Features/Structure of the Tool

  Rationale for Design of the IDDE Tool

  System Requirements

  References

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View by Theory:

The View by Theory option allows you to select a particular instrucional theory and access instructional strategies and/or tactics relevant to that theory.  By viewing the database through these "lenses," you will have a blueprint for designing instruction (according to each author).  Each instructional theory cues up a particular branch of the IDDE database (See Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Instructional Theory and Related Tactic

Due to differences in the terminology that each author uses for his/her instructional theory, the titles used in the database are not perfect matches.  However, the specific examples (instructional tactics) within that branch of the database (see the red box in Figure 1 above) may still be applied to help support learning according to the instructional theory.

The Search option allows you to search the database by keywords.   Because the search feature cues up html pages, the corresponding pages will be shown by themselves (not in the typical database view with the expandable tree in the left frame).  Examples of keywords include "cues" or "video-conferencing."

The database contains a hierarchical arrangement of instructional classes, strategies, tactics and related examples.  Figure 2 illustrates their relationship.  For a brief description of each, place your cursor over the terms shown in the diagram below.

Figure 2 - Hierarchical Structure of Instructional Elements

      
While in the database, you can access detailed information about the specific instructional elements by simply clicking on the components located on the expandable tree in the left frame.  To expand the branches, click on any plus box (see Figure 3).

Figure 3 - Click the plus box to expand the IDDE database menu

The database is a compendium of instructional tactics.  We do not suggest that you use all of them.  We provide some tactics which are supplemented by possible examples that illustrate their application in various distance education delivery systems. For example, in Figure 4, the instructional tactic, arousing the learner, includes an example in which an animated picture of a beating heart is used to introduce a web-based lesson on the circulatory system. 

Figure 4 - Tactic with Web-based Example

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Over the last decade, as technology becomes increasingly capable of delivering text, audio and video at a distance (Deloughry, 1998), the implementation of distance education and virtual learning has become more prominent in corporations and academic institutions. Universities have begun initiatives to deliver courses entirely via audio/video conferencing, the Internet, and the World Wide Web (WWW). Consequently, there has been a tendency for instructional designers and educators to focus their efforts on analysis of the technological issues associated with delivery of such programs. As a result, much of the instruction delivered at a distance is technology-driven. By this, we argue that instructional analysis of distance education programs typically includes weighing the benefits and drawbacks of various technologies (e.g., computer-mediated conferencing, web-based instruction, etc.) and rarely targets the application of instructional strategies and theories during the design and implementation of these distance education systems. For example, consider the numerous web-based courses that are actually just a series of audio lectures "streamed" over the WWW. Or, there are linear sequences of instruction within which learners must ‘click’ to turn the pages of the lesson . We are not arguing that linear, sequential instructional units are always ineffective, we simply argue that transforming a syllabus to the web (as an example of distance education) may not take full advantage of the technology; instruction will be more effective when instructional strategies and tactics are applied while considering the affordances of the delivery systems available.