Instructional Design for E-Learning

My goal is to one day is to one day become an Instructional Designer at the university where I'm presently teaching. I would like to design web-based courses for distant learners in higher education. As an ID I will have to examine the relationship between successful e-learning strategies and the degree to which faculty and students are supported in integrating technology into the learning experience.

The first blog site explores designing effective learning objects and the various approaches. The different approaches are: Inquiry Approach for Learning Object, Practice Strategies for Learning Object, and Instructional Strategies for Learning Object. Design research and learning theory was also discussed. Design research is defined as how ID's make decisions about developing learning objects. Smith and Ragan (1999) stated that it is imperative for authors writing about instructional design to acknowledge the beliefs and values represented in their educational philosophy and that they be based upon theories that have been substantiated by empirical research.

http://ideas.blogs.com/
The next is an article from WorldWideLearn. WorldWideLearn is a directory of hundreds of online, campus, training courses, and degree programs in over 350 subject categories. The information that I obtained from this directory is useful in my quest to design web-based courses. The directory listed the Top Ten Trends in E-Learning based on research identified. The ten vital trends that will influence the growth of e-learning over the next ten years are listed and explained. Some of the trends are: Companies integrate e-learning into their infrastructure, Wireless technology helps e-learning initiates "cut" the cord, and E-Learning cuts the cost of high quality content.

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/
The last is an article from E-Learning Magazine about the Dupont E-Learning Suite, I subscribed to this magazine because the information is valuable and an ongoing resource to me as I work in the instructional design field. The Dupont E-Learning Suite enables organizations of all sizes in all industries to standardize training across multiple locations. The Dupont E-Learning Suite, which includes the Learning Management System (LMS), Interactive Courseware, and the Authoring Tool, simplifies and accelerates the delivery and management of online and classroom learning. more info: www.coastal.com/dupontelearning. On March 8, 2011 Knoodle launched its cloud-based learning and training platform. Instructors can deliver any type of course easily and simply, in less than five minutes. This is what Knoodle delivers: easy content creation, dual panel display, social features, testing and measurement, and usage-based pricing.

March/April Volume 7 Issue 2

www.2elearning.com