Models

One thing that I'd just like to finish this all off with is a little discussion of models of Instructional Design. Professor Monson talked about the way that you can ask an instructional designer if they use the Dick and Carey model, and a lot will say, "Of course," but they actually don't do it. The main reason for this is that each model has some fairly specific rules. For example, some say that the process must be systematic and you can only revise after your assessment has uncovered a flaw, where others have an intense web and you revise and create every step whenever. So if you follow the first, any revising before the assessment isn't allowed, and with the latter, not revising all along isn't allowed. In the end, there are very few people who actually follow a model.

The most important thing is that the learner, task, and context are analyzed, then an instruction is designed, developed, and implemented based on that analysis, and that instruction is evaluated and revised. As long as those things happen, I don't feel that it makes a huge difference when you revise, or when you begin steps. The only one that I feel needs to be first is the analysis, because skipping ahead could get you stuck on less-effective methods that the analysis would rule out. Other than that, rigidly following a model could remove all personality and weaken the instruction. So, I feel that instructional designers should put their own slant on the model they use, but within reason.