Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximizing the Potential of WIDS
Connecting:
Learning
Teaching and
Assessment
Judy Neill
Worldwide Instructional Design System
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
We salute our Partners!
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
WIDS is wonderful!
. . . but WIDS is not everything for
everyone!
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
WIDS is wonderful!
WIDS does offer something for
everyone and everything for some.
Hi,
I’ve brought you WIDS,
and I’m here to help
you!
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Planned
implementation and
leadership are key
to helping each
member of your
college community
play a role that fits
her/his needs, level
of interest, and
abilities.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
What is WIDS?
WIDS is an enhanced ISD (Instructional Systems
Design) model, process, and software tool built on
proven research and best learning-centered practice.
WIDS – tools for designing learning
that works:
–
–
–
–
–
in the classroom
online
on-the-job
in the learning lab
in the field
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
WIDS Software tools are inspired and used by frontline
teachers, trainers, and designers to:
 Analyze performance
requirements
 Design programs
 Establish learning
outcomes
 Document standards
 Build assessments
 Plan learning
Software Tools Analogies
Bridge Map- ThinkingMaps
Learn more at www.thinkingmaps.com
Double Bubble Map- ThinkingMaps
Learn more at www.thinkingmaps.com
3 of 4 are assessment questions
 Who are the learners?
WHO
 What do they need to be
able to achieve?
WHAT
 How will I know when
they’ve achieved it?
WHEN
 How will they get there?
HOW
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance assessment.
Use WIDS DACUM Module to:
 Chart duties/tasks required for high
performance
 Verify duties/tasks
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance assessment.
Use WIDS Program Module to:
 Identify related DACUMS
 Designate External Standards
 Establish Exit Learning Outcomes
•Core Abilities
•General Education Outcomes (degree/program
level)
•Program Outcomes (discipline specific)
 Link DACUM, External Exit
Learning Outcomes to Courses
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance assessment.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
 Develop competencies
 Designate performance standards
 Link Exit Learning Outcomes, External
Standards, Duties/Tasks to
Competencies
 Develop performance assessment tasks
•Scenarios
•Scoring Guides/Rubrics
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the potential of WIDS to
enhance assessment:
 Create/maintain program outcome summaries for
all new and existing programs.
 Develop/maintain course outcome summaries for
all courses.
 Design performance assessment tasks for course
level and beyond the course assessments.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the potential of WIDS to
enhance assessment:
 Use WIDS Analyzer to document how outcomes are
linked with programs and courses.
 Coordinate WIDS with an Assessment Management
System.
 Present WIDS documentation as a central feature in
accreditation (NCA-HLC and professional/trade
association.
WIDS Analyzer allows you to look at how outcomes are
addressed within programs and across courses.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance learning.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
Build Syllabi that include:
• Core Abilities
• Competencies
• Guidelines for successful learning
• Course information
• Schedule
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance learning.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
Build Learning Plans that tell
learners:
•WHY this is important
•WHAT they will learn to do
•HOW they will learn
•How they will show WHEN they have
learned
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance learning.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
 Design Learning Activities that:
•Support the learning cycle
•Incorporate multiple intelligences or learning
styles
•Incorporate CATs (classroom assessment
techniques)
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance learning.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
 Clarify Assessment Activities.
 Inventory and spec out supporting
learning materials/objects.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Use WIDS to enhance teaching.
Use WIDS Learning Design Module to:
 Layout Teaching Plans that:
•Describe teaching activities that support
learning activities.
•List resources and supplies.
•Predict a learning timeframe.
•Give instructions for supporting online
learning.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the potential of WIDS to
enhance learning and teaching
 Distribute learning plans to learners at
the beginning of the learning experience
or at the learning point.
 Make learning plans central to your online
framework for learning.
 Develop teaching plans that guide the
teaching process.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the potential of WIDS to
enhance learning and teaching
 Establish learning plans as unique to
individual teachers.
 Encourage teachers to collaborate on and
share learning plans.
 Provide learning plans for adjunct faculty
(with the understanding that they may adopt, adapt, or
redevelop them).
 Use WIDS Analyzer as a course design
review and coaching tool.
WIDS Analyzer helps you analyze the completeness and
quality of courses.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the over-all potential of WIDS:
 Make the WIDS model and process part of the
way you do business.
 Involve many – at a level that fits their needs.
 Make current WIDS Software available to all
learning leaders (faculty and administrative).
 Establish a centralized file management
system and protocol for WIDS files and
documents.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the over-all potential of WIDS:
 Create a dissemination system that gives all
learning leaders (faculty and administrative)
access to WIDS files and documents. [ex.
CurriculumBank]
 Provide robust internal WIDS professional
development opportunities.
 Ensure that WIDS coaches and trainers are
current.
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
Maximize the over-all potential of WIDS:
Help teachers and trainers
build or enhance their skills
in:
teaching
learning
instructional design
WIDS
Trainer
WIDS Coach
(available online)
Designing and Assessing
Learning
(available online)
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
The Value of WIDS
 Design skill-driven learning that yields
performance results
WIDS helps
educators:
 Deploy sound, consistent learning design
principles and processes that can be validated
and replicated
 Fulfill the promise of learning-centered thinking
 Apply research and “best practices” such as:

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Multiple intelligences
Learning styles
Learning cycle
Accelerated learning strategies
Standards-driven assessment
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
The Value of WIDS
 Build local buy-in and talent by combining
internal expertise with the WIDS expertise
 Use up-to-date software tools that help leverage
instructional design investment
WIDS helps
educators:
 “plug and play” core curriculum
 quickly revise to maintain cutting edge
 adapt courses for alternative delivery—online,
accelerated, CBT, TV
 Realize top value for Instructional Design
investment
Minnesota WIDS Users’ Group
The Value of WIDS
WIDS lays the
foundation for
accountability
by helping
educators:

Provide the groundwork for
documenting learning results

Build valid, reliable, and fair
assessments

Assess learning outcomes at the
application level

Use assessment as learning

Ensure continual improvement of
teaching and learning
If you help each
member of your
college community
find the right level of
WIDS involvement, you
can help them see
WIDS as a tool, and
change their view
from this . . .
. . . to this!
. . .then this!
WIDS - tools to
help me make my
teaching mean
more learning!