Select Instructional Strategies
The previous chapter frequently referred to delaying the selection of instructional strategies until after the curriculum had been built. Therefore the objective of this event is that the Designer will be able: (1) To select instructional strategies those are appropriate for the curriculum, the learner, the instructor, and the organization. To revise the lesson plans. to reflect the decisions about instructional strategies. (2) The emphasis first on the curriculum and then on the instructional strategies is based on a concept stated about 150 years ago by an Italian architect who said. "Form follows function." We could develop a tortuous alliteration for our field. but to avoid any ambiguity let us put it in direct terms: "Instructional strategies follow the curriculum." This is not an easy rule to abide by. for the selection of instructional strategies is far from an automatic procedure. There are some general guidelines. which we will explore, but there are so many variations that it is generally "" possible to list a particular element of the curriculum and automatically state that there is one way (that is, instructional strategy) to learn that element. Complicating the situation further is the virtual explosion of instructional" strategies. It is easy, therefore, to become embroiled in semantic confusion. When looking at any particular learning activity (for example, case study. overhead transparency, or simulation), the temptation is to try to put a on it. There are still those who argue about what a particular learning experience using: methods, techniques, devices, media, material, equipment, and so on. Some people in the field have endeavored to define and develop those and categories, but they have not been successful. There is still a lack of agreement. Rather than become involved in the defining task, some of us have chosen all such activities. This is done for two reasons First, there is no evidence that producing categories will be helpful it anybody can show that categorization would be of use to designers and others many of us will rush to support that endeavor. If you look at the available literature, you will find attempts to produce categories and classifications, but no hint as to the benefits of such endeavors. The second reason is more positive. By using the weird "strategies" we are reinforcing the proposition that any learning situation involves the use of a combination of methods, techniques, devices, and so on. We are also communicating, we hope, that a strategy is a way of reaching some objective, but it is not the objective itself. The history of HRD is replete with examples of strategies that have gotten out of hand because they took on a life of their own. In ^he early 1950s, brain-storming was introduced through the work of Alex and rapidly gained acceptance. In some of the highly developed programs using brainstorming, designers used learning aids, including whistles, lights, reinforcement cards, critical cards, and other supplementary materials. In one instance, with which I am personally familiar, an HRD person developed a program using supporting materials, with brainstorming, that was truly magnificent. As a result, however, his behavior became highly predictable. No matter what he was asked to design (he was internal to the organization), there was always a curriculum piece that required brainstorming. Obviously, after many years, this became laughable. Unfortunately he had a position of power and his staff felt they could not give him the necessary feedback. His unit suffered, however, simply because managers began to seek external design assistance rather than have another brainstorming session. A similar experience can be recounted with "sensitivity training" Perhaps my biases should be set forth so the reader does not misunderstand. I became involved in that type of learning in 1954 and I subsequently became a member of the National Training Laboratories (NTL), the leading exponents of that form of learning. I have conducted labs, T-groups and similar related learning experiences. Unfortunately, for many years since its inception in 1948 have been those who saw sensitivity training as the response for all human behavior problems. Today such limited response is no longer the vogue. There are many other examples, and on:- relates to programmed instruction (PI). It had its major initial impact in the early 1960s and was touted by it5 exponents as being the way to learn. Until they retreated from that position, they courage hostility from those who were critical of that strategy. Obviously they are many more examples, but the point has been made. No single strategy suffice; for all learning situations. There is another aspect of nomenclature that we must address. Generally the term is used to designate the activities or the person who is directing the learning experience. This can be a teacher, professor, instructor, group leader, facilitator and the list can go on. It is used to signify the activities of the learner in the situation, who likewise has many designations such as trainee, student, pupil, or participant, Note that such a division suggests a gulf between the teacher and the learner. It negates an often used approach in which roles may be reversed for a brief period. It overemphasizes one-way communication from the teacher to the learner. I propose to use the term or instructional to refer to the process that occurs during a learning experience. Therefore the reference to encompasses all the various teaching-aid learning activities as well as the supporting mechanisms that are used by all involved in the experience. Perhaps an equally valid argument could be made for calling these and if that term is more acceptable to some readers 1 can only ask that they make the translation in their minds, it would be cumbersome to continually refer to "learning/instructional strategies."
Comments
Add New Search RSS
Write comment
Name:
Email:
 
Title:
 
Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

!joomlacomment 4.0 Copyright (C) 2009 Compojoom.com . All rights reserved."