How do you update and revise your instructional design?

Instructional design is the process of creating effective and engaging learning experiences for your staff. But how do you ensure that your instructional design is up to date and relevant to your learners' needs and goals? In this article, we'll share some tips on how to update and revise your instructional design using a systematic approach.

1 Analyze your current design

The first step to update and revise your instructional design is to analyze your current design and identify its strengths and weaknesses. You can use various methods to collect feedback from your learners, such as surveys, interviews, quizzes, or observations. You can also review your learning objectives, content, activities, assessments, and delivery methods and compare them with the latest best practices and standards in your field. Look for any gaps, errors, inconsistencies, or outdated information that need to be addressed.

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Nicoletta Murphy

Associate Director of School, Curriculum Manager, Education Advocate
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Asking the following questions can help get started: Are students learning according to the metrics set in place? Are learners' strengths and needs clear? Is there room for adaptation in the current model to suit learning styles or needs? Are expectations clear for teachers and students? Are teachers submitting the required deliverables completely and timely? Are students regularly engaged in the curriculum content? These questions require teacher input, classroom observations, and data analysis to be answered accurately.

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2 Plan your revisions

The next step is to plan your revisions based on the analysis results. You should prioritize the most urgent and important changes that will improve the learning outcomes and experience of your staff. You should also consider the available resources, time, and budget for your revisions. You may need to consult with your stakeholders, subject matter experts, or other instructional designers to get their input and approval. Create a clear and realistic plan that outlines the scope, goals, tasks, roles, and deadlines for your revisions.

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Andrei Parfenov

Technical Curriculum Lead, Software Developer
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Sometimes, the most urgent and important changes are not about improvement but about resolving issues that block or slow down the learning process. First, you should ensure that there are no blockers in your learning program.

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3 Implement your revisions

The third step is to implement your revisions according to your plan. You should follow the instructional design principles and models that suit your context and audience. You may need to update or create new content, activities, assessments, or delivery methods that align with your learning objectives and meet your learners' needs and preferences. You should also test and debug your revised design before launching it to your staff. Make sure that your design is accessible, user-friendly, and compatible with different devices and platforms.

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Nicoletta Murphy

Associate Director of School, Curriculum Manager, Education Advocate
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Introducing a new model requires buy-in from all stakeholders so it is important that it is rolled out effectively, concisely, and clearly. Slowly implementing a new design in one classroom, then one grade, before an entire school or district helps early on to clear up confusion and compatibility concerns that may arise. The best way to ensure proper follow-through is with a balance of flexibility yet clear expectations for all parties, which can be conducted through an increased amount of support in and outside of the classroom via observations and reflective practice.

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4 Evaluate your revised design

The final step is to evaluate your revised design and measure its effectiveness and impact. You should use both formative and summative evaluation methods to collect quantitative and qualitative data from your learners, such as scores, completion rates, satisfaction ratings, comments, or testimonials. You should also analyze the data and compare it with your expected results and benchmarks. Look for any positive or negative outcomes, trends, or patterns that indicate the strengths and weaknesses of your revised design.

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5 Iterate and improve

Updating and revising your instructional design is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of improvement. You should monitor and review your design regularly and make adjustments as needed. You should also keep up with the latest trends and developments in your field and in instructional design. You should seek feedback from your learners and stakeholders and incorporate their suggestions and recommendations. By doing so, you will ensure that your instructional design is always relevant, effective, and engaging for your staff.

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Andrei Parfenov

Technical Curriculum Lead, Software Developer
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Applying an agile approach with one or two-week sprints works really well. You can review the feedback before each sprint and plan a specific number of tasks and updates accordingly.

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Dr. Dilip Dutt Varshney

Deputy Director|T&D|Higher Education|Soft Skills |Employability Skills |Behavioral Skills | OBE |ICT |Dip.TD_ISTD|FDP|SDP
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Updating the designs and keeping up with the latest developments certainly helps. However,the most important factor which we need to keep in mind is the trainees,maybe one set needs can be taken care of by an existing style on the other hand another set needs another style.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Dr. Dilip Dutt Varshney

Deputy Director|T&D|Higher Education|Soft Skills |Employability Skills |Behavioral Skills | OBE |ICT |Dip.TD_ISTD|FDP|SDP
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Taking feedback on your existing style from the stakeholders will be a great way to improve upon . This will help not only to get the ideas from another perspective but also let you know whether the changes are required or not

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How do you update and revise your instructional design?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Analyze your current design

2 Plan your revisions

3 Implement your revisions

4 Evaluate your revised design

5 Iterate and improve

6 Here’s what else to consider

Staff Development

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How do you update and revise your instructional design?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Analyze your current design

2 Plan your revisions

3 Implement your revisions

4 Evaluate your revised design

5 Iterate and improve

6 Here’s what else to consider

Staff Development

Rate this article

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