Class
9
Designing the Instructional Message
chapter 8
Have you ever picked up a book read the first paragraph or so, and then made a decision either to buy or not buy the book? Or, maybe you were looking for a book that would help you fix something or learn a new hobby. You might have glanced at several books before deciding which one to purchase. What information did you use to make your decision? The opening paragraph caught your attention and motivated you to continue to read the book (For a sample of paragraphs that may not motivate you, try http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/lyttony.htm). Similarly, a book that makes it easy to find information is often considered appealing and easy to use. In this lesson, we will examine how we can motivate your learners to read the materials, and how to make the information accessible.
Practically every textbook begins with some type of introduction. When we hear the term introduction, most of us probably think of a short paragraph at the beginning of a chapter. As instructional designers, we need to broaden our perspective of how to start a lesson or chapter. Instruction can have many different purposes. For example, we might want the learner to focus on very specific information such as the safe handling of a fungicide in one unit. In another unit we might want the learner to focus on a broader topic such as a pest management program. Would the same type of "introduction" work for each of these instructional units, or would they require a different approach? In this first reading, you will examine four different preinstructional strategies that you can use to introduce a unit. As you read, consider the following questions.
- Which preinstructional strategy is most appropriate for the two examples mentioned?
- Which preinstructional strategy might work best for a lecture?
Read pages 172-178.
Which preinstructional strategy do you think is most appropriate for the "safe handling of a fungicide" and the "pest management program" described in the introduction? Assume the audience is a high school class you might teach. Use Table 8-1 on page 175 to develop a rationale to support your answer.
You can find our response here.
Did you ever hear the rumor (or maybe it was the truth) that the teacher had included test items about information in the caption of a picture or in a footnote? It seems that as students, we tended to ignore the captions, footnotes, and a lot of other information. Sometimes, we missed some very important information because it was hidden in a sentence. If the authors had put flashing lights, bells, and whistles on the important points in the chapter, we might have all done better on those tests. Although it is not practical or even a good idea to use such an approach in textbook or on the web, there are ways we can signal the learners that something is important. Consider this page, we have used bold and italics to make some text standout. We have also used words like first, second, and for example to highlight important points. In this next reading, you will examine how we can use these more subtle methods to alert the learner to important information. As you read this section, consider the following questions.
- What are two types of signals we can use to alert the learner?
- What are the structures we want to highlight for the learner?
Read pages 178-186.
For this exercise, you will need to download the Exercise 2 document. We have adapted this file from a Federal Consumer Information Center publication. Read through the document, and then use the appropriate signals to highlight key points. What information should you signal? What signals can you use?
When you have finished your redesign, check here for a sample answer.
Have you ever noticed the number of pictures in a high school or college textbook? It seems there is a picture on almost every page or two. Why are there pictures in textbooks? Have you ever stopped to consider the purpose of the pictures? In this reading you will examine the effectiveness of pictures and how pictures are used. Consider the following questions as you read.
- How can you use pictures effectively in instruction?
- Do all uses of pictures support learning?
- What are the different functions of pictures in a textbook?
Read pages 186-196.
Exercise
3
For this exercise you will need three textbooks. Try to select books from a content area that you might teach, and if possible, select a book you might use in the classroom. This exercise has three parts.
Part 1
Examine the first two or three pages of each chapter of each text. Is there some type of picture included at the start of each chapter? How would you describe the function of the picture?
Part 2
Randomly select three chapters from each book. Examine the pictures in each chapter and classify them according to the function each performs. You can create a table like the following to track your findings.
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Book 1 |
Book 2 |
Book 3 |
Total |
Percentage |
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Decoration |
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Representation |
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Organization |
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Interpretation |
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Transformation |
When you have recorded your results, add across the rows and then determine the percentage of function across all three textbooks.
Part 3
Prepare a brief summary of your analysis. First, describe the focus of each text and the grade level of its intended use. Second, describe the use and function of any introductory pictures. Third, report the most and least common function of the pictures in your sampling. Fourth, did the books differ in their use of pictures? If so, explain. Fifth, how would you describe the use of pictures in the textbooks you examined? Could you justify the use of the pictures? Post your analysis in the discussion board for this exercise.
Examine the postings of other students. What conclusions can you draw about the use of pictures in textbooks? What are the implications for students and teachers using the textbook? If a picture is important, how can you help your students benefit from it? Post your conclusions on the discussion board. Do you agree with the other conclusions? Again, post your reactions.
This week you should develop the preinstructional strategy for your unit. Use Table 8-1 to develop a rationale explaining your decision (similar to Exercise 1). Then, write the strategy.
In this lesson, you have learned how to enhance the information that goes into your instructional unit. First, you need to design an appropriate preinstructional strategy. When selecting the strategy, you need to try to find the best fit between your goals, the content, and the learner. Second, you need to use signal words, pictures, and typography to highlight important points for the learner. These signals, however, should be used judiciously as too many signals is worse than no signals. Too many signals can confuse the learner as to what is important.