Table Of ContentA Designer’s Log
Case Studies in Instructional Design
A Designer’s Log
Case Studies in Instructional Design
by Michael Power
© 2009 Power, Michael
Published by AU Press, Athabasca University
1200, 10011 – 109 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 3S8
A volume in the Issues in Distance Education series,
edited by Terry Anderson, Ph.D.
ISSN 1919-4382 Issues in Distance Education Series (Print)
ISSN 1919-4390 Issues in Distance Education Series (Online)
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Power, Michael
A designer's log : case studies in instructional design / by Michael Power.
Translation of: Le conseiller pédagogique réflexif.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-897425-61-9 (Print)
ISBN 978-1-897425-46-6 (Electronic)
1. Universities and colleges--Curricula--Planning. 2. Instructional
systems--Design. 3. Curriculum planning. 4. Universities and
colleges--Curricula--Planning--Case studies. 5. Distance education.
I. Title.
LB2361.P6813 2009 378.1'99 C2009-904552-4
Printed and bound in Canada by Marquis Book Printing
This publication is licensed under a Creative Commons License,
see www.creativecommons.org. The text may be reproduced for
non-commercial purposes, provided that credit is given to the
original author.
Please contact AU Press, Athabasca University at [email protected] for
permission beyond the usage outlined in the Creative Commons license.
I wish to thank Dr. Claire Lapointe, Université Laval, for her unwavering
support and her critical appraisal of this project as it evolved from a need,
to a desire, to an idea and finally to an actual book. I’d also like to recognize
Professor Bernard Nadeau from Université de Moncton who, over the years,
has been a stalwart friend in need/indeed and an educator with a flair
for intuition. Finally, this book would have never seen print without the
unconditional support from my friend and colleague Dr. David Kaufman of
Simon Fraser University.
- Michael Power
Contents
Foreword IX
Preface XI
Introduction 1
The Case Studies 7
Introduction to the Case Studies 7
1: Walking the Walk 11
2: Beating the Clock 27
3: Experiencing a Eureka! Moment 47
4: Getting Off to a Good Start 75
5: Getting from A to B 103
6: I Did It My Way 119
7: Let's Shake to That! 147
8: Managing Volume 165
9: I and Thou 179
10: Integrating Technology 197
Synthesis and final prototype 211
Conclusion 215
Epilogue 217
Bibliography 225
Appendices 235
Foreword
The transformation of a traditional learning institution into a dual-mode
institution offering courses on-campus as well as online is not a task
for the faint at heart. What has to be appreciated is that subject matter
experts, used to teaching in a classroom, face a daunting challenge when
requested to teach at a distance or online. Indeed, only a few have ever
systematically planned their courses. Yet systematic planning is just
what is needed to be a successful teacher.
To implement online learning in a traditional institution, we have to
adopt a design model which is both easy to understand and easy to use,
namely because faculty generally do not have a lot of time to dedicate to
this task. In this book, the course design model proposed by Dr. Power is
flexible and represents an important step in making course design both
doable and affordable.
There are a lot of course design models out there but I have to admit
that there are very few that are as easy to use as that presented by the
author. What makes this model truly original is that it involves close
interaction between the subject matter expert (professor) and the
instructional designer (ID). What I find of particular interest is that it
involves the ID planning a course directly online with the professor at
his/her side and implementing existing and relevant elements of the
professor’s on-campus course. The ten case studies presented in Dr.
FOREWORD IX
Power’s book amply demonstrate this “faculty-based practices” approach
indicative of his model.
Books dealing with instructional design usually propose a theoretical
model and include a few examples to demonstrate applicability. Dr.
Power, however, has chosen to present actual case studies demonstrating
practices that work, and then adds theoretical underpinnings. That is,
I believe, what is of greatest interest in this book. The cases presented,
being very detailed, actually walk us through just what happened and
how it happened. That is why I think that this book will be exceptionally
useful to anyone working in this area. In this regard, the contribution the
author has made to the general field of instructional design is important.
Instructional designer culture is not limited to theoretical knowledge
or design-related skills alone. They must acquire and demonstrate
mastery of specific and requisite interpersonal skills and attitudes that
many of us tend to gloss over. This is yet another strong point of this
book; I am particularly impressed by the flexibility shown by the author
in dealing with the various professors he encountered. Possessing such
skills and attitudes or not can often make all the difference between
the success of the failure of an instructional design project for online
learning. By reading this book, I’m confident that both practicing and
future instructional designers will understand the importance of tact and
attitudes de tolerance and tenacity, attributes which are so important
when dealing with subject matter experts.
Moreover, I’m convinced that these case studies presented by Dr.
Power will not only be useful to instructional designers who use his model
to design online courses but to all instructional designers in whatever
they design. As a matter of fact, I observed that several of the cases
described by the author refer to many frequently encountered problems
in instructional design.
It is therefore with great pleasure that I recommend Dr. Power’s book
to all those who are interested in course design and, particularly, in online
course design in dual-mode universities.
Dr. Robert Brien
Laval University
Quebec City
X A DESIGNER'S LOG
