Instructional design should be an iterative process. My current UNT course on instructional systems design has setup multiple opportunities to reflect and review the course we’ve been designing for a chosen client. With my client being a department at my university, it’s an opportunity to ensure a quality product for the university while also practicing my instructional design skills for future courses. In considering various activities for learners in the training course I’ve designed, most of the activities I offered were based on the tools provided by the Rise360 platform and my own preferences for learning new information. The concept of visualization was presented by our professor through an activity called the method of loci. According to The Art of Memory, Inc., the method of loci is a “method of memorizing information by placing each item to be remembered at a point along an imaginary journey. The information can then be recalled in a specific order by retracing the same route through the imaginary journey.” 

Our professor shared this technique and asked that we practice it while using Wilson’s view of situated instructional design as something to memorize. While this is not difficult information to grasp (for more on Wilson check out his Google Scholar page), it was new to me. This is a new technique and new information, it was challenging to grasp both at the same time. The cognitive load was too great to fully lean into the technique and reap the benefits of the visualization exercise.

However, I think with a few modifications it could be a useful exercise in an online course.

• First, the information to be memorized should be presented through a separate means ahead of the exercise. Had I been given an article to read on Wilson’s view of situated instructional design instead of citing the key points to memorize I may have been able to connect the visualization to my past knowledge gained after reading the article.
• Second, audio instructions may have helped with the explanation of the activity. By having to read instructions on a screen for a visualization activity, I was unable to close my eyes and truly visualize.
• And third, using a simpler example to learn the method of loci technique then applying it to something more complex, like Wilson’s instructional design, would have been more effective. Possibly using a sequence of colors or numbers and placing them around a room would have been enough to see the effectiveness of this memorization technique.

I’m reminded of Mayer’s principles from his cognitive theory of multimedia design. The pre-training principle, one that falls under the category of managing essential processing in order to focus on the actual material needing to be learned, that people learn better from a multimedia lesson when they know the names and characteristics of the main concepts. It’s possible that if I had learned the method of loci technique with less complex information ahead of time or if I had seen Wilson’s articles on instructional design ahead of the exercise that I would have found greater value in the method of loci. Nevertheless, I find visualization activities do have value in learning new material, but for an online lesson will need the use of audio to allow the learners to actually close their eyes and lesson to the visualization instructions if it’s the first time they are experiencing the technique. In fact, this technique could be valuable for the type of training course I’m working on currently as learners could visualize the phases of the project framework to assist in memorizing the phases for future use.

ADDiE – implementation

Visualization is a form of reflection in that you are recalling information from long-term memory back into working memory to use it again. I am finding great value (as I’ve mentioned in nearly every post this summer) in reflection to reconsider design aspects of the course I’m working on. In planning for the implementation of the training course, I sent my thoughts to my client for review. She and I both are questioning the location in which to store the course materials where they can be be most beneficial for learners while simple to maintain for the client. Microsoft Teams is a potential solution for the virtual ‘home’ as it can also be used for collaboration among the learners after the course is completed as well. Project managers at the university are distributed throughout various departments and could find value in a spot to stay connected. Microsoft Teams is designed for this specific task.

In spelling out potential issues with the current state of the course materials, I called out the use of Microsoft Excel as a stand alone document for the Project Roadmap. This caused the client to start thinking about other options. As I am the instructional designer for the course as well as a learner within the course, I mentioned the use of Teams as a solution for housing the documents to ensure version control for the ASI Office but also for learners to submit as part of the course completion. This allows for others learning project management strategies to see other examples. It also keeps these individuals part of a learning community by which they both contribute to and learn from.

I am constantly considering how learning communities are a system whereby we contribute and receive information leading to new knowledge creation over time. Considering a systems approach to a training course fits with the Agile approach to project management the University is moving towards with regards to any technology rollout. Offering opportunities to practice the use of Agile within any aspect of the University will help employees grasp the concepts more easily.

addiE – Evaluation

The use of Teams for housing course materials also allows for surveys to be open for all users and data to be immediately reviewed through the use of Microsoft Forms. The University is attempting to grow the use of the Microsoft tools across all departments to cut costs with other providers (like SurveyMonkey). The Microsoft Automate tool is also a helpful feature to setting up notifications anytime a survey is administered or a learner is added to the Team. I look forward to using Teams for this training course, as well as learning more about the tools offered by Microsoft as part of this project.

As always, I appreciate a reflective course assignment as it forces me to slow down and think as opposed to ‘just do’– as an Enneagram One, I tend to be a doer and live in the present moment. The reflective aspect of instructional design and the iterative nature of the work are helping me grow not only as a professional, but also as a more competent human being. I’m glad to have you on this journey with me.

Until next time, thanks for listening and learning.