Is HTML Dead?

It appears that the recent Web 2.0 craze is really catching on and standard HTML pages are becoming a thing of the past. Many people are creating their web pages via blog software such as wordpress and/or utilizing CMS software such as Moodle/Joomla/Drupal, etc. These software packages are free and easy to set up. They only require programming experience if you want to change their interface or modify them. Otherwise, they are stand alone packages that any user can set up. Many sites are converting to these applications because they allow for more interaction, are easy to set up, and very easy to edit and maintain. So is HTML dead? Not right now but its use as a stand alone web language is declining dramatically.

Instructional Design Models

An instructional design model is a systematic set of instructions for developing instructional materials. The models are designed so that materials have high quality and that each step in the process follows a set of guidelines/requirements. There are many ISD models, which include Dick and Carey and Morrison Ross & Kemp, ADDIE, ASSURE, etc. In my opinion, ADDIE tends to be the most popular in both the educational and corporate worlds. Below is a quick run down of two models and a very high level description of each step within that process.

Models:

ADDIE

Analysis – Includes conducting a need/front end/gap analysis to analyze requirements, cost, learners, resources available, timeline, and developing a course of action

Design – Develop instructional objectives, strategy to present objectives, assessment items for each objective

Devleopment – Development of instruction

Implementation – Implementation of instruction

Evaluation – Evaluate instruction (formative and summative)

ASSURE

Analyze Learners

State Objectives

Select Media, Methods, and Materials

Utilize Media and Materials

Require Learner Participation

Evaluate and Revise

What is Instructional Design?

I am asked this question quite often, especially at things like jobs interviews and by my students. They are looking for a one sentence answer, which is quite difficult because the field encompasses so much. However, I think I have developed a one sentence answer that should give people an understanding about what ISD is. Keep in mind, this definition is very high level:

A systematic process for developing instruction, which improves learner achievement of a learning objective that is measured through assessment. To improve instruction, models, strategies, and theories are used to assess the current situation, create learning objectives, develop instruction that meets those objectives, and then to develop an instrument to assess those objectives.

Here is an image that depicts my definition of Instructional Design: http://www.raypastore.com/knowledge/ISD_process.jpg