Regardless of the delivery method, the identification and sequencing of instructional goals is vital to the effectiveness of the final learning experience. For EDCI 569 – Introduction to eLearning, I created an online, asynchronous eLearning module that showcases the challenge area “Identify and sequence instructional goals.” The process resulted in a cohesive eLearning module that contained the appropriate scope and progression of content, allowing learners’ skills to be built and developed through the course.

My professional experience has been in corporate learning environments, so it is within that context that I approach my work. When designing for professional adults, I have found that maintaining an efficient sequencing of content is key. This keeps the scope manageable for not only the designer, but also the learners. Efficient design communicates to the learners that their time is understood to be valuable and so the training content provided has been identified as important and ordered to achieve maximum results.

This eLearning module identifies three key objectives. Although these are listed in the module as “course objectives,” they were identified as the three key learning objectives. They were phrased with behavior-specific verbs, not amorphous, unclear generalities. The order in which they were presented is also important – they indicate a learning progression that begins with identification of key concepts, then moves on to applying those concepts, and finishes with a practice activity designed to bring all learning content together in a real-world simulated communication activity. When sequencing the goals and their related content, I considered the target audience’s needs and the content itself. The audience is emerging leaders, who may not have yet developed effective communications skills advantageous in business. This potential gap was addressed first, by level-setting definitions and introducing generally accepted effective communication skills. Then these skills were applied to a specific communication strategy a hypothetical company would use when rolling out a new business initiative. After basic content and application guidance, the learners were able to practice the new skills in a low-risk activity, a branching scenario. The outcomes were affected by the choices they made in the interaction.

My previous experience informed much of the content, along with books, articles, and a subject matter expert who reviewed the course at various stages and made clarifying recommendations. This approach to designing instruction is typical for my work process, however, the level of intentionality I applied to this project is a differentiating factor. The attention to ensuring the content, activities, interactions, and the final summative assessment were aligned with the instructional goals contributed to a stronger end product that efficiently delivers engaging content.

The learning objectives and their sequencing show my competence in creating learning experiences that prioritize the learning outcomes. A key concept I learned through this project is managing scope creep, which is the unbridled expansion of content during the design process. By focusing first on the learning objectives, I was able to determine whether a concept, idea, or piece of information was critical to meeting those objectives, or if the information was only related to the content, but not directly supportive of the learning objectives. As I continue to practice in this field, on of my first priorities will be to identify and sequence the learning objectives and then check each design decision to evaluate its support of those goals. This approach will allow me to deliver efficient and effective learning experiences and evolve and grow as a learning designer.