The Newly Re-designed  
E-Learning Design Workshop

Join Dr. Tom Welsh for 3 days of tips, project examples and thoughtful feedback as you work on your own project.

• CD and Digital Handbook — Take away a CD with a toolbox full of templates, worksheets, and a digital handbook full of ready-to-implement ideas.
• Learn key techniques for evaluating E-Learning projects.
• Job aids galore! — Over 25 job aids that will save you time for your next project.

Don't delay — Call Jane today (800-650-7465) to register, or register online at www.dsink.com

Do You Feel Comfortable With Your Test-Writing Abilities?

Have you ever used a criterion-referenced checklist?

What if we told you there was an instructional design (ID) tool that was so versatile that it could be used, with minor modifications, throughout the entire ID process to create good instruction?

Learn about this and other time saving techniques from Dr. Barbara Martin in San Francisco for The Criterion Referenced Testing Workshop.

Techniques for writing good test measures of all types are included: True-False, Multiple Choice, Checklists, Matching, Shorts Answers and Essays. A hallmark of DSA training is our emphasis on application. During this workshop, participants design a testing plan for instruction tailored to meet the requirements of their own work environment.

Register online - www.dsink.com - or by phone at 831-649-8384.

Coming Next Time!

Photos and a recap of  The 2007 Learning and Performance Strategies Conference.

Sorry we missed you!

Mark your calendar for the dates  next year:

June 17-18-19, 2008
Monterey, CA

Upcoming Events

More Dates and Cities are Coming Soon!

Top Ten Tips

Today's Tip
A Robust Procedure For Lesson Design

How do you fit old and new ideas from learning theories and best practices in instruction into a structure that is robust enough to accommodate a wide range of approaches?

Refinements of Robert Gagne’s Events Of Instruction (1985)* over the years has produced a robust lesson design structure that accommodates an eclectic approach to design while providing structure.

Here are the basic steps.

Procedure For A Lesson Design

The key is not to see this lesson procedure as lock-stepped but rather as the components of any good lesson or module. For example you could use an activity right off the bat as an introduction to gain attention. In one of our instructional design workshops, for a module on needs analysis, I start with a case study. The structured case study serves to gain the attention of the audience and to help them discover a key concept (training is not the answer to many performance problems). In the case study they are given directions, a role to put themselves into, a scenario and choices to make first individually and then as groups of 5-7 people. The group discusses the choices and comes to consensus. A debrief follows with expert answers provided and discussion. The case study helps with a key concept in the module and helps the learner into a readiness state to learn how to do a needs analysis.

When we leave any of these steps out our chance that the learner will learn and transfer the learning to the work environment are decreased. Give it a try with any type of learning or theory. You’ll find it is golden.

Until next time,

Darryl

* Gagne, R. M. (1985) The conditions of learning (4th ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Article © 2007 Darryl L. Sink & Associates, Inc.