Quiz: Hoard et al. 2019

Now that you have read the article by Hoard et al. (2019); give two words that come to mind when you think about the implications this research has on instructional design practice.

According to Hoard et al (2019), what influences instructional designers' media analysis the most?

• Personal preference

• Multimedia development knowledge

• Budget constraints

• Workplace pressures

Answer explanation

Hoard et al. (2019) state that 66% of respondents expressed "employer pressures to reduce or eliminate analysis activities" (1495).

According to the study conducted by Hoard et al. novice instructional designers were most prone to _____ _____ _________.

Answer explanation

This can be seen in the results section of Hoard et al's (2019) paper when the authors write "participants were adopting media without analysis that best fit their self-reported skillset 43% of the time and almost always adopting media that best con-formed to preferred tools and development skills. Novices were most prone to this behavior (n = 5); however, some experts also engaged in early media selection (n = 8)." (1492).

True or False: Hoard et al's (2019) prediction that instructional designers would "focus on designing solutions specific to the context of the case" (1495), was proven to be true in their research.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

As found in the discussion section of Hoard et al's (2019) work, the authors state they "found that many were applying solutions they had created for previous projects to contend with perceived constraints they had experienced during past projects" (1495).

Read this excerpt from Hoard et al. (2018):

"In terms of employer pressures on analysis, it may help to encourage additional research into the project-cost effects of analysis in an attempt to begin quantifying potential cost savings on projects in generalizable ways. Participants in this study often attributed the elimination of analysis or media-first behaviors to a lack of resources, time being among the scarcest. It may be helpful to begin framing analysis activities as time-saving measures when training designers." (1498)

How can we frame analysis tasks as a way to save time in the instructional design process? What could be said to convince designers, who currently don't focus much on analysis, to change their approach? Do you think it might be easier to persuade beginners or more seasoned designers to spend more time on analysis, and why?

Answer explanation

Example Answer: Framing analysis tasks as time-saving measures can be approached by highlighting the long-term efficiency gains. For example, thorough analysis at the early stages of the design process can prevent costly revisions and rework, ultimately saving more time than it consumes. Convincing designers to adopt this approach could involve presenting case studies or empirical evidence that demonstrate how upfront analysis leads to smoother project execution and fewer unexpected obstacles. Beginners might be easier to persuade because they are still forming their methodologies and may not have established habits that are hard to change. In contrast, experienced designers might have set workflows and could require more compelling evidence to adjust their practices.