Making a Lesson

This semester has really changed how I would design a lesson. We'll talk about it in terms of before and after.

Before, I would sit down and think about what I was supposed to teach, then brainstorm methods that I could use to teach it. I would simply look at it in terms of motivation - how I would keep the attention of the class while feeding them information.

Now, I think I'd spend my time much more efficiently. First, I would look at the different things I could teach and select which ones I would. Then, I would write those down as instructional goals, so that my lesson could stay focused on those. I would break down those goals into subtasks. I would think about the students and their lives, noting things that they might already know, or what they might not know. I would also look at how the information would benefit them, and make sure that they are able to make those connections. Then I would plan the most effective way to share the material. I hope this conveys the slight differences that my experience with instructional design would bring. Mostly, I feel the greatest change would come because of analysis; instead of simply deciding what should be taught and what would hold attention, I would break down the skills or knowledge and think more about the current knowledge that my students have.