Instructional Systems Design
Training is widely understood as communication directed at a defined population for the purpose of developing skills, modifying behavior, and increasing competence. Generally, training focuses exclusively on what needs to be known. Education is a longer-term process that incorporates the goals of training and explains why certain information must be known. Education emphasizes the scientific foundation of the material presented. Both training and education induce learning, a process that modifies knowledge and behavior through teaching and experience. ECS follows the ADDIE approach to instructional systems design.
Analysis
ECS excels at answering many types of questions that organizations have about instruction and learning issues. Using a systemic approach, ECS investigates all elements of a learning system: the people, the processes, and the technology. This helps us better understand the whole learning system and rapidly develop recommendations to meet our clients’ demands.
Design
ECS’s team of instructional designers ensure that a program of instruction is innovative, incorporates sound learning and instructional principles, is appropriate for the target audience, and is within the constraints of the customer. We use a combination of best practices and lessons learned to design training systems that consider learner and content characteristics, apply a unified look and feel, and deliver training in an effective and efficient manner.
Development
ECS is at the forefront of all aspects of courseware development for all types of media including Web-based, computer-based, and paper-based using multiple learning theories for instructor-led, independent learner, and blended modes of learning. ECS also trains customers on the strategies, processes, and conventions of courseware development for internal development or for their management of external courseware development efforts.
Implementation
ECS provides implementation support through planning activities, train-the-trainer, trial implementations, on-going training support, and change management planning. ECS ensures that change management planning is not overlooked, life cycle management costs are not underestimated, and that integration, implementation, and management issues are addressed early.
Evaluation
ECS conducts evaluations for a variety of purposes. Training effectiveness and program evaluations are among the most common. We apply a combination of formative and summative evaluations to provide the decision-maker with information on what decisions need to be made and why they need to be made.
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