A Day in the Life of an
Instructional Designer

Introduction

Your Task

The Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Resources

Full Web Quest

Teacher's Notes

The Forum

You and your teammates are now seated around the table in George's office. You listen intently as your project manager, George, explains that the Board of Directors is disappointed in Creative Designs' recent crop of learning programs, noting that they are often missing the learning goals of their clients. Because of these recent miscues, the Board has decided it is time to make fundamental changes to its current instructional design methodology.

While the Board is eager to adopt a new methodology, it is not interested in trading one process for another without seeing evidence that the new methodology adopted will indeed be a vast improvement over the company's current design practices. However, current project deadlines prevent the company from pulling together a more seasoned team to do this all important research and analysis.

George announces that it falls to you and your teammates to put together a package that will provide the Board substantial evidence that your team's design model is just what the company needs as its approach to instructional design.

To your relief, you learn that George has taken some time to identify numerous popular approaches and philosophies driving today's instructional design practices from which you can immediately begin to research and act on. You also learn that your team will be primarily focused on utilizing the ADDIE design model in your team's activities.

In an effort to win the Board's approval and ensure your company's long-term success, you have been charged with the following task:

You will be doing initial research on latest trends, philosophies, research, and thinking on instructional design and formulating an argument for why ADDIE is the right design model for your company to adopt.

George believes that when you have accomplished the above, you will have learned much about the field of Instructional Design and will be ready to actually put your new knowledge to work in developing a course curriculum utilizing your newfound knowledge.

So, there you have it. Rather than a dream team of seasoned professionals, it is up to your "green" team to solve an ailing design process and restore the company to profitability. But how is your team going to accomplish this feat?

Move on to The Process to learn more.