Designing Instruction is like....

A ROLLER COASTER! Designing instruction is like a roller coaster, and there are several reasons why. All of those interesting reasons are listed below for you to ponder…

1. First designing a roller coaster is a well thought out process just like designing instruction should be.

2. The process of the designing instruction can be a scary ride for a first timer, just like the roller coaster.

3. There will be ups and downs in both!

4. You start and begin in the same place. On the roller coaster, you start and the loading dock, enjoy the “ride”, and return to the loading dock which in now the unloading dock. For instruction, you start with an analysis of what needs to happen and an evaluation of did it really happen. For the learner this could be the pre-test of information and a post-assessment to see if the desired learning took place.

5. The middle part of the ride is where the real work takes place. There are a variety of things in the middle that make each rollercoaster or instruction designed different, but there is a lot of thought/energy that needs to take place to ensure that it is just right for the participant. Nobody rides a rollercoaster or designs instruction for the beginning/end. It is all about happens in the middle that determines how good the rollercoaster ride will be, or how effective the instruction designed will be.

6. There could be loops in each. In there roller coaster the loops literally turn the rider upside down momentarily. While designing instruction it may be necessary to re-loop various aspects of the topic to ensure that it the goals are achieved and information learned. In neither cause are loops required, but they do appear sometimes!

7. And finally, for both the instruction and the roller coaster, if done well, it will LOTS of fun for the participant /“rider” or “learner”.

Designing Instruction is a lot like a rollercoaster. Ups, downs, loops, and lots of fun!