Unit 2 – ADDIE

Overview of the ADDIE Model

ADDIE is a structured model for instructional design that was developed for the US Army in the 1970’s. It consists of 5 separate stages that build on each other and help provide a framework to create effective training or learning experiences. The phases are:

A – Analysis: This involves analyzing what problem you are trying to solve – a knowledge or performance gap, or teaching new skills. This step requires thought about what steps and procedures the task takes, as well as a detailed analysis of your target learners, including what they already know, their preferences, skills and other factors.

D – Design: This step is where clear learning objectives are developed – what you would like learners to know or be able to do once they finish training. These objectives help to inform the type or types of activities and assessment that will be used. In this step, decisions will also be made as to the delivery of the content, the structure, and types of media or content that will be included.

D – Development: The development phase is where the actual learning experience will be created, whether that is in the form of slide decks, a digital experience, videos, or other type of media. Working with Subject Matter Experts, the final format and delivery method will be developed and tested, and teachers or facilitators will be introduced to the material.

I – Implementation: The learning experience will be presented to the end users or learners. This could be in a self-paced format, where learners complete on their own time, or in an in-person or hybrid setting, where a facilitator or teacher presents the material. In either case, there should be someone available to answer learners’ questions as they proceed through the course.

E – Evaluation: In this step, the effectiveness of the learning is assessed. This can be done in many ways, including feedback from the learners, facilitators, and other people in the organization who may be able to see the results from the increases in skill of their co-workers who took the training. It is helpful to get an idea of what seemed helpful, what seemed difficult or unclear, and what results the learners felt they got after completing the course. These findings are used to refine and adjust the learning experience for the next time it is needed.

Implications for Instructional Design

The ADDIE model provides a good basis for developing not only training, but instructional design. The focus on analysis and design before development help to ensure that design decisions are made based on the results of research, rather than just starting to design from a narrower understanding of the problem. Developing clear objectives, as well as ways to measure the achievement of those objectives (via assessments), help to ensure the project remains cohesive and addresses the needs identified. Implementation always happens, but the ADDIE model reminds IDs to be available to teachers and learners for any issues that arise during the use of the course. The Evaluation step is a good reminder to follow up to see what results happened after training, to get direct feedback from those who used or delivered the training, and to make adjustments based on their experiences.

Strengths and Limitations in Regards to Minicourse

By following the ADDIE model, I will spend more time in the analysis phase to learn about my audience and what they actually need, in order to be able to create clearer goals for them. I can also consult the Help Desk team to see if there are common questions or areas where users consistently need help with Microsoft Office, and incorporate those needs into my training. The structured approach to using those goals to develop activities and assessments will help my course stay on target to teach what is intended and not get distracted by other features. I will also develop a follow-up survey for my learners (and possibly the Help Desk) to see if the training has increased their confidence and usage, and reduced the need for help requests for Office-related tasks.

A limitation of using the ADDIE model in my minicourse is that it is time-intensive in comparison to the short nature of my course. My course would also be offered on a voluntary basis, so that no employees are required to take it, it would just be whoever wanted to and had the time. Thus, there will be people who actually need it but either don’t have the time or motivation, or who don’t realize their skills are lacking, so that would impact the effectiveness of the course for my institution. I will try to combat this by making it available in a few formats – self-paced learning/asynchronous, and offering some live in-person office hours for those who need more hands-on help or support.

References