Emma Farrow

About the ID Model

Proof-writing is one of the fundamental mathematical skills students learn in high school Geometry classes. Much like an instructional design (ID) model, proof-writing is a systematic, iterative process; however, proof-writing also poses unique challenges. Since proof-writing is not confined to a specific topic within the Geometry curriculum but is instead a key and wide-spread application of geometric concepts, an ID model must provide the designer opportunity for choice based on the learners’ needs, the specific content standards, and the performance context for the goal. Additionally, much of the instructional design is done by the instructor who will also teach the lesson, not a removed instructional designer. The unique challenges classroom instructors who are designing instruction and executing the planned instruction face were not taken into consideration in the Dick & Carey (1990) instructional design model, which led to the creation of the Proof-Writing Instructional Design Model.

Related Documentation

This instructional design model is designed to be used by mathematics instructors in the development of classroom instruction. The paper below explains the purpose of the Proof-Writing Instructional Design Model and its components.

Reflection

One of my challenges during this program has been the apparent separation between instructional design and teaching, since the instruction I have seen in most classrooms in my teaching experience have relied very little on pre-set curriculums, but instead have relied on teacher-created instruction. The instructional design models we have studied, including the Dick & Carey (1990) instructional design model, were logical, but seemed impossible for a classroom teacher to apply meaningfully. When given the opportunity to design my own instructional design model, I wanted to create a model that could be used by an instructional designer who is also the instructor (in other words, a typical classroom teacher). In examining one of the biggest challenges in teaching Geometry, I realized that the process used by a teacher planning a lesson to teach students about how to write a proof for a specific topic is very similar to the process used by an instructional designer in designing instruction. This realization shifted my understanding of the connection between instructional design and teaching: teachers are instructional designers who are able to evaluate and revise each aspect of their instruction in-the-moment as their receive feedback from their learners. This has improved how I approach designing instruction for my students, whether we are in-person or in a blended setting, which has led to better outcomes for my students.