Navigating on the web: a qualitative analysis of the instructional material from a distance education course University of Brasília - Brazil Authors: Carolina Catunda Presenter: Institute of Psychology Rafaella Andrade Raphael Andrade Vanessa Brixi Impacto: Research on Training and Organizatons of Work Gardênia Abbad 4 – RESULTS 1 - ABSTRACT This report is a summary of the evaluation process of a distance course instructional material. Making use of a checklist, researchers examined the course in terms of adequacy of instructional objectives, instructional strategies, evaluation strategies, planning, sequence of content, and information sources. The results of the analysis have shown that a carefully planned evaluation of the instructional material may function as an information source for adjusting distance courses. 2 - INTRODUCTION Concerning organizations of work, training is defined as a system including: examining the existing need for training, planing the learning situation, and evaluating the whole training system. Evaluation is the phase responsible for generating feedback to the instructional system (Borges-Andrade, 1995). Information raised by the evaluation process grounds the decisions about what modifications should take place in order to increase the training’s effectiveness. Gains: Most of the objectives were written in terms of observable behaviors, and presented precise verbs that focused on the learners needs. Concerning navigability, the course allowed flexibility, that is, learners could easily shift from one section to another. Clear presentation of the content, and variety of simulation activities, which may facilitate the learning process immensely. The learner was free to chose which module/lesson should be fulfilled first. Drawbacks: The content was considered outdated, once there were examples of web resources that are not so commonly used anymore (e.g.: ICQ — an instant messaging tool). Although there was a CD ROM version, exercises were available in the printed version only, limiting the use of the different content transference strategies. Considering the exercises complexity: exercises did not match the complexity of the learning goals in the course. There was little guidance in the graphic interface about the sequence of the content through the modules/lessons. In order to evaluate the didactic material of a distance education course, researchers based their analysis on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Abbad, G. S & Borges-Andrade, J. E., 2004) and Gagné’s Instructional Approach (1985 e 1988). 5 – DISCUSSION 6 – RECOMMENDATIONS 3 - METHOD Although well-evaluated in many aspects, The results of the analysis have What was the object? the shown that a carefully planned The course consisted of instructing how to use web tools in order to navigate on concerning the exercises complexity: the evaluation the internet; there were two available versions for such material: CD ROM and objectives were in a more complex level material than that achieved by the exercises. information source for adjusting printed. Although the course was completely done at distance (20h), the final learning evaluation was at presence. Main goal: to define the central concepts related to internet language as well as to course still needed improvement of may the instructional function as an distance courses. its functioning, and also make use of diverse softwares linked to navigating on the There was a noticeable need for updating web. information in the course. Such procedures are probably of great contribution for further data Who participated of the course? Students from technical education programs in the Informatics. What were the evaluation Tools? The Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist Also, there should be exercises on both analysis related to reaction and versions of the didactic material, so that learning, as well as for creating both choices are compatible to the main effective goals of the course. Instructional Psychology fields. solutions to the Such tool guides researchers' examination of adequacy of instructional objectives, instructional strategies, evaluation strategies, planning, sequence of content, and 7 – REFERENCES information sources (34 items). Abbad, G.S. & Borges-Andrade, J.E. (2004) Aprendizagem Humana em Organizações e Trabalho. How was it done? Em: Zanelli, Borges-Andrade & Bastos (orgs) Psicologia, Organizações e Trabalho no Didactic Material Reading; Brasil, p. 237-275. Artmed: Porto Alegre, RS. Going through all the lessons and exercises; Taking notes on aspects that should be improved (storyboard); Following the Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist. Gagné, R. M. (1988). Essencials of learning for instrucion. 2 ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Gagné, R. M. (1985). The conditions of learning and theory of instrucion. 4ed. Nova Iorque: Rinehart and Wiston. PRONEX Fubra