State of the Practice: Constructivist instructional design for online course design: a research stud

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State of the Practice Constructivist
instructional design for online course design a
research study
Carlos Morales, Ph.D. Executive Director eCampus
and Learning Technologies Lock Haven University
of PA November 2008
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Abstract

• The continued to growth of online learning in the
  past decade has prompted the development of new
  strategies and methods for course design. The
  need to develop course materials that appeal and
  captivate the interest of online learners is
  higher than ever. This presentation focuses on
  the results of a doctoral dissertation that
  targeted instructional designers and
  administrators of online learning programs
  regarding their perceptions and practices
  pertaining constructivist learning environments
  in online course design. Results include the
  rationale and frequency for its adoption,
  barriers and type and number of activities
  grounded in constructivism.
• Findings based on Dissertation titled
• PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF INSTRUCTIONAL
  DESIGNERS TOWARDS THE USE OF CONSTRUCTIVIST
  LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN ONLINE COURSE DESIGN

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Basis for Study

• The increased visibility gained by online
  learning in the last decade came accompanied by
  an increase in the accountability by the public
  as well as by accrediting agencies that demanded
  high quality course offerings and equivalencies
  to courses delivered in face-to-face learning
  (Allen and Seaman, 2004 2005).
• Constructivist instructional design permits
  instructional designers to design learning
  environments in which students can integrate and
  maximize authentic learning experiences and
  activities (Dick, 1992 Tam, 2000 Willis, 1995).
  
• As recognized in the literature, instructional
  designers have found that the current
  instructional design theories have limited
  applicability when the intent of course goals and
  objectives are based on a constructivist approach
  (Bolan, 2003 Jonassen, 1999 Tam, 2000
  Williams, 2002).

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Research Questions

• The research questions were designed to survey
  and describe the perceptions and practices
  employed by instructional designers concerning
  the use of constructivist learning environments
  in online course design.
• What are the perceptions instructional designers
  have about online course design grounded in
  constructivist theory?
• What practices do they use and to what extent are
  instructional designers implementing practices
  for building learning environments grounded in
  constructivist theory in online course design?

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Methods

• This study was comprised of a 19-item Likert
  scale web-based survey and five open-ended
  questions.
• The potential population of the study was
  estimated at 5500 participants, although the
  sample consisted of 42 instructional designers
  and administrators of online learning/instructiona
  l design programs. The list-servs utilized in
  this study were the Sloan-C and the EDUCAUSE
  Instructional Technologies (INSTTECH) lists.

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Population

• The research study was conducted during Summer
  2007. Administrators included Deans, Directors,
  Executive Directors and Vice Presidents of
  academic technology.
• Participants were from two and four-year higher
  education institutions with a population ranging
  between 1,500 and 8,500 full-time students.
• 58.54 were from institutions offering graduate
  studies while 34.15 were from four-year
  institutions. 7.32 were from two-years
  institutions.

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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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APPENDIX Summary of Findings
Summary and Discussion of Findings
Figure 1. Preferred Instructional design model
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Summary and Discussion of Findings
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Constructivist Models

• Constructivist Models
• Action Research
• Activity Theory
• Anchored Instruction
• Andragogy (Knowles)
• Case Studies
• Web-quests
• Cognitive Apprenticeship
• Cognitive Flexibility Theory
• Generative Learning
• Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL)
• Conversation Theory
• Discovery Learning

• Inquiry Teaching (Collins and Stevens)
• Interpretation Construction (ICON) Design Model
  (Black and McClintock)
• Mind Tools (Jonassen)
• Structural Knowledge (Jonassen)
• The Minimalist Model (Carroll)
• Problem-Based Learning
• The Project Method (Kilpatrick and Dewey)
  Self-initiated, holistic, purposeful activity
• Play
• Role Play
• Goal-based Scenarios (Schank)
• Situated Cognition
• Observational (Social) Learning Theory (Albert
  Bandura)

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Recommendations

• Recommendations for Practice
• The following is a summary of the main
  recommendations for practice that can serve as a
  framework for instructional design teams and
  online learning programs.
• In order to improve the quality of online
  education, instructional designers must advocate
  for the development of online learning
  environments built upon constructivist
  principles.
• Faculty must recognize that the instructional
  designers role is a prescriptive one, including
  advice and consultation and might yield to a
  broader usage of constructivist activities for
  online course design.

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Recommendations cont.

• Recommendations for Future Research
• This research study attempted to fill a gap in
  the literature by investigating the perceptions
  and practices employed by instructional designers
  concerning the use of constructivist instruction
  principles in online learning course design. This
  study has addressed an important area mentioned
  in the literature and contributed to a growing
  body of knowledge on the subject.
• Additional research should be conducted regarding
  the incorporation of constructivist principles in
  instructional design for online education
  studying to what extent the practices employed by
  instructional designers have an impact on course
  activities and course quality.
• Future studies could focus on investigating
  instructional designers practices in
  institutions where large staff and centralized
  operations for online course design are in place.
  Also the focus might include studying
  student-performance variables and how the
  incorporation of constructivist principles in
  instructional design affect the teaching and
  learning in courses delivered via the online
  method.

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Contact info