Which individuals, in what learning and with what returns?

There are some basic factors to be considered in designing and developing instructional system.

They are to be considered in that they will determine the overall effectiveness of the teaching – learning process. The factors are to be regarded as “interrelated interdependent and complementary” (Agun, 1988). These factors are: identification of the task to be performed,

stating objectives, selection of method(s) to be adopted, selection and integration of media, allocation of time, allocation of space, evaluation of performance and analysis of feedback.

3.5.1 The Task:

The choice as to which of the instructional approaches to be used depend on the task to be performed. The task is the need to be fulfilled. The task is the content(s), subject matter or the topic(s) to be treated in a lesson or a term or during the course of study. It is therefore the propelling force in instructional system design and development. Similarly, the task is the activity, behaviour, or the skills the learners are to learn, acquire, perform or exhibit leading to our conviction that learning has taken place.

In the educational systems, most if not all the expected “tasks” are found as packaged in different schools’ curricular. Some are found in examining bodies’ syllabi. Invariably, the problem associated with identifying what should be the tasks to be addressed by the schools as well as the teachers usually and naturally have been solved by the government as well as other concerned agencies. The major area of problem to most teachers is the challenge of system analysis.

System analysis involves logical and sequential breaking down of the components of the entire system with a view to determining the nature of its problem or challenges and providing workable solutions.

Self Assessment Exercise 3.1:

(a) List four (4) aspects of system analysis.

(b) Describe briefly the term “instructional task”.

Technically speaking, system analysis consists of “Mission analysis, functional analysis, task analysis and consideration for methods and means: (Kaufman, 1968).

By mission analysis is meant the determination of the instructional system designer and the idea of what is he is aiming at involves setting a goal or rather “mission objective”. Functional analysis refers to the grouping of the functions to be performed into various components that would make for a functional mission profile.

Functional analysis attempt to concentrate on possibilities as against impossibilities, it avoid trial and error approach. Functional analysis leads to “task analysis” and this is concerned with the determination of the sub-skills and the sub-contents that are required to learn an identified task.

The “task” has to be systematically analysed with a view to determine the best strategies to be adopted for the accomplishment of the predetermined objectives.

As teachers in training, task analysis should be considered from the three domains of learning – cognitive (intellectual), affective (attitudinal/perceptual) and psychomotor (skills acquisition).

An attempt by you to break down a general topic into bits by identifying sub-topics and sub-sub-topics is a right direction towards putting into practice the concept of “task analysis”.

Self assessment Exercise 3.2:

You and your reading partner(s) should consider a topic in your area of specialization. Each of you should perform “task analysis” of the topic selected by having sub-topic, sub-sub-topic(s).

Now compare your analysis and use it to assess your ability to perform “task analysis”.

Having performed “task analysis”, the next step you will learn is called “method – means analysis”. This step is equally crucial as it permeates all the steps prior to it. The major task here is to consider alternative means and methods which could serve as an alternative in case the one earlier considered fails or is not easily implemented as earlier thought. Implementation is the next stage and this leads to evaluation stage. Evaluation is done to provide data / information from which feedback is gotten.

Source: Salawu, I.O., Taiwo, S.A., and Aremu, G.B. (1994). An Introduction to Educational Technology. Afolabi Press Limited.

3.5.2 Stating Objectives:

Instructional system design and development involves consideration for the purpose or the objective(s) to be achieved. Objectives are the reasons why certain things are embarked upon (Oluokun and Olayanju (2000).

Objectives can be called goal or aim based on the intended outcomes. Three levels of educational objectives have been identified (Wheeler, ). These are: the ultimate goal, mediate goal, proximate goal and specific/instructional objective.

Identify problems

Analyse problems and

set goals

Select solution strategy from

alternatives

Implement solution strategies

Evaluate performance effectiveness

Perform mission analysis

Perform functional analysis

Perform task analysis

Perform method means analysis

According to Wheeler, the ultimate goal/objective is that which usually takes the longest period to achieve. Examples of such are found in national educational goals of any nation. In Nigeria, for example, the nation’s goals as contained in the National Policy of Education (2004) are:

(i) To build a free and democratic country;

(ii) A just and egalitarian society;

(iii) A united, strong and self-reliant nation;

(iv) A great and dynamic economy; and

(v) A land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens.

At another level, the nation’s general educational goals were generated. Further, at another closer level, objectives were drawn for each of the disciplines in the curriculum. The lowest level is at the classroom where individual teacher writes specific objective(s) for every lesson to be taken.

For this purpose, we shall concentrate our attention on how to write specific / instructional / behavioural objectives. In writing/stating instructional objectives, the following criteria are to be met:

(i) A behavioural objective should be stated in simple and precise language.

(ii) Action words (verbs) to be used must be; observable, testable or measurable. Such words to be used include: describe, write, list, identify, draw, discuss, explain, measure, narrate, pronounce, calculate, simplify (in mathematics), construct, distinguish, use, mention, record, sing, etc.

(iii) Since instructional objectives are learners’ oriented, learners should therefore be the subject of the statement of objective(s).

(iv) The statement of objective should show the level or degree of performance expected from the learner. This could be expressed in figure, percentage or through the use of such words like; without any mistake; correctly, at least ……..

(v) Another major criterion that a statement of objective should have is the time element.

The expected period for the change in behaviour to be effected should be stated. The expected time lag could be between 30 to 40 minutes in a single lesson at the primary and secondary schools and between 1 to 2 hours at the tertiary level. The question to ask is what is or how long the lesson would last.

4.0 CONCLUSION

The instructional system designer has to make a choice from the available approaches to instructional system design and development. The choice is not to be made hastily. Rather, it must be systematically arrived at for the overall interest of the system. The success of an instructional system would be determined by the designer’s ability and ingenuity in the analysis and synthesis of the various elements of instructional systems.

5.0 SUMMARY

In our discussion of the instructional systems and development in this unit, we defined the term

“instruction” and a “system”. We went further to describe the term instructional systems. Other term that explanations were provided on was the instructional system development. You were informed in this unit that instructional systems design could take four forms – media mediated instruction, teacher mediated instruction, leaner mediated instruction and resource-person mediated instruction.

Whatever is the choice of an instructional system designer/developer, she/he should consider factors as: the task, and objectives, when embarking on the task of evolving a functional instructional delivery system.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1, Explain the following terms: instruction, systems, instructional system and instructional system development.

2. Discuss four approaches to the task of designing instructional system.

7.0 REFERENCES

Imogie, I. (1988): “Principles of Instructional Systems Design” in Fundamentals of Educational Technology, Agun, I. and Imogie, I. (Ed), Ibadan, Y – Books, pp. 40 – 82.

Lumsdaine, A.A. (1964): “Educational Technology, Programmed Learning and Instructional Science”, in Theories of Learning and Instruction (ed), E.R. Hilgard, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, pp. 371 - 401.

Balogun, T.A. and Abimbade, A. (1999): Introduction to Instructional Technology, Ibadan, Centre for External Studies, University of Ibadan, pp. 17 – 33.

Kaufman, R.A. (1068): A System Approach to Education: Derivation and Definition. AV Communication Review, 16(4) pp. 415 – 425.

Oluokun, O. and Olayanju, O. (2000): An Introduction to Principles and Methods of Teaching, Lagos, SIBIS Ventures, pp. 26.

Federal Government of Nigeria (2004): National Policy on Education, Government Press, pp.

UNIT 4 SYSTEMS APPROACH