Module 4 Assignment 1-Instructional Design

Task analysis is often considered the most critical component of instructional design. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
Task analysis is a critical component in the instructional design process because it provides important information about the content and/or tasks that will form the basis for the instruction being developed. Careful consideration must be taken to ensure that there is a clear understanding of what learners are to know or are able to accomplish by participating in instruction. Coming to this understanding requires the identification of the type of content that will make up the instruction and in what sequence this content should be provided (Brown & Green, 2005). I must agree that a task analysis is very critical in the instructional design process. It serves as a guide for teachers and learner of which to lead each to the end product-successful implementation and application.

Support your response with examples. The mathematics teacher knows that she needs to conduct a task analysis to determine the steps her students need to take in order to master the skills taught. With following the procedural analysis approach, she analyzed the task of adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators by identifying the various steps required to successfully complete the task. In conducting the procedural analysis, the teacher went through the each step sequentially. Once they had the steps listed, the student performed the task through practice and eventually became more comfortable with the skill. The process helped the teacher identify if there were any missing steps. The result of the procedural analysis was a flowchart that identified the different sub steps that needed to take place in order for the students master the skill when different scenarios occur, such as regrouping when subtracting fractions. The flowchart was compared to the implementation of the skill the previous year. The teacher determined that the previous implementation left out important steps and that new implementation proved that needed to be developed.