Principles of Action Learning |
Considerations for Teaching Instructional
Design |
Applications at George Mason University via
Immersion Program |
|
Incorporate single-project action learning approach
through establishing design group to work on an authentic instructional
design prototype project implemented within a full-time Masters
level program of study |
Solicited corporate, military or grant sponsor
organization to fund student work on instructional design project
prototypes. Established three Immersion design groups - one military
sponsored, two grant sponsored |
- Designated project sponsor intermediary
|
Establish project intermediary to help ensure
access to subject matter experts |
Included liasons from Department of Defense,
computer science department and recent graduate of doctoral program
in Special Education as subject matter experts and associated
members of project teams |
|
Recruiting full-time students with varying skills
to complement project work with tuition funding |
Students selected with various academic backgrounds
and experience levels |
- Unfamiliar problem and setting
|
Selected students have little or no experience
with ID problem context or content |
All students have content knoweldge of ID from
basic course but little or no experience in the formal application
of ID procedures. |
|
Introduce elements of action learning as a systematic
framework for the study of applied instructional design. |
Students read and discussed action learning and
committed to the using approach. |
- Problem viewed as a significant issue by
action learning participants
|
Point out to students that they have been provided
with an opportunity to make a difference on a real project and
see implented results rather than completing an exercise. |
Through direct interaction with the project intermediary
and subject matter experts, students are made aware of the importance
of the problem to their context. |
- Unfamiliar problems/settings induce fresh
questions and creative responses from action learning group
|
Students need to develop skill in adapting to
unfamiliar work places, assimilate new content and deal with
ambiguity in the practice of ID |
Class discussion and group interaction time set
aside to facilitate questions about the problem setting and specific
contextual issues related to project |
- Balance of programmed knowledge with questions
and reflection
|
Focus placed on reflecting upon and integrating
knowledge of design procedures with the many inherent processes
involved in the actual practice of design. Value is placed on
group and individual process, not just on the final product. |
Students required to produce individual Web-based
portfolio that includes reflection on individual's emerging knowledge
of design and on individual's perception of group processes. |
- Use questioning to prompt deeper level of
analysis, test assumptions, explore possibilities
|
Support out-of-the-box thinking and obvious questions
in gaining new insights into the design situation |
Capitalize on student's struggle with practically
implementing ID process, allow questioning of procedures and
exploration of additional methods and viewpoints |
- Establishing group ground rules and norms,
create supportive atmosphere, allow all group members "airtime"
|
Allocate time for team process activities, control
pace to permit sharing of ideas and frustrations, place focus
on meeting goal of deliverable project rather than interpersonal
issues |
Designated class time for team formation and
reviewed of stages of team process, set aside time for debriefing
of team process after crucial meetings and project deliverables,
placed emphasis on problems of group rather than individual interpersonal
issues |
- Commitment to action and implementation of
ideas
|
Require individuals and group to actively implement
appropriate stages of the design process |
Students used ID process as a guide for attacking
problem situation, project management procedures also provided
guidance for taking action in directing phases of project |
- Commitment to individual group, organizational
learning
|
Find ways to capitalize on team progress for
organizational (or program) learning and progress |
Implemented Web-based project site to archive
design process and progress, drafts, models and final products.
Creation of central location for subject matter expert review
of products as well as archival review of products by future
students. Project site and individual portfolios serve as qualitative
data for formative evaluation of program. |
|
Provide airspace for every member of the group,
focusing on tasks at hand, using a questioning approach, pay
attention to listening, give time for reflection, create an emphasis
on learning and avoid judgement |
Designated class time for students to integrate
previous knowledge of ID processes and readings with experience
in actual practice of design; support positive group process;
intervene when needed to re-direct, clarify group process or
re-motivate; attempt to allow any and all input on a issues. |