Instructional Design - Introduction

Instructional Design for the Problem Sets

Introduction

Content

Introduction

Question

Answer and Correct Answer

Tutorial

Navigation

The problem sets for each category of the project are based on multiple-choice questions. The multiple choice format in this project serves to create an interactive learning instrument rather than a testing instrument. The non-linear interactive presentation requires the active participation of the user. We believe that it helps retain the attention of the students, promotes learning interest, and enhances the retention of the learned material. Through navigation buttons at the bottom of each page, students are in direct control of their learning.

Each problem set consists of a title page and four documents per problem: the question page, the correct answer page, the answer page, and the tutorial page.

The problem set title page

Each problem set has a title page that contains the "objectives" of the problem set and a list of the problems to be worked on listed by titles.

The "objectives" stated at the beginning of each problem set inform users on the content of the problem set and help them focus on what they are expected to learn.

The titles of the problems are links to the actual problems to be worked. Although we encourage students to work the problems in the order presented, the list of titles allows them to go directly to a particular problem if desired.

Problem set title page

Problems

There are four documents for each problem:

question - contains the question and its possible answers
correct answer - a confirmation that the answer is the correct one and a highlighted explanation of the correct answer
answer - a highlighted correct answer and explanation
tutorial - a tutorial for the question

On accessing the first document, students are asked a question and are presented with a choice of answers. Although they may answer the questions by trial and error, the possible answers should lead to a more insightful selection of the correct answer. Selection of the correct answer is immediately confirmed and reinforced with an explanation of the answer; selection of the incorrect answer brings up a tutorial for that question.

The Biology Project
University of Arizona
Monday, October 6, 1997
lapointe@u.arizona.edu