Dick and Carey Model

In this component, broad, overall instructional goals for the learning experience are created. These goals often tie to higher goals in the organization and may be informed by a learning gap analysis.

The Instructional Designer (ID) uses Instructional analysis to determine what type of learning is going to be done based upon the aforementioned instructional goal and taking into account the context of the learning and learner characteristics.

From the Learner Analysis, the ID should gain insights about why learners will be joining the learning experience, what their learning preferences are, and what skills and knowledge the learners already have in regard to the instructional goal.   

Specific performance objectives (or learning objectives) that stem from the instructional goal are established. These goals should be measurable, should be at the appropriate level of learning as established in the instructional analysis, and should add to learner existing skills and knowledge.

Assessment should be made to determine whether each of the learning objectives are met. Included in this would be ensuring that the appropriate type of learning is being assessed (that is, that they're aligned with the type of learning in the learning objective). These assesmenst could be traditional post-tests (or final projects, etc.), but also practice items to check progress.

Instructional strategies should use the prior analysis as well as appropriate learning theories to lay out how content will be presented and activities that will be used in the learning experience. Additionally, if any pre-instructional activities are required, that should be stated here.   

Materials to deliver content (such as textbooks, lectures, videos, etc.) as well as activities to engage students are created and/or curated in this component. These should allow the learner to reach the learning objectives as measured by the assessments.  Learner preferences discovered in the learner analysis should be considered. Additionally, the ID should again ensure that the appropriate type of learning can be facilitated through these materials.

Formative evaluation is used to identify areas in the learning experience that should be improved. This might use a pilot study and/or expert analysis and should be conducted prior to administering the course for the first time (and can continue to be used for continuous improvement processes.)

Revisions could happen at any time during the process. When completing revisions, instructional goals and learning objectives should always be a the forefront of the revision decisions.

Summative evaluation(s) should be developed and delivered. These can be to check on whether the learning goals are being met (and, ideally, retained outside of the learning experience), whether learners are satisfied with their experience, and if conducted in a business setting, if the business is benefiting from the learners going through the learning experience. And, of course, the information gleaned from these evaluations should be used to improve upon the learning experience for future implementation.