First Day of Instructional Design with Dr. Andy Gibbons
September 6th, 2006Our first class with Dr. Andy Gibbons was really interesting and enlightening. I was definitely happy to be there and to be in such a wonderful learning environment. I enjoyed how we started off the discussion with an important question: What rationale can you give for formal instructional design? The answer: Efficiency. Yes, as instructional designers, we design to make things cheaper, better, and faster.
Cheaper – Most organizations do some sort of training. They have to let their employees off work, and hire professionals to train them. It’s a huge expense. In 1980, AT&T training was 8 billion dollars.
Better – Military made tank simulators for Operation Desert Storm. They had rehearsed so much that no one was hurt in the procedure. In fact, it was even considered to be a little “boring”. Dr. Gibbons also talked about training people better through the use of simulations. For example, a pilot can practice certain procedures over and over again to make sure he or she gets it right when using a simulator.
Faster – Dr. Gibbons gave the example of an individual playing basketball. He or she has to run to catch the ball after every shot. He compared that to having a coach there to hand the individual the next ball. Concentrated practice with feedback is definitely an enormous lever! Dr. Gibbons commented that feedback has been one of the most important lessons he has learned.
I liked that question about the rationale for instructional design, as well as the answer. When I heard this question, it reminded me of a book I am reading right now by Russ Osguthorpe called, The Education of the Heart. Dr. Osguthorpe discusses questions of the heart. He said, “Questions of the heart grow deeper and stronger as we respond to them because the closer we come to truth, the more we are drawn into a search that takes hold of us and never lets go.” I have questions of the heart which pertain to instructional design, and I know that I will find answers in this class.
Dr. Gibbons also talked about the nature of this field and how it developed. He said that the field of instructional design grew in haste and out of necessity. The field is very process centered. I remember learning about this history when I took the foundations course last year from Dr. Charles Graham. Indeed our field is in the process of rediscovering its roots. I’m looking forward to learning old processes as well as new.
During class, Dr. Gibbons also mentioned that we are going to focus on design, instead of instructional development. We are all instructional designers and I am certain that this class will make me more aware, self directed, and will also help me to better understand why I do the things that I do. Brigham Young University is an instructionally designed artifact, and I love being a part of it.
