Dick & Carey Model

LDTC 605 – Unit 3
LDTC - Krystal Ferguson > Instructional Design Models > Dick & Carey Model

Overview

The Dick & Carey Model was developed by Walter Dick and Lou Carey in 1978. They created a highly iterative model for effective teaching that emphasizes a structured approach to designing learner-centered and outcome-focused instruction.

10 Systematic Steps in the Learner-Centered Model
  • Step 1 Identify Instructional Goals and objectives that state clearly what you want learners to achieve by the end of instruction
  • Step 2Conduct Instructional Analysis to gain a better understanding of the learners, their prior knowledge, and the their specific needs relative to the context of instruction.
  • Step 3Identify entry behaviors or the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to the course subject that learners have coming into the course.
  • Step 4Write specific, measurable performance objectives that are aligned to instructional goals  that describe the desired outcomes of instruction.
  • Step 5Develop assessment methods and tools to measure learners' progress and achievement of the objectives.
  • Step 6Develop Instructional Strategy outlining how content will be delivered, including the instructional materials to be used, and a strategy for learner engagement.
  • Step 7Develop and Select Instructional Materials including textbooks, multimedia, activities, and other learning resources that support the instructional strategy.
  • Step 8Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation  to assess the effectiveness of instructional materials and make revisions as necessary.
  • Step 9Revise Instruction  based on the feedback and results of the formative evaluation.
  • Step 10Conduct Summative Evaluation  to determine whether the performance objectives have been met and to gather data on the overall effectiveness of the instruction at the end of the course.

Implications of the Dick & Carey Model for Instructional Design

The Dick & Carey Model requires instructional designers to consider the learner’s journey from what they currently know to what they need to know to perform. I liken the knowledge gap to what Vygotsky described as the Zone of Proximal Development. For the instructional designer to build an effective “bridge” over the knowledge gap, they must establish a baseline for their target learners, including needs, skills, and attitudes. This helps inform course design from determining appropriate performance objectives to selecting instructional materials and developing assessments. All instructional design components must be aligned in support of the instructional strategy. The design should also flex to the needs of the learners as expressed in formative and summative assessments. The Dick & Carey model allows for ongoing iteration and revision.

Strengths and Limitations of the Dick & Carey Model for Minicourse

Strengths

My minicourse can be categorized as corporate training because its intention is to close skills gaps for solopreneurs who want to leverage social media marketing to meet their business goals. The Dick & Carey Model’s emphasis on the learner is a strength for this minicourse. Social media marketing can feel like a vast sea of opportunity with the number of platforms available and growing popularity and acceptance of learning through Connectivism. Because the course can go in so many directions under the umbrella of social media marketing, the Dick & Carey model demands I be very clear about what I want my learners to be able to do by the end of the instructional period as a first step. Another strength of the model is the emphasis on alignment of assessments, instructional materials, and performance objectives for a coherent learning experience. I have to assess learners on the instructional content I provided, which I selected and sequenced based on what I decided they should be able to do successfully if they execute and engage in each learning activity. Alignment helps stakeholders follow a clear pathway to bridge the learning gap, and if feedback prescribes improvement, then adjustments can be made.

Limitations

One of the challenges of the model in this course is the idea that there are multiple “right answers.” Each learner is designing a mini campaign of their own. In this context, there are no wrong answers; more likely misguided or uninformed responses. Some of the questions I’m challenged to answer:

  1. How do I write the objectives in the wake of choice?
  2. Do I define project goals by the social media platform the learners choose?

Other questions related to the content delivery considerations include:

  1. What is the balance of asynchronous exploration to synchronous task performance?
  2. What is the balance of instructor-led learning and learning through social activities during live sessions?
  3. How will I form collaborative learning groups? By platform? By business types (products or services)?