EDCI 577 – Strategic Assessment and Evaluation – Evaluation of an Instructional Product

Artifact – EDCI 57700 – Evaluation of an Instructional Product

• Plans and designs effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology

After learning that a majority of training improvement projects rely heavily on budgetary constraints, I decided to pursue the possibility of utilizing existing learning material that may fulfill a specific requirement.  In this artifact I analyzed a Business Writing module made available through Sophia Learning (“Business Letter Basics Tutorial | Sophia Learning,” n.d.). The intention of the module was to provide general rules and tips to write a professional letter. However, the module was lacking in interactive properties.  If I decide to use a similar module in the future for the sake of saving money, I will ensure that it is supplemented by an exercise that offers interactive practice and experience.

• Applies technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies

Evaluating this existing writing tutorial was critical, in part because it needed to not only be well received by the target learners but it also had to show recognizable results.  I approached this goal within the artifact by using pre and post tests to evaluate learning and a reaction survey to determine the relative attitude and confidence of the associates in their own ability to write letters.

• Demonstrates understanding of social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology and applies it in practice

I feel that this artifact has helped me to understand that it’s important to be aware of the human element of instructional design, and to remain sensitive to all output that is learner focused.  For instance, with so much time and energy focusing on data and model integration, it may be easy to forget that a design should always have the person in mind.  In the future I must remember that the material I prepare must not be condescending or too complex, as the target learners will have different levels of experience even if they share similar backgrounds. Furthermore, from an ethical standpoint, the viewpoints and desires of the stakeholder must remain in sync with my motives and never be trumped by my intuitions alone.

References:

Business Letter Basics Tutorial | Sophia Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/business-letter-basics