LDT200x - Week 2 Activity: Creating a Mind Map of the ADDIE Instructional Design Model

This week of the Instructional Design Models (LDT200x) course talked about the ADDIE Instructional Design model. Being an academic content developer by profession, I had often wondered how instructional design worked. I never knew that the subject encompassed so many underlying theories, and had a lot of fun understanding the first of these theories, i.e., the ADDIE model. The week's learning concluded with an assignment directing students to create a mind map of the ADDIE model using an online software called MindMeister, which I shall also talk about below.

THE ADDIE Instructional Design Model

ADDIE is an Instructional Design model that lists out a sequence of steps, which when followed well, can help smoothly design instruction for any kind of course, be it a classroom lecture, or an e-learning module. "ADDIE" is an acronym, each letter of which stands for each phase of this ID model, viz., Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate.

Each of the above mentioned phases play important roles in the overall instructional design process and help drive their successive phases.

Phase 1: The ANALYSIS Phase

This phase mainly deals with analyzing different aspects of the project at hand, such as determining:

1. the audience for whom the instruction needs to be created

2. the prior knowledge and skill sets of the targeted audience

3. the end-goal or objective of the instruction

4. the different processes that need to be carried out in the instruction, in order to achieve the objectives of the course

5. all other aspects of the project, such as timeline, cost, etc.

Phase 2: The DESIGN Phase

In this phase, a 'skeleton' or model of the end-product is created. This phase involves processes such as:

1. choosing an appropriate format for delivering the course

2. choosing and determining the kinds of lectures, media, assessments, activities, worksheets and projects that will be a part of the course

3. creating assessments for the course, keeping in mind the course objectives

Phase 3: The DEVELOPMENT Phase

This is the phase where the creation of different content materials, activities, media and projects related to the course takes place. After all the materials related to the course are created, it is also recommended that the course be taken through a testing phase, or a real-time rehearsal, that can help identify and fix any problems with the course, before it is actually implemented.

Phase 4: The IMPLEMENTATION Phase

In this phase, the course/module created is actually implemented in a predetermined teaching set-up, such as in a classroom teaching set-up, in the form of an online course, or as a blended learning module. This phase involves equipping the trainer(s), the learner(s) and the learning space with all the necessary tools, equipment and knowledge that is needed to run the lesson smoothly.

Phase 5: The EVALUATION Phase

Although listed as the last of the five phases, the Evaluation phase of the ADDIE model actually co-exists with all the other four of its phases. This phase involves critically assessing the different aspects of the project and determining its feasibility, clarity and accuracy. The evaluation phase can actually be divided into two sub-categories:

1. Formative Evaluation: This is the evaluation that takes place during each phase of the instructional design process. The results of this type of evaluation can help correct the problems observed in each phase before moving on to the next phase of the process.

2. Summative Evaluation: This is the evaluation that takes place at the end of the project, and highlights possible problems or shortcomings in the project. The results of this type of evaluation can be used to improve the newer versions of the project.

Here is the link to the mind map I created using the MindMeister website. Below is a snapshot of my mind map, to give you a brief overview of my creation.