A Designer’s Log Case Studies in Instructional Design

Michael Power

Books and articles on instructional design in online learning abound but rarely do we get such a comprehensive picture of what instructional designers do, how they do it, and the problems they solve as their university changes. Power documents the emergence of an adapted instructional design model for transforming courses from single-mode to dual-mode instruction, making this designer’s log a unique contribution to the field of online learning.

Power takes the reader inside his world as an instructional designer, as he learns to navigate the slippery slope of supporting faculty in course design. Through his cases, Power helps us understand how to concede on the small decisions (e.g., the order in which to create the various course documents, activities, etc.) to accomplish the non-negotiables (e.g., coherence among course components; design before delivery). This book reads like a personal journal, but packs a universal punch.

Peggy Ertmer, Purdue University

Reading this took me back to the days when I was learning how to work with subject-matter experts, add design knowledge, juggle production, and stay within budgets. I could have used this book back then. I especially liked the insights into designer reasoning about trade-offs, how hard to push, and when to take a different approach. Power’s book is very practical, and I will recommend it to many of my younger and more seasoned colleagues alike.

Andrew S. Gibbons, Brigham Young University

About the Author

Michael Power is programs director and assistant professor in educational technology in the Faculty of Education at Laval University in Quebec City. He is deputy director and researcher with the GEOIDE/NSERC-sponsored GeoEDUC3D project and researcher with the Inter-university Learning & Technology Research Center (CIRTA).

Table of Contents

  1. Foreword
  2. Preface
  3. Introduction
  4. The Case Studies
    1. Introduction to the Case Studies
    2. Case Study 1: Walking the Walk
    3. Case Study 2: Beating the Clock
    4. Case Study 3: Experiencing a Eureka! Moment
    5. Case Study 4: Getting Off to a Good Start
    6. Case Study 5: Getting from A to B
    7. Case Study 6: I Did It My Way
    8. Case Study 7: Let’s Shake to That!
    9. Case Study 8: Managing Volume
    10. Case Study 9: I and Thou
    11. Case Study 10: Integrating Technology
  5. Synthesis and Final Prototype
  6. Conclusion
  7. Epilogue
  8. Bibliography
  9. Appendices