Running head: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN RESEARCH 1

Marie Jarra
ITEC 7430-02
GA Southern Fall 17
11/09/17
Article 1.
Summary

This study focused on the subject of Biology and the how there is insufficient

instructional materials and ineffective methods of teaching biology in college classes in Addis

Ababa University. According to the journal undergraduate biology courses in this region of the

world are insufficient due to the scarceness of instructional materials and learning facilities. The

study was designed to determine the impacts of the lack of resources, and how it affected the

students graduating with an undergrad degree in biology. The researchers collected data from 60

post graduate trainees majoring in biology. They used a mixed-method design of study including

both qualitative and quantitative data evaluations to explain the negative effects of the lack of

instructional materials. Data was also gathered by questioning twenty of the candidates that

were participating in the degree program. Some of the interview questions focused on student

access, did the students have all tools such as reading materials, guidelines, and learning

facilities. Access to quality education and practical exercises. The results were that there was

limited and scarce resources and learning facilities for biology students in this university. The

results impact the students by negatively affecting their skills performances of biology related

exercises in their professional careers. The students are not able to perform simple tasks or

experiments due to the faulty instructional design of their courses.

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Evaluation

I found this study interesting in that even though it is not based in the United States it can

be applied to some higher education institutions here, such as some community colleges. Some

of the findings such as the connection between lack of instructional materials and resources I

related to the skills of transfer college students to a larger four-year university. Without a strong

instructional design many students can fall through the cracks once at a larger university. As a

transfer from a two-year college to a four-year university, I found that the other students in my

class that were not transfers were way ahead of me in lab protocols and procedures.

A weakness I found in the article is that they focused mostly on student instructors, I

would have liked to seen a focus on the professional teachers as well. Student instructors are still

learning and most likely lack the resources because they still lack knowledge in the subject. One

of the strengths of the study is that they conducted interviews with students that were in the

program to get a perspective of their knowledge based on the courses. I think it was important to

get the student perspectives and how some graduates that can give insight on how inadequate

design and materials can affect them in their career. Overall I thought the study was well done

and I believe that the findings will help improve the instructional design of the biology program

in that university and it will arise the topic for many other colleges and universities to take a look

at their own programs and improve them.

Application

Working in higher education, it can sometimes be a challenge to change materials,

courses, and training because often times people dont like change. In research administration we
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often have training and refresher courses designed to train new administrators and introduce new

rules and regulations. Looking at this study I think it would be helpful if my departments training

specialist ran a similar study, by interviewing administrators and create a training and refresher

class that focuses on the needs of the administrators and improving their knowledge. In the future

as a Research Director, I believe I can use some of these same applications to meet the needs of

the office staff and help them meet their goals in their careers. Overall this study was great in

that it arises the questions of are higher education institutions producing quality and not

quantity.
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References
Article 1.
Edessa, S. (2017). Impacts of Insufficient Instructional Materials on Teaching Biology: Higher

Education Systems in Focus. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 12(1), 2-8.

Article 2.
Vann, L. S. (2017). Demonstrating Empathy: A Phenomenological Study of Instructional

Designers Making Instructional Strategy Decisions for Adult Learners. International

Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 29(2), 233-24.

Article 3.
Jeong, Y., Young, L., Sung, P., Wong- Ratcliff, M., Ahangar, R., & Mundy, M. (2015).

Discovering the Needs Assessment of Qualified STEM Teachers for the High-Need

Schools in South Texas. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations & Research, 16(4), 55.