DETC 620 Assignment 4: Podcast Script

Introduction:
According to Cecilia Simon, in a recent article from the New York Times, at Penn State alone 80%
of freshman say they are uncertain about their major, and half will change their minds after they
commit to one. Personally, I can admit to changing my major about 8 times before settling on
distance education. Hellomy name is Stephanie Barbee, and I am an instructional designer for
Virtual Oklahoma, a K-12 online academy. This podcast is supposed to outline an online course
currently in the development stages, that would benefit greatly from the incorporation of the GLOBE
multimedia program. There is no need to take notes, as the content mentioned in this podcast is also
available in the written version of the multimedia proposal.
Rationale:
A recent institution-wide evaluation uncovered a sizable difference between the number of elective
courses Virtual Oklahoma offers, compared to those offered to high school seniors in traditional
schools in the surrounding districts. In addition, there are more and more seniors entering college
with no inkling of what major they wish to pursue, Virtual Oklahoma has decided to introduce a
diverse selection of electives that align with core courses in a more specialized way. By doing this,
Virtual Oklahoma remains competitive, and seniors are introduced to an array of subjects that may
help direct their focus to a specific major. The severe weather course will be the first introduced into
the curriculum, and will outline the process for future electives.
During the analysis phase of course development, the design team decided that a multimedia
program would not only benefit students, but would also assist instructors with the presentation of
content. After going through many different multimedia programs using the LORI evaluation tool, the
design team decided to suggest the institution approve the incorporation of the GLOBE multimedia
program.
Rationale
While common online learning materials are adequate for presenting content to students,
practitioners found that applying a multimedia program is beneficial to the overall learning
environment. GLOBE allows students to experience real-world scenarios while emphasizing critical
thinking skills and reflection, in individual and collaborative settings. In addition, GLOBE reaches
all corners of the world, connecting students from all walks of life, allowing them to participate in
hands-on scientific concepts and research projects with actual scientific professionals. GLOBE
contributes an interactive element that helps present content, and reaches students of all learning
styles, ultimately ensuring the greatest number of students are being engaged, motivated and inspired.
Ultimately, integrating GLOBE into the severe weather course will expose students to meteorology on
a deeper, more specialized level.
Instructional Design Model/ Project Management Process
The design team will manage the course development process using the ADDIE framework. Since
instructional design can be a cyclical and progressive process, having a plan laid out to guide
designers through development is important.
Roll-out Plan
The roll-out plan is divided into sections according to the five different ADDIE phases. While
ambitious, the entire project should be completed in less than 8 months. The longest amount of time
will be spent in the development phase, where the course is created and GLOBE is incorporated into
the design. This phase should take around 12 weeks, at which time the course will be launched
around week 22, and the remaining weeks will be spent on the implementation and evaluation phases.
Conclusion
Implementing the GLOBE multimedia program into the severe weather course will definitely be an
asset to students and the overall presentation of the severe weather course. While there are some
challenges to tackle, the benefits of including GLOBE into the course outweigh any difficulties the
design team may encounter. Having already evaluated GLOBE using the LORI tool, the design team
knows that this program is an acceptable addition for a high school-level science course. Guiding
principles serve as a substantially meaningful foundation that facilitates student-centered learning,
with an emphasis on quality.
In the beginning of this podcast I mentioned the extremely elevated number of those high school
seniors that enter college without much direction. If schools incorporate supportive multimedia
programs, that provide a sense of realism and interactive elements, then maybe Virtual Oklahoma can
attract students to a variety of topics specific to the core disciplines. This may help to direct their
focus on something that interests them BEFORE entering college. Thank you for taking the time to
listen to this podcast. I hope I was able to encourage the director and surrounding staff of the
importance of incorporating GLOBE into the newly designed severe weather course. If you have any
questions or comments, I can be reached through the Virtual Oklahoma main line. This concludes the
multimedia proposal podcast.