Module 5: Overview

Simulate - Developing a Prototype

Simulate.png

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

  • Describe the purpose of a prototype.
  • Identify the required components of the Design Guide used to develop a lesson prototype for the Adult Learning Zone on OER Commons.
  • Contrast the difference between the prototype requirements and the Design Proposal requirements for this design project.
  • Develop a prototype based on the Design Guide for a lesson in the Adult Learning Zone on OER Commons.

Topics

Key topics covered in this module include:

Context Summary

In this module, we will consider instructional development. As covered in Module 4, your initial design simulation was represented within a written Design Proposal or plan. As you analyzed our instructional opportunity you attempted to provide answers within your design plan to important questions. What problem, opportunity, or need underlies our instructional design project? What are the project’s requirements and key constraints? What are we planning for learners to do during the lesson? What do we want the experience to look and feel like to learners? Eventually, these early conceptions (as a plan) must come to life through an iterative process of developing your ideas into final deliverables. This process involves producing ever more refined iterations of your design representation, including transferring ideas from a design proposal into a prototype of the instructional materials. Developing a prototype is the subject of this module.

Relevance to Practice

As with a design proposal, a prototype's structure and level of formality vary based on the project requirements and your own preferences. While some projects have highly structured design planning and communication requirements involving detailed design plan templates, standards, and checklists, others do not and allow you the freedom to choose how you would like to lay out your plan. For our purposes, we will be developing our prototypes in Open Author according the Design Guide created for this project. 

Key Terms

  • Prototype
  • Authoring tool
  • Open Author

Module Design Credit