MIT 520: Managing Instructional Development
MIT 520. Managing Instructional Development (3). Examination of principles of planning, scheduling, allocating resources, budgeting, proposal preparation, cost control and personnel management for instructional projects. Students negotiate an effective design project plan, how to implement that plan, and how to control and monitor project activities. Case studies will be used as a basis for exercises and discussions. Each student will develop a plan that meets specific criteria.
Product
Context and Conditions
'Greenfield Lake Environmental Education Project Plan' was the project completed for MIT 520: Managing Instructional Development. Dr. Arnold Murdock was the instructor for this course taken in the fall of 2007.The Cape Fear River Watch (CFRW) is an environmental education and advocacy, membership-based, not-for-profit organization operating in Wilmington, North Carolina. It has a small full-time staff, but is mostly run by volunteers. Greenfield Lake, a Wilmington city park, has a rich and diverse ecology just minutes from several primary and secondary schools. The CFRW runs the concession for boat rentals and does special, 'one off' educational tours for visitor and school groups.
This project was a plan to build a structured and staffed educational program based in Greenfield Lake Park. Working in cooperation with the full-time staff of the CFRW, I completed the project in one semester.
Scope
This project focused on the management domain of structural technology. The result was a ready-to-implement plan for the environmental education program at Greenfield Lake. Working at a macro level, the project plan was constructed using the project management techniques detailed in the project management book of knowledge (PMBOK).
The plan included the project scope objectives and specifications, as well as constraints and risk analysis. The personnel plan and budget were also drafted. In order to provide control measures, a formative and summative evaluation plan was included.
Role
I completed this project in collaboration with Joe Abbate, the naturalist and Greenfield Lake coordinator. my role was that of instructional designer and project manager. I planned coordinated and executed each of the project management in instructional design process steps in order to create the final report.Reflection
With this project I am beginning to see that they are our real needs for instructional design and that I enjoy using these skills and techniques for my own interests. For example, the Cape Fear River Watch is an organization whose mission and ideals I support. It was very rewarding to offer my services as a student and practitioner of instructional design. It felt good to work with people who genuinely needed the use instructional design products and processes. Once they were made aware of the field, I feel that their perspective changed and it allowed them to perform their duties more effectively. This was a moment when I realized that instructional design could "change the world".