[From Richard Thurman (970131.1545)]
Chris Cherpas (970130.1801 PT)
On the idea of creating a PCT-based instructional design model:
I don't have a big stake in going from application to theory over theory
to application (although I think the arrows go both ways), but I don't
have the time to do the theory first; I'm in the trenches. The "up" side
is that I have ready access to potentially huge amounts of data
(literally
hundreds of thousands of students running the computer-based instruction
programs I design), so with even an approximation to what a PCT-based
design would be I could find out what works and what doesn't in a big
way.
OK -- I can understand your reluctance to sit around and theorize when
there is so much to do. (Personally I wait until I am half asleep in bed
to start theorizing about PCT and ISD. Really! This stuff has me
intrigued. The problem is that when I wake up in the morning I can't
remember the model that seemed so profound the night before.)
So lets try it your way. Why don't you come up with an instructional need
(that's amenable to computer-based instruction) and we will try to hash
out the design, development and evaluation over CSGNET. Lets see if it
gets designed any different than your current ISD model would prescribe.
I am willing to bet that PCT-based ISD looks just like conventional ISD.
After all, the ID process is simply a set of prescriptions for
systematically designing a product. These prescriptions are as old as the
hills. Its just that it all got written up during in a Behaviorist
paradigm. In actual practice, one would perform the same development
steps no matter what the paradigm. Its just that one's explanations for
doing the step changes.
I think the above paragraph was an unconscious reflection of something
Hugh Petrie once wrote about designing tests. I remember He wrote
something like, "Under PCT one still uses multiple choice questions.
Except now we understand that the question is really disturbance to be
countered." (Sorry Hugh, I think I mangled that one badly but I hope the
concept came through.)
Chris if you are willing to put the time in, I am willing to give it a
try. The only thing I ask for is patience in receiving replies from me
(there are times when I may have to go for a week or so before I can get
back to CSGNET -- that's why I am more of a lurker than a talker). I
think it would be fun and illuminating to see everyone's (PCT) angle on
different aspects of the ISD process.
Rich