My e-Learning mission; the design and the model.

The e-learning design and model:

The way I understood this issue, through the reading of recommended materials for the MPhil HSE module, there are many modalities of e-Learning which go hand to hand with the theories of learning (Behaviourist, Cognitivist, Prescriptive models). For the attainment of my stated mission I will concentrate in the approach to e-learning using the “prescriptive principles” that have been identified to facilitate effective, efficient, and engaging instruction (prescriptive model).

The most general prescriptive principles of e-Learning (as described by Merill, 2002) are:

Task-centred: learning is promoted when learners undertake a progression of whole tasks.
Activation: learning is promoted by activation of relevant cognitive structures
Demonstration: learning is promoted when learners observe a demonstration
Application: learning is promoted when learners engage in the application of newly acquired knowledge
Integration: learning is promoted when learners integrate their new knowledge into their everyday life
Other principles have resulted from meta-analytical deductions by many authors and include: use of media in examples and practice, use of critical tasks for problem-solving, insertion of examples and tasks in the realistic context, promoting students’ progress by reflective learning.

I found the following reference quite useful for the description of these principles: Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer et al, 2008. Handbook of research on educational communications and technology Chapter 14. 3rd Ed. Taylor & Francis Group. NY.


The Instructional Design (ID) model:
The e-Learning module I plan to develop will be planned according to the specific outcomes that rule the selected instructional program of PGD Chem Path. Thus, the process I will follow is the Instructional Design (ID).

Also from the reading we can identify and compare different models to approach the process of Instructional Design and most likely we will all agree that the most frequently recommended is the ADDIE model.

ADDIE stands for the sequence: Analyze-Design-Develop-Implement-Evaluate

The ADDIE model is quite commonly considered to be a generic one because the principles are not defining the details of how to get there but it appears to fit for the general purpose of any instructional program. I would agree on its generic character as it somehow overlaps with the sequence we follow in the conventional instructional curriculum design. (Hopefully we agree that e-Learning is a revolutionary rather than a conventional approach to learning).

There are many other models for instructional design of e-Learning that could be seen in our recommended reading material but at this time I prefer to summarize my idea as follows:
for the general principles and sequence the ADDIE model is the most generic but depending on the specific characteristics of the instructional program to be developed and the learning outcomes to be attained it can be blended with components from other models.