INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN PORTFOLIO

A Beginner’s Guide to Acting

A comprehensive look at the course design as compiled during EDUC 765: Trends and Issues in Instructional Design.

An outline of content to be developed based on the terminal and enabling objectives.

A sample of supporting content based on the enabling objectives. This sample is a quick reference list of commonly used acting tactics.

Over the last few weeks, the decisions I’ve made with the ID model are frequently informed by my own cognitive load. Many of the ID models appear in my mind’s eye as convoluted. While I am not certain if this is the result of intrinsic or extraneous cognitive load, it causes me to lean away from models such as Dick and Carey in favor of more (perceived) streamlined models such as ADDIE, Criterion-Referenced Instruction, Gagne’s Conditions of Learning and Discovery Learning. Ultimately, I feel that every ID model is trying to establish the same principles in its own unique way: that instructional design should be based on thorough analysis of a problem, that it should be designed with the end goal in mind, and that evaluation of the design is necessary to improve it for future use. I expect that future decisions I make about the ID model will be impacted by the utility I derive from specific projects and experiences.

I chose the ARCS Model of Motivation (Keller) because of its focus on learner participation. The study of acting is, appropriately, an active experience. Furthermore, the ARCS Model is well-suited for flexibility. As the course I’m designing is blended, I wanted to have motivational tactics that would be effective with learners studying independently online as well as students studying privately in person.

I have found myself utilizing elements of behavioral, social learning and cognitive theories in the design of this course. Acting is a subjective, abstract performing art; as such, learners can benefit from the concrete, objective elements of behavioral theory, especially for lower-order learning tasks. It gives them a foundation that helps remove “fuzziness” from a fuzzy subject. Acting is also learned through the observation of human behavior. Therefore, acting can be learned from the expert modeling and feedback inherent in social learning theory. Lastly, acting is rooted in making choices, understanding those choices, and using feedback and previous experience to make better choices. Cognitive theory can be applied by asking learners to examine the thought processes that lead to specific acting choices, and by encouraging them to discover new possibilities by playing, trying, and even failing.

The performing arts are analytical, social, and creative. Throughout my career, I have used behavioral theory to teach rudiments and specific objective skills, social theory to model and provide feedback, and cognitive/constructive to ask learners to think deeply about their choices and to feel free to explore, create, and play. I agree with the eclectic approach to applying learning theory because it mirrors my belief in the application of acting theory. Learning theories are tools in a toolbox; I believe in having as many tools as will fit in the box and using the best tool for the job at hand. The same can be said of acting. There are many schools and methods; the more you have at your disposal, the greater chance of having a strategy for overcoming challenges. I therefore subscribe to all three types of learning theory because doing so provides the best chance of success in any learning setting.

Task analysis and learner characteristics affect applied learning theory by identifying what learners need to do and how well-equipped they are to do it. Completing a task analysis implies that behavioral theory will likely be employed to at least some of the project and will illuminate precisely what the learners will do. From there, learner characteristics provide a picture of the learners’ previous knowledge, skills and attitudes and important demographic characteristics that will affect theory application. If learners are novices, they will likely need more objective support provided by behavioral theory. If they have intermediate or advanced KSAs, perhaps a more social, cognitive or constructivist approach would apply. If the learners are children, the motivational theories used will be different than if the learners are adults. This is not unlike an offensive coordinator employing a theory for his football team. It is better to use an offensive philosophy that is suited to the talent available than to force a philosophy on a team for which it is not well-suited.

I think that instructional design as a systematic process is an important macroscopic view of learning. I liken it to my experiences as an author of musicals. For me, writing a musical begins with an idea, often a simple problem, question, or curiosity. While some authors might leap into writing, my next step is to identify the premise of the story. Why should this story exist? What is the meaning of it? What should the audience take away from it? I now have a starting point and have identified the final objective of the piece before I’ve put pen to paper. All the writing choices are influenced by that initial idea and what it is I’m trying to ultimately land with an audience. Just as in a learning setting, storytelling must be well-designed so that the audience can absorb and retain what they need to know to make meaning of the story.

Similarly, doing the exhaustive work of designing curriculum without having thoroughly examined the problem you’re trying to solve, or the end goal of learning, is likely to result in less than effective instruction. Having a systematic process grounds the work in a repeatable approach that is more likely to land the terminal objective for the learners.

At present, our small business is in transition. The pandemic created a difficult situation that dramatically affected the performing arts, and we are still feeling its effects. Should our studio continue to provide private instruction, I will expand the use of instructional design in two ways. One is to collaboratively design individual curricula for each private lesson student. Each learner has a unique starting point and a unique end goal in mind. By thoroughly examining both, I can tailor learning experiences to meet those specific needs. Secondly, I plan to use the portfolio course I create in this program as a freely available resource for area performers and directors. Our business has secured a reputation for high-quality training, and our expertise is valued in our community. Rather than asking performers to search the internet randomly for acting guidance that may or may not be valuable, we can provide an accessible course to bridge learning gaps that cannot be reached within the constraints of school and community theater organizations.

For me, the most valuable ideas gained during this course have been learning about and practicing the various types of analysis. While some steps may appear to be common sense, I would rather not leave such an important process to my own intuition. Having a systemic approach rooted in research is more likely to improve my ability to design effective instruction.

The most valuable, fun and interesting activity of this course is the one I would have least expected: reading a book. I found Robert Mager’s Preparing Instructional Objectives to be one of the most well-written academic books I’ve ever read. It was concise, clear, well-organized, interactive and funny. Robert’s book practices what it preaches and is some of the best evidence I’ve yet seen for the importance of understanding the objectives you’re trying to achieve.

This course will impact my instructional design by providing me with a framework from which I can get started. The course has provided a toolbox of theories and processes that provide a foundation for making decisions that best serve design goals. With a variety of approaches at my disposal, I can tailor instructional design to suit a variety of situations.

My continued concern about using instructional design is my lack of practical experience, especially in the development stage. My review of instructional design job listings revealed companies’ proclivity for requiring experience, often with specific design platforms and tools. I am confident this certificate program will provide some experience but find myself anxious to close this resume gap. Knowing now that we will be using Articulate in future coursework, I expect my concerns about experience will be answered by the continuance of the design certificate program.