What have I learned about the design of instruction using text and hypertext?

My first reaction is that it was very difficult not to include images or video in the step-by-step instructions of the lesson. In addition, it was hard to find resources or hyperlinks online without video or images that support the lesson that I was designing. Writing out the steps also took more time than I would normally spend on creating the instructional materials. It would be much easier to find a video that someone has already made to align with the lesson.

On the other hand, using only text and hyperlinks made me think through the steps and brainstorm the sequence of the activities more than usual. In the past, I have been guilty of finding videos that include additional or irrelevant information along with the concepts that I am teaching because it was a quicker way to develop the lesson or professional development session. However, I know that the step-by-step text directions that I have provided are all relevant and will save the learner time because they will not be receiving information that is not relevant to the current lesson. As a learner, I often get frustrated when videos and information is not aligned in an organized and logically sequenced manner with the instruction because it wastes the learner’s time sorting through the information.

In some instances, this format could be helpful for students because it provides a written step-by-step process of learning. The cognitivist theory supports lessons that provide structures students can use and internalize so the structures or procedures can be used to solve problems when new situations arise (Ertmer and Newby, 2013).

Providing only text and hypertext in the instructional document limits the examples that can be provided to the learner. Teachers must take into consideration how to present information to their individual students because students have various learning styles. For example, some students are visual learners and some students are auditory learners. The lesson materials should include references for all learning styles being addressed.

References 

Ertmer, P. A. and Newby, T. J. (2013), Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. Perf. Improvement Qrtly, 26: 43–71. doi: 10.1002/piq.21143