

Introduction
Definition
Architecture
Design
Implementation
Summary
Resources & Credits

Define Your Idea

Your Role

As a faculty member and content expert, you will be most heavily involved in the first two phases of the DADI process: Definition and Architecture. In the Definition phase, you'll be clarifying ideas, figuring out what your students need, identifying objectives, examining logistics, choosing media, and defining the scope and depth of the project as well as its budget and time frame. Some of these questions may be difficult to answer, but ITS will help you along the way. The length of this phase can vary from a one hour meeting to weeks or months of preliminary research and interviews.

Think Big

The first part of this phase can be the most exciting and enjoyable part of the project. This is when you Think Big. Maybe you woke up at 2AM with a revelation and it's become the most amazing idea you've ever had. Maybe not. At this point, don't worry about what's possible. What do you want? In an ideal world, what would make your job easier and help your students learn more effectively? Are there some new technologies that you've heard about or seen at a conference that you've been dying to use in your class? Perhaps a good brainstorming session with your colleagues or students will help you expand and cultivate your idea.

Football commentator, John Madden, changed football reporting when he asked a technician, "Can I draw on the screen?" He wanted to use the TV like a chalkboard. He wanted to diagram the action for the viewing audience. Now when Madden says, "This guy should have been right here," he draws a big "X" right on top of the player and circles where the player should have been. The "chalkboard screen" has become a standard tool for all sports commentators and helps viewers to understand the game. Technology changed the way John Madden calls games. How will technology change your class?

Not That Big

Now that you've thought about the immense potential of your idea, it's time to get a little bit more realistic. Don't lose the big idea, you'll still go back to it. But how much can you really do? Well, it depends on how much you want to say and how many features you need. Big time CD-ROM and web site projects can take a year or more to develop with teams of 20-30 people. A web site for your class with just a few pages may take only a couple of weeks with one or two people. Think about how much time you can devote to the project and how soon you'd like it completed. It's often better to do a piece of an idea and do it very well than to try to tackle it all and later realize what a time consuming nightmare you've gotten yourself into.

Another issue is content. Where will the content come from? Is it mostly stuff that you've written or created? What are some potential media sources? Where can you find appropriate graphics, text, video, and sound? It's not too early to start thinking about copyright issues. Fair Use Guidelines are limiting. If you can't get permission to use a certain photograph, what will you do? Can you substitute one of your own? What media needs to be created from scratch? All of these issues need to be considered before getting too deep into the project.

Identify Learners

Sometimes you'll know your learners pretty well, but it doesn't hurt to review the following:

Who are they?
What do they want?
What do they need?
What do they like?
How might they use your materials?
What technologies do they have access to?
What is their skill level with technology?

Rather than using technology for technology's sake, really think about what your students will get out of your product. Think about any hurdles you may encounter. If your idea is to build a CD-ROM with lots of video and sound, but your department's labs have old computers or don't allow sound to be played because it disturbs other students, you may have to rethink your strategy.

Technology isn't always the answer. A lecture or hands-on demonstration may be the best way to teach some things -- and a whole lot cheaper and easier. In the words of Albert Einstein, "Everything should be made as simple as possible. But no simpler."

Identify Objectives

The big question here is: "What should the students know after using your materials?" Get as specific as you can. For example, let's say you are creating a CD-ROM about classical music. If your objective is "I want my students to gain a greater appreciation for classical music," how will you know when they've done it? Technically, what you've written is a goal. We all need goals, but objectives are more specific. They measure something. An objective for your Classical Music CD-ROM would be: "After using this product, the student will be able to identify 5 Beethoven symphonies" or "The student will be able to distinguish the music of Beethoven and Bach." Identifying your objectives will make writing the content much easier.

Identify Features
and Platform

Identifying special features that may take time to develop is important in this phase because additional research may need to be done before deciding if they will be included in the final project. Again, special features should be thought of in terms of learning impact. For example, "Do I really need a 3-D virtual walkthrough, or would the student learn just as much from a series of photographs?" You can always make the virtual walkthrough, but does the level of student comprehension justify the time and effort needed to create it? Furthermore, the features may influence the delivery medium. Which delivery medium should you use? Videotape? CD-ROM? The World Wide Web? If you are trying to decide between CD-ROM and the Web, please read CD-ROM vs. The Web.

Are there any special features the product should have?
Do you need animation to illustrate object behaviors?
Do you want to quiz the students?
How can video enhance learning?
Do you want to provide the learners with feedback?
Is a simulation environment appropriate?
Does the the learner need to control the environment?

Moving on

Once you get your ideas on paper -- two typed pages or a bulleted list will do -- talk to ITS about your project. We'll help refine your audience and objectives list and lock down your choice of platforms before moving on to the Architecture phase.