Applying Instructional Events as Learning Modules

Each learning module should be driven by a specific learning outcome. Too many learning outcomes will create "learning confusion". It is important that learners stay focused on knowing what they are supposed to l learn and how the learnign module shapes their mastering of the learning outcome.

How many learning modules should you create? Simple. As many as you need. Once you create learning modules, you can organize them in any conceptual framework that makes sense. We will explore how to organize learning modules later, but for now, we will see how easy it is to create an e-learning instructional event template that you can use for all of your learning modules.

Your e-learning instructional event template should consist of 4 components:

• Introduction
  • Gain attention (Step 1)
  • Identify the learning outcome (Step 2)
  • Stimulate recall of prior learning by providing guiding questions (Step 3)
• Present Content
  • Present content - html, video, audio, presentational, images, etc.(Step 4)
  • Provide learning guidance by chunking the content (Step 5)
• Require Assignments
  • Elicit performance (Step 6)
  • Provide feedback (Step 7)
  • Assess performance (Step 8)
• Summary
  • Enhance retention by providing an overiew to what was learned (Review) and
  • Provide supplemental resources for self-exploration and future reference (Step 9)

Here is a template for an instructional event that an instructor might use:

Lets look at the example from the BCC Health Science Department's 12 Lead Interpretation Course. Notice how this learning module corresponds to the e-learning instructional event template.

The Introduction component is found in steps 1 and 2. The Content component is found in steps 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The Assignment component is found in steps 8, 9 and 10. And the Summary component is found in step 11. What is effective about this learning module is that the content has variety (html with images and flash animations) and there is a variety of assignments (one self-assessment and two graded). The learning module also contains a discussion forum.

To see the actual examples from this course, you can click on the following links (they will pop out in a separate window):

1. Introduction
2. Learning Outcomes and Guiding Questions
3. Cardiac Circulation
4. Coronary Arteries of the Heart
5. Layers of the Heart
6. Cardiac Conduction System
7. Heart Block Virtual Lecture (Flash)
8. Chapter 1 Anatomy in Review (Self Test)
9. Discussion - Health Actions
10. Paper Assignment
11. Summary