Designing and developing a course or program for eLearning is quite different from what it is for an in-house session or a classroom. Online learning and training is distinct in its own way from the conventional classroom programs. A lot of factors include in making an eLearning program an intriguing, exciting, engaging, interactive, easy to understand and more efficient one.
What goes into making a successful eLearning training program or course is all included in the vast topic of Instructional Designing Strategy, about which we will get to know in this article. It can serve as a solution to those who are looking for something that provides basic knowledge of eLearning and its Instructional Design Strategies.
WHAT IS INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STRATEGY?
Instructional design is the organized or consistent procedure through which the content of any eLearning program is designed, developed and delivered. And the blueprint and set of guidelines or framework to execute the same is called Instructional Design Strategy. The key job of an Instructional Designer is to work with the team concerned to construct a student-friendly, purposeful and an infotaining (informative as well as entertaining) eLearning program or course.
IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STRATEGY
There is an ocean of information available around us, and to get misguided by it while searching for the right thing will not be a shocker to us. This is where instructional designing comes into play and gives us a solution. Instructional designing gives the whole process of eLearning content designing and development a direction. A direction to make sure that only the required material is provided to learners or students. It is quite often seen that a lot of eLearning programs are not that appreciated because of them being mundane and boring, for the only reason, that they are found to be more text-based than visually appealing. The basic solution to this as well as a lot of other problems is given by none other than Instructional Design Strategies. This is the reason why they hold such an important place in the whole eLearning course designing process.
FUNDAMENTALS OF INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STRATEGIES:
The basic steps that are involved in every instructional design strategy, from the smallest project to the biggest one, are: assessment and evaluation of the given content, constructing it according to the objectives, and executing it with proper analysis and observation. With these steps involved in its instructional design structure, an eLearning program is set to become successful and appreciated among its audience, students as well as instructors as it makes their delivery easier to understand and interpret.
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF THE GIVEN CONTENT:
It is the most crucial step of all to analyze the given content. A lot has to be taken into consideration while analyzing the content such as, learners’ level of knowledge, their grasping ability, objectives that are to be met by the course, and the best approach that is to be used while delivering the whole content. Another important thing to always make sure is that the course should be accessible to all, and easy to translate into any language so that it is globally accessible.
CONSTRUCTING CONTENT ACCORDING TO THE OBJECTIVES:
The most difficult task for any Instructional Designer is to develop the content. Once the content is analyzed, the designer then has a clear idea about the goals and objectives of the course and how it should be delivered. It is after this that the real job is done. A lot of research goes into developing the content of an eLearning training course. While developing the content, it is made sure that it remains intriguing, engaging and interactive enough for the audience, and easier for the instructor to make his point clear while delivering.
EXECUTION WITH PROPER ANALYSIS AND OBSERVATION:
In this step, the eLearning training and learning course is delivered to the learners. After it is delivered, proper feedback is gathered from the audience, to get to know what was appreciated and what was not. This helps in improving the module and the response and feedback is kept in mind for future projects. This step lets the designer know if the objectives of the course are met or not.
These three steps together serve the sole purpose of Instructional Design Strategy, which is to ensure that the eLearning program is made intriguing, engaging, exciting, easy to understand and efficient for its learners.