context can be instrumental to the success or failure of the project and 4) documentation is important to the current project as well as future projects.

Before beginning the analysis report, I reviewed similar past reports (my own as well as those of the prior teams). Having examples of prior documentation helped me to focus on the critical parts analysis and move the work forward without wasting a lot of time.  I was able to identify missing information quickly, ask for data and write the report efficiently... kind of like a professional J  

Overall, the analysis is thorough and contains the necessary information to move forward with the project.  I think it could be a little more concise and some of the parts could be rewritten to flow in a more cohesive manner.  Combining three writing styles is not always an easy task but overall the report is well done. 

This week our team has narrowed down our specific roles for the project and we are beginning the serious work of planning the project.  I will write up the scope, deliverables, and risk management portions of the project plan.  I am pleased to have these parts because I like to understand the big picture before I begin to iron out the details.  Afterward, I need to begin thinking through the content and writing drafts of the objectives and sub-objectives.  Concurrently, I need to begin thinking about the overall appearance and aesthetic of the final project (colors, layout, etc.).  There are so many parts to this project that must be juggled at once... we are definitely coming into the long stretch of hard work and perseverance.  Hopefully our training and will to succeed will see us through!  

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_US Army Photo by Edward N. Johnson
This week I drafted the project goal, need, materials, and approach sections for the Project Charter.  The team met our dead line ahead of time and embedded the document to our website last night. 

The project charter will be provided to Dr. Gikas and Dr. Murrell for approval before we begin the design and development phases of the project.  Developing the charter helped our team understand the big picture, identify and tackle obstacles to project initiation.  The charter is an important document because it provides a clear goal for the project, identifies expectations, constraints, key persons, etc. 

Drafting the charter gave me the opportunity to create a document that I had not previously created.  If I should work on design projects in the future (as a consultant or with a company) it will be important to understand the key components of the charter how this process works. 

To do this work, I have utilized an online ‘to-do’ list and task sheet in Google Docs. I also located and read through a few examples from previous semesters.  The process was efficient and I would likely take a similar approach in the future.  Ideally, the process would not take as long now that I have a better understanding of developing a project charter document.

We are also learning to communicate effectively, work as a team, set and meet mutual goals.  These skills will be extremely important in moving forward with a career in instructional design. Project tasks do not exist in isolation – everything is interdependent.  I can imagine that a team with strong skills, commitment, and excellent communication will do well.  Conversely, a team lacking in any of these characteristics may stumble or fail.  

Our team is pretty honest.  We have listened to the advice of prior students and we are speaking up and making note of concerns etc.  We are trying to work ahead where possible.  I took a look at the Analysis report and we started planning ahead for next week.  We pinpointed missing information/data and wrote questions for Dr. Gikas related to the performance expectations and discrepancies and learner analysis.  Since we may be using new software, keeping up with the project plan and WBS for the first time- getting ahead (or not falling behind) is important to all of us.  Having examples for each phase of this process is really helpful.

_ I met most of my peers face to face for the first time this week.  It was interesting to finally match names with faces and gain a quick understanding of personalities and skill sets prior to forming teams for the ID project this semester. 

We were assigned a few but looming tasks:

1. Divide into two teams
2. Choose a project manager
3. Choose a semester project from a list of client proposals
4. Develop a team name and website
5. Develop an individual website or blog
6.  …along with all of the other typical grad school things such as read chapters 1-3, think of questions, etc. 

 this week…
our team talked, chatted, designed, texted, read, read some more and tweeted (or hooted #idt7095).

As a group, our members are interested in eLearning.  We chose to design a training unit for new online faculty at the University of Memphis.  We are excited to be working with Dr. Gikas and the other distance learning staff at the U of M. 

Our team name is Tri-State eDesigns because it represents the three team members and our home locations.  Upon reflection, it is a great name.  We are dealing with significant barriers of distance, rural locations (terrible Internet service), busy families, etc.  Yet, the three of us have one goal – to rock this project!  We are determined, hardworking and we will work together to make this design project great.

In class, we decided to host our website in Google Sites.  Since I enjoy “building” I immediately went home and started to work on the webpage.  Although, we did not decide as a group that I would take on this responsibility, it worked out well and the site is organized efficiently.  An important feature of Google Sites is the capability of having multiple contributors to the website.  Each of our team members was able to edit text and other content as needed.  Additionally, the site works seamlessly with Google Docs and we were able to embed a spreadsheet to keep up with tasks and a to-do list for recording notes to the group.

Our group also tried a few methods for “long-distance” communication.  We were able to conference call and use the Google+ messenger for three-way communication.  We are also using Google Docs to collaborate on our upcoming tasks and meeting with the client.

Although the initial onset of the project has felt rushed and a bit like we were all thrown together, it has been a quality learning experience.  Our team was forced to pull together and figure out how to make this team and project work.  Communication will play a key role in the success of this project and I believe we have done well in finding ways to communicate effectively.  I can also see how all of our learning in this IDT program will come together to support what we do as a group.  I am thankful to have had previous experience with Web2.0 tools, web design, and project design.  Each of our team members has valuable leadership and design skills to contribute to the group.  This week we have helped each other with small tasks… and I think we have set a good tone for the rest of the semester.

Thursday we will meet with Dr. Gikas to establish a plan for moving forward with the project.  We will discuss her goals and expectations as well as preferred method of communication.  Afterward we will start to work on the project charter.  We will need to set clear goals for the overall task and then smaller goals for each individual.  It will be important to have clear expectations and understanding before we begin to work on this initial phase of the project. 

I am excited to work as a team – I often work alone and feverishly to try and perfect my work.  Since instructional design is often completed as a team effort in corporate settings, I am eager to see how this goes.