Critical Questions to Ask Regarding The Design and Development of Instructional Materials

Eugene Rubin
University of Maryland University College

ANALYSIS

1. A clear statement of the problem?
2. A description of the target population
   • Who are the students in this course?
   • Where are they located?
   • What time do they have available?
   • What previous experience do they have?
   • What specific entry skills do they have?
   • What special interests do they have?
   • What general motivation do they have?
   • What special problems or concerns do they have?
   • What will be the consequences of success and failure?
3. A description of the curriculum
   • What is the name of this course?
   • What is the general purpose of this course?
   • How would you describe this course in a brochure?
   • How does this course relate to others (prerequisite,follows?)
   • What skills must students come in with?
   • Have you writen a detailed outline of the course content?
4. A description of the constraints
   • Who is involved, concerned, interested in this course?
   • What special issues or concerns might they have?

DESIGN

1. What are the objectives of the course?
   • Can you distinguish between someone who has achieved this (these) objective and one who has not?
   • Are your objectives clear, unambiguous?
   • Do your objectives contain an ACTION verb(s), conditions, criteria?
2. What is the sequence of objectives?
   • Is there something else that the student needs to learn or be able to do BEFORE they can achieve this objective?
3. Where, when, and how will evaluation take place?
   • What student behaviour would you accept as evidence of achievement of this objective?
   • Does each question/task ask for the same kind of behaviour that the objective specified?
   • Do you have questions/activities that reflect ALL objectives? How will you mark this evaluation?
   • If a student can answer all questions or perform all activities are you satisfied that the student has achieved the necessary standard?
   • What will you accept as a passing grade?
4. How will we know the course has solved the problem?
5. How will you get students to persist (complete)?
6. How will the course be developed?

DEVELOPMENT

1. What instructional methods will be employed?
   (How will you get the student to attend to the critical stuff)
2. What media will be used?
3. What learning resources/activities will be employed for each objective?
   • Do these already exist?
   • Are they available?
   • Can they be adapted?
4. Where and when will practice and feedback be provided?
   (How will the student INTERACT with the learning materials)
5. Does the activity require the student to PERFORM the behaviour required by the objective?
6. What is the production schedule? How does writing and physical production interact?
7. How are the materials to be reviewed?

DELIVERY

• How will the student's progress be monitored?
• How will remediation take place?
• What support services/resources are available for the student?
• Where, when and how might problems arise?
• Is there provision for data collection for the purpose of revision?
• When, where, and how will the students work on the course materials?
• How long will the students have (or take) to complete the activities?

EVALUATION

• Is the instruction effective? (Are the objectives being met)
  (Is the student performing correctly after leaving the course)
  (Are there consequences for the student performing correctly?)
• Is the instruction efficient? (Is the cost of this instruction less than conventional instruction)
  (Are there more successful students?(or fewer drop outs?)
• Is the instruction appealing to the student?
• How will this course be validated?
• Do you have a formative evaluation plan? How will you collect data? How will you use this data to make interim revisions?
• Are there provisions for eventual revision of the course based on experience during delivery?