Instructional Design Fundamentals

Aims of the course

• To provide a practical introduction to Instructional Design.
• To explore effective theories and frameworks for designing learning/training content.
• To define effective aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes.
• To explore ways to effectively evaluate the effectiveness of learning and training.
• To have participants create an instructional storyboard for a simple learning project.

Course content overview

This course is designed for those who want to create highly effective instructor-led training, online learning, or mobile learning content on any subject and for any audience. 

The course will cover:

• understanding the function and fundamentals of instructional design
• designing effective instructional content using the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model
• researching an audience and defining clear aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes
• designing an effective learning framework using a storyboard approach
• evaluating the effectiveness of learning and training delivery

Target audience

Anyone with an interest in the subject, teachers, instructors, professors, digital learning developers, students, learning managers, and anyone who is a stakeholder in the creation and delivery of learning/training content.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have: 

• become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
• learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies 

Teaching week 1: What is instructional design?

Learning outcomes:

• describe underlying principles of instructional design (ID) and explain the benefits
• demonstrate a high-level knowledge of different ID models
• describe, explain, and compare each of the phases of the ADDIE ID model
• critically evaluate ADDIE as an appropriate model for ID
• apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. Participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make

Teaching week 2: Learning domains and Bloom's Taxonomy

Learning outcomes:

• compare and contrast the different types of learning gaps and evaluate the optimal approach for a given audience
• state the aspects of evaluating and analysing an audience and its value for ID
• explain the essential elements and underlying principles of needs analysis
• evaluate specific example audiences and present appropriate learning strategies  
• describe, discuss, and critically evaluate Gagne and Bloom's idea of Learning Domains
• describe, discuss, and critically evaluate the use of Bloom's Taxonomy to inform an appropriate learning framework
• apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project
• participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make

Teaching week 3: Defining objectives and choosing delivery formats

Learning outcomes:

• define what aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes are
• write and evaluate effective learning objectives using Blooms verbs
• compare and contrast different delivery formats
• evaluate and recommend appropriate delivery formats for different learning use cases
• apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make

Teaching week 4: Designing content

Learning outcomes:

• describe the concept of a learning storyboard and state its value
• evaluate sample storyboards and evaluate their effectiveness
• compare and contrast different ways to create an effective storyboard screen
• create a simple storyboard for a chosen project
• use storyboard screens to help inform the development of learning topics
• apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project
• participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make

Teaching week 5: Evaluating learning

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should be able to:

• explain the benefits of evaluation and its relationship to analysis and design
• describe the Kirkpatrick evaluation approach
• determine which aspects of learning/training should be evaluated
• discuss the shortcomings of the Kirkpatrick approach
• compare LTEM (Learning Transfer Evaluation Model) approach with Kirkpatrick approach
• apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make

Week 6: What Next?

• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees 

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions 

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:  

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page. 

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.