Episode 1:
The Dick and Carey Model
[Intro music plays.]
Boris: Hello and welcome to the very first episode of the LDT200x Podcast! I’m your host Boris The Bullet Dodger, Margolin.
Boris (as Cousin Avi): Why do they call him the bullet dodger?
Boris (as Bullet Tooth Tony): Because he dodges bullets Avi.
Boris: In this episode we will be diving into the Dick and Carey model.
Boris: The Dick and Cary model is a systematic approach to instructional design developed in the late 1970s by Walter Dick, Lou Carey and James Carey. This model uses a 9 to 10 step process in which each step builds on another to achieve the desired learning goals.
Boris: Ready to dive into those steps?
Boris (as Ace Ventura): Allllll-righhhhttty then.
Boris: We begin with step 1: Identify goals and objectives.
Boris: What is it that we want the learners to do at the end of the instruction and how can we ensure they achieve that?
Boris: Lets say we are developing instruction for creating a podcast. To create our goals we would start with a needs assessment. We establish the need by comparing what we what the learners to be able to do against what they can currently do. The difference between the two is the need that the goals must address.
Boris: Our goals should focus on exactly what we want the learners to achieve without going off on tangents. We wouldn’t want to spend time on video production in a course on podcasts.
Boris: In step 2 we perform the instructional analysis using the goals established in step 1.
Boris: What are the skills learners need to obtain to achieve the established goals and what steps must be included in the instruction to teach those skills. Using the podcast scenario it would be important for students to be able write a script in a conversational manner, and structure their script in a logical manner.
Boris: As such we may want to provide the students with a topic and outline that they could use as a model.
Boris: Step 3 is where the learner is more clearly identified.
Boris: What is their motivation for taking the course? What are their pre-existing skills in relations to the learning material? This sort of information can be ascertained by use of surveys and skills test. The ultimate goal of this step is to ensure instruction starts at the correct level so learners are not overwhelmed by information they can’t comprehend, or board with information they already know.
Boris: For our podcast, are students confortable presented information in an audio only format or do they lean on using diagrams and visuals? Knowing this will help us to determine where our instruction should start.
Boris: Performance objectives are established in step 4.
Boris: Here we need to describe specifically what the student should be able to do. The more detail we can put into these objectives the better we can ensure we are providing the proper instruction to students. One way to do this is to beak the objective into three parts: the condition or conditions, the desired behavior in response to those conditions, and the acceptable performance criteria.
Boris: With our podcast a performance objective could be: given the topic of
Boris (as Fire Marshal Bill): fire safety,
Boris: create a recording that addressed the topic. The recording will be reviewed for naturalness and speech disfluency.
Boris: The condition is our fire safety topic.
The behavior is the recording the learner will create.
And the criteria will use to asses this will be the review of naturalness of the delivery and the avoidance of speech disflunecy. Like… um…you know…stuff.
Boris: Step 5 will have us develop our instruments for assessment based on the all the performance objectives we identified in step 4.
Will we utilize multiple-choice tests or have students write scripts on a series of topics? Will we have students review each other’s audio files and provide critique?
This is why the Dick and Cary model is systematic. Each step informs the next and we end up with a cohesive model for instruction.
Boris: In step 6 we begin to build the actual instructional strategy that will act as the framework for instruction. What instructional activities can be included that will achieve our performance objectives, and that align with what we want to assess from step 5.
Boris: In our podcast example we could conduct a group activity where students interview each other and their performance is reviewed by the instructor, other students, or both.
Boris: The selection and development of materials comes next in step 7.
Boris: Using the framework from step 6 we can determine what content we need to include and how to deliver it. Textbooks, videos, handouts, these are all examples of materials that can facilitate the content for activities.
Boris: With our podcast we would leverage examples of successful podcasts and their transcripts for students to review.
Boris: In step 8 we need to design and conduct a formative evaluation of our instruction.
Boris: The data gathered in this step can then be used to refine the instruction, address any shortfalls, and develop any additional materials to meet those shortfalls.
Boris: Depending on how the instruction is being presented, tools like prototypes, student interviews, surveys, quizzes and in person feedback can provide the necessary data for this step.
Boris: The next type of evaluation that is needed is summative, conducted in step 9.
Boris: In this step we measure the end results of instructions against our goals and objectives from step 1. Did the instruction achieve those goals? What can we improve and strengthen? What worked and what didn’t.
Boris: With our podcast we could test the quality of the students final work. This will create an authentic assessment in our case since the student will produce either an audio file or a script.
Boris: Step 10 is the refinement step and can actually be conducted throughout the process.
Boris: Using the data from steps 8 and 9 we go back to the beginning and adjust the information of each step in order to improve the learning outcomes.
Boris: My personal impression of the Dick and Carey model is that it’s systematic approach ensures that nothing is overlooked. By step 6, before any instruction has been developed you can identify how much information and activity the learner will be exposed to. This may warrant a re-assessment and re-structure, perhaps breaking the instruction into additional modules.
Boris: In terms of preference in respect to the ADDIE model, I would say that the needs of the learner and delivery method should determine the model being used. But the multiple steps of this model allow for more revision at an earlier phase than ADDIE and better alignment with the ultimate goal with each step.
Boris: That’s all the time we have for today, make sure to subscribe, and join me next time on the LDT200X podcast.