Athabasca University
Assignment 2: Analysis and Assessment
Student: Heather Farmer
Student Number: 2978017
Course: MDDE604
Professor: Griff Richards
Submitted: October 29th, 2013
Part 1: Instructional Analysis (6 %)
INTRODUCTION
As proposed in Assignment #1, the unit of instruction will be a learning module introducing
concepts of citation and referencing through a series of analogies rooted in daily
conversation, social media, and school relationships. This interactive multimedia learning unit
will allow learners to become familiar with, organize and practice using APA in-text citation to
help them strengthen the quality of their written reports.
Identify the learning goal(s) of your instructional unit and explain which type of
learning outcome each exemplifies. (1 mark)
The proposed module will provide exercises that allow learners to recognise When it is
necessary to provide a citation through examples and analogy as well as expose learners to
the principles supporting Why authors and researchers cite their sources and previous work.
The goal is to more accurately implement the procedural skill of applying APA formatting to
their report writing. The online module on citation and referencing will be made available to
add into existing Business courses in order to prepare students before submitting their papers
and reports for grading.
The goal of the learning module will be to reinforce two of the learning outcomes found
in the Communications 1 course outline at course at Algonquin college:
1. Locate, select and organize task-relevant and accurate information drawn from a
variety of sources.
2. Integrate and document information using commonly accepted citation guidelines.
(Algonquin, 2013)
Each of these objectives represents intellectual skills as defined using Gagne’s classification of
learning outcomes. Smith and Ragan explain that “intellectual skills are typified by the
application of rules to previously unencountered examples (2005, p80).” In each outcome above
learners must reliably demonstrate their ability to apply concepts, principles and procedures
within each new writing context.
List the learning objectives for each of the learning goals you listed in section 1. Next,
describe briefly the instructional strategy you will use to achieve at least two of the
objectives. (1 mark)
For each of the over-arching learning goals for the module listed above, there are discrete steps
which must be taken by each learner in order to achieve the goals. As noted by Smith and
Ragan, these intellectual skills build upon each other in a hierarchical manner (2005). Learning
taxonomies such as Bloom’s taxonomy provides a structure with which to classify objectives by
way of defining the cognitive processes that learners must exercise in order to demonstrate their
proficiency in the knowledge or skill (Smith & Ragan, 2005; Anderson et al, 2001).
For example if a Lesson Goal or Outcome is “Apply case study methodology
consistently and accurately” the Module Outcomes would require certain Knowledge and
certain Comprehension outcomes in order to support the learner in developing their ability to
Apply said methodology.
The learning outcomes detailed below each sit within a different level within Bloom’s
Taxonomy. For the first learning goal, “Locate, select and organize task-relevant and
accurate information drawn from a variety of sources.” Learners must demonstrate certain
level of analytical skill which would allow for them to list possible locations of resources,
recognize relevant sources, discriminate based upon the quality of the resources, and deduce
the relevance and validity of the proposed resources. Taking learners through the steps
within the taxonomy and scaffolding the learning building upon the required declarative
knowledge through to the intellectual skill of effectively locating quality resources.
Table #1: Citation Learning Goals and Objectives
Learning Goals
1. Locate, select and organize task-relevant and
accurate information drawn from a variety of
sources.
Learning Objectives
1.1 Distinguish between primary and secondary
resources.
1.2 list possible locations of resources
1.3 recognize relevant sources
1.4 discriminate based upon the quality of the
resources
1.5 deduce the relevance and validity of the
proposed resources
1. Integrate and document information using
commonly accepted citation guidelines.
Complete the 4 column Content Analysis Template (no more than 3 pages) to show
how you have mastered the analysis of the content from : Know/Do -> Observable test
item-> Key concepts/sub-procedures-> Teaching points & Resources / Notes. (4
marks)
Part 2: Student Assessment (4%)
In ISD the analysis phase concludes with development of the test items. Assessment precedes development of the
instruction. Provide a student assessment strategy (e.g. criterion-referenced or normative testing) for your
instructional unit or learning object, and explain how you will determine whether or not students have achieved the
learning objectives. Include sample questions or test items in your answer. (2 marks for assessment strategy; 2
marks for sample questions)
Griff's notes on using the content analysis template
For Assignment 2 use a four column table to organize the content of your module (see a copy of MS Word Content
Template). Each key content or skill area (the learning goal or outcome) starts out on a fresh sheet of paper - if a goal
takes more than 1 or 2 sheets the goal is too complex and you should break it into smaller chunks. There are four
columns:
1. a list of the know or do items (the learning objectives)
2. examples of test items for each column 1 item (this is "the standard")
3. a list of the enabling objectives/content (stuff that is only part of a skill but too small to be tested by itself).
4. a list of the teaching points/ideas/resources needed to teach the content.
The landscape sheet format encourages parsimony, yet you can add all kinds of additional detail including links to
multimedia documents in column four. Because everything is neatly laid out it is easy for experts to review, and for
media producers to plan productions. I have used this format extensively when developing materials for military and
more-recently paramedic training, and the ability to toss in pictures or more recently digital video clips really helped
the doctors give me feedback on ideas rather than critiquing expensive rough video.
The last column has sometimes served as a story board for animations and simulations, but that's probably the point
where it stretches too far. The main strength of the Content Template is it pulls several levels of the instructional
design process together on a single page. It does not replace media scripts and storyboards, but if you have
everything spelled out in the content template, it makes it very easy to move to the scripting or writing without getting
lost or losing sight of the overall project.
Some 604ers have adopted the content template for their professional work, others have kept with their institutional
forms, however the best testimonial came from one of my 604ers who suddenly found herself plunged into lots of
curriculum development initiatives and sent me the following note:
"I bow down to the Content Template. I've taken on an ID project that has 5 educational institutions on board to
provide inter-professional education on Disaster Preparedness for undergraduate health professional students. It's
the real deal (SMEs, project manager, stakeholder groups, evaluation researchers). Anyway, the CT is phenomenal.
And, to be honest, I didn't think I needed it in 604 and I realize now that the scale was too small. Thank you so much!"
The content template for Assignment 2 is a very useful tool. Make sure you take a look at the Additional Examples.
RESOURCES
Algonquin College. (2013) Communications 1. Retrieved October 1, 2013 from Algonquin
College website: http://comms.algonquincollege.com/outlines/20132014/ENL1813T/2013-2014_ENL1813T.pdf
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and
Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York:
Longman.
Smith, P. L. & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley JosseyBass Education.