Designing and Developing Courses: Why it matters most now.
Revamping curricula isn’t easy. Creating it from scratch is even harder. The ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) Model makes the process of creating and refreshing curricula simpler and more organized. What is it, how does it work, and why do we need it? Well, let’s talk about that.
The ADDIE Model, developed in 1975, was developed to aid in the creation of training programs. Today, it’s used by teachers, instructional designers, and pretty much anyone with a need or desire to create training programs and courses of all kinds. The beauty of this particular model is that it applies both iterative and cyclical processes. That means you’re taking each step, doing it, and then evaluating what you’ve just done to either move to the next step or backtrack to see how you can improve or modify things before going forward.
Now, I know that telling you all this doesn’t exactly explain why we need it. But knowing those individual components and how they interact is most certainly important, and we’ll be talking about each one separately.
Analysis
This first step is all about information gathering and consists of 5 (yep you read that right) full-blown analyses. These aren’t the quick, superficial kinds of analysis, though. You also should do a need analysis before you can even dive into the actual analysis step. Why waste your time and effort if there isn’t a need, right? Anyways, the main analyses you get to do for this phase are:
- Audience Analysis (the stakeholders)
- Categorize and identify different types of stakeholders involved
- Enlist help from involved and invested individuals
- Identify who should be informed and to what level
- Make sure all involved parties are on the same page
- Goals Analysis (learner goals)
- What learners need to know
- Goals to achieve learners needs
- Refining goals
- Order of importance (most important goals to least important)
- Refine goals (again)
- Sort goals based on final refinement
- Audience Analysis Part 2 (the learners)
- Empathy Maps
- User Personas
- Accessibility
- Needs Analysis (is there still a need and is it instructional?)
- Is there still a need
- If so, what kind of need: normative, comparative, felt, expressed, future, or critical incident
- Create a study to gather more information (if necessary)
- Is there still a need
- Context Analysis
- Orienting Context
- Instructional Context
- Transfer Context
Design
During this step, you’re designing the course itself (but not putting it together). It’s kind of like a brainstorming step that lets you create the assignments, select content and reading materials, lesson plans, etc. Storyboards are your best friend during this, so don’t be afraid to bust out the markers or expos.
Development
After you’ve finished your designing, put it all together in a logical way that makes sense for your learners. If you’re using technology or software, you should plan on doing some heavy testing in development. That won’t eliminate the bugs you get in production (or implementation) but it will reduce them. Your learners have enough to do with just absorbing and processing what you’re throwing at them. Don’t add unnecessary stress that can be avoided by testing your chosen tech. Even if it’s a DVD player, YouTube video, new learning environment, whatever it is, test it beforehand.
Implementation
Now, you get to put your diabolical plans into action! But first, go over the learning objectives at all levels; when learners know what they’re supposed to take away from the material, they’re more likely to absorb and synthesize the information. Then, make sure you’ve met all requirements identified during the Development phase. It might feel like you’re quadruple checking things at times, but trust me, it is well worth it when the Youtube video you created and embedded into a PowerPoint works without any issues.
Evaluation
I bet you’ve been wondering when I would mention the evaluation since that graphic up there says to do it between each step. Well, why keep interrupting with the same thing over and over again? Figured I’d save this one for last!
The very nature of this step is what makes up the cyclical part of the ADDIE Model. You’re evaluating formatively and summatively. After each step, you’re circling back around to evaluate what you’ve learned or created to see if you need to take a step back for any reason or continue on to the next step. Then, after you’ve implemented your curriculum, you take a step back and look at what happened. Did students learn what they were supposed to? Were there unexpected issues? Can anything be modified to enhance the student experience?
Think of the Evaluation phase as though you’re working on different corners or sections of a puzzle and the picture on the box. Your ultimate goal is to make all the pieces fit together to make the image whole.
Why should we even bother?
“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for his own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.”
— Marie Curie
Our world is constantly changing and plowing full-steam ahead (even before the COVID-19 pandemic) towards a life heavily reliant on technology. Yet, many societies across the world cling tightly to antiquated teaching methods that revolve around a brick and mortar learning environment. Even now, months after the initial pandemic onset, schools are still scrambling to adapt to the demands of virtual learning.
Attempts have been made to create hybrid environments where students learn virtually certain days of the week and then attend classes the remaining weekdays. Or some students can opt for fully online learning. But, both options create a greater workload for already underpaid and overworked teachers and instructors, makes it harder for students to become accustomed to a structured routine, and endangers the lives of students and teachers alike.
The second audience analysis encourages you to consider everything, and I do mean everything (though maybe not what they’re eating), about your target audience. Check out the graphic below. It’s a learner empathy map. Notice anything interesting *cough* highlighted *cough* about it?
Environment! It’s one of the things you have to consider before you even leave the first phase of the ADDIE Model! How many of those overworked teachers know a thing about online learning? Not many, because they were taught to use antiquated methods by…the same antiquated methods. Or they’re taught new methods using old methods.
Now, let’s consider the effect these band-aids have on students. Imagine that you’re a 12-year-old boy that has to look through dozens of online documents and multiple online learning environments for deadlines. Then some of the deadlines that should match, don’t match. How confused would you be? I’d be pretty confused and frustrated. Maybe you have ADD or another condition that affects your ability to focus or comprehend information.
Then, on top of that, you’re going back and forth between virtual and in-person learning. Such an inconsistent and hodge-podge environment and schedule can make learning extremely difficult for some students. According to one parent in the Benton School District, “…some virtual kids are falling behind because the teachers are 1) overwhelmed and 2) don’t know how to teach online.
Adding in the stress of an ongoing global pandemic that has, to date, resulted in the death of more than 1.12 million people worldwide, certainly doesn’t help. This type of stress affects both students and teachers. Yes, there were plans implemented in school districts, however, on September 27, 2020 multiple teachers in the Little Rock School District went on strike demanding the cessation of in-person learning due to safety concerns related to Covid-19.
Curricula must be redeveloped to better serve students and teachers. Old methods cannot be thrown at online learning environments, because they simply were not developed with that type of environment in mind. Once the existing curricula is modified for today’s needs and students, the workload teachers are currently experiencing will decrease. That isn’t to say they won’t still be overworked and underpaid, mind you. Remedying those two issues will take more than just redeveloping curricula. But, it’s a good starting point for turning around the current situation teachers and students are in right now.
Sources
https://news.google.com/covid19/map?hl=en-US&mid=%2Fm%2F09c7w0&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen
Love this! I had no idea this existed, but I am so glad it does. We go through a similar evaluation process where I work in the VA, except we work towards improve healthcare practices. Now I can’t help but wonder what brought this about in 1975? Is there some kind of national scale using this model that rates training programs?
It was originally developed and used for military training programs! In it’s original form there were several more steps and processes.
After a while it was modified and used by private and civilian entities.
This is great information! I didn’t know what the ADDIE Model was and you have explained it where even I can understand it, and now I wonder who uses this and who doesn’t and why or why not.
I also think your graphics are awesome!