As I read Moore & Kearsley’s discussion of instructional systems design, I was struck by how much face to face instruction would benefit from this kind of strategic planning. I suppose many teachers – good teachers – use a strategic approach like this, but it’s so much more tempting to get ready to teach “on the fly.”
One of the challenges that I face is that I teach individual (or “one-shot”) sessions that are usually 50 minutes long. I’m kind of like a guest lecturer, except that the students come to me in the library. This means that I don’t know them as people and that I don’t have a chance to follow up on what I’ve covered. One-shot online sessions are even more difficult than in person classes, because the technology is a barrier to making a personal connection with the students.
In any case, the list of general design principles at the end of Chapter 5 (Good structure; Clear objectives; Small units; Planned participation; Completeness; Repetition; Synthesis; Stimulation & variety; Open-ended; Feedback & evaluation) (pp. 120-121) are a quick reminder of what I should be thinking of each and every time I get ready to teach one of those 50-minute classes.
It’s so easy to get into a rut and forget that the students haven’t heard me do this 6 times in a week. Planning and preparing intentionally, even if it’s just coming up with a stronger general outline, should help to make my sessions more engaging.
Moore & Kearsley, Chapter 5, "Course Design and Development" pp.97-122.
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