Jargon-Free Instructional Design

I am a practical person who likes to use those theories and models that work, and ignore all the rest. If I disappoint you by saying this, I apologize; but this is the truth. I don’t like to go around digging for theories and models that lie scattered around the web or in some dusty, forgotten publications. On the other hand, I love to check out those theories and models that I hear people talk about, and figure out whether I can use them or not. All this would classify me a practical person - would it not?

Time and again, I’ve seen my efforts towards making learning effective, draw upon some specific theories and models. If you ask me, which I like best, I wouldn’t be able to give you an honest answer. It’s not wise to compare a hammer with spanner, or with a screw-driver. They are all made for different jobs – and they do them well – so all are equally good. But then, if I had to drive a nail in a wall, I wouldn’t use a drilling machine for it – would I?

I believe that you don’t need scores of theories and models to create good content – but you should be able to use some of them correctly. If you are wondering what I mean by that, here are a couple of examples (both drawn from the “application” of your all-time favorite, Bloom’s taxonomy!)

• An individual who works as a senior content professional in a bank’s captive eLearning center, advises her team to begin all the competencies for a training program, with the same verb.
• Another individual who works as a content team-leader, advises her team that each course should include at least one competency against each Bloom’s level.

Do you see the issue? If you do…you are keeping your eyes open. Both these individuals probably “know” about Bloom’s taxonomy, but they don’t “understand” its application to goal analysis. Thus, they end up misguiding their entire teams – in all probability, unintentionally. But the damage is done. The victim here is the learner, who has unwittingly been served an unbalanced, unhygienic diet of content. The learner would either lose interest, or end up confused and demotivated!

This, I think is the real issue. We gorge ourselves with theories and models – never digesting any of those. The result is…flatulence, that drives the learners away. The best method to counter it all is – stay away from the jargon monster. If your colleagues love jargon – let them – until you can show them the evil behind empty jargon. And the only way you can, is to let your own work speak for you. When your audience likes your content, you would be crowned the hero, and they’d all sing your praises – your colleagues and your bosses!

Begin small…but ensure that whatever you learn, you apply. Evaluate its effect. Determine the flaws. Correct them. Thus, master that one little concept and then move on to the next. This is how anything great is built – in small measured steps.

Remember that in the end what matters is the smile on the face of your audience. The jargon comes to nothing, when it’s not supported by productive action. Also remember that those with inflated jargon inventories perform the worst when it comes to application. In fact, you’d be surprised to discover how few can explain all the terms they use. Try it out.

I’d like to close this note with one parting tip: Know a bit but know it all! I seem to have just thought it up – so I assume that it isn’t a fragment of something someone once said. (Words have this funny habit – when you live with them long enough, they begin to sound like your own!)

Author: Shafali R. Anand

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