Page 271 - Making Instruction Work

chap 21 3/11/97 5:18 PM Page 257

course improvement 257

If students no longer need to be able to do some of the
things taught in the course or need to learn things not
currently taught, then the opportunity for improvement
lies in adjusting the objectives to meet the current need.

Thus the question,“Does it work?” is answered by deter-
mining whether the instruction does what it sets out to
do, and the question, “Is it of value?” is answered by
determining whether the instruction sets out to do
something that needs doing.
Figure 21.3

Real world,
job,
another course

Competent Analysis
students Compare

Instructions Objectives

3. Is it efficient? This question is answered by comparing
the instructional practices against the state of the art
(expressed in terms of ideal characteristics), that is, by
determining how closely those practices match the ideal