Using information systems methodology to design an instructional system

Abstract

Designers of both computerized information systems and instructional systems are faced with a need to find more effective methods of identifying and supplying the information that the users of these systems require. Both systems are comparable in their processes and development cycles. The level of structure and acceptance of information systems methodologies suggest that a transfer of selected information systems methodologies to instructional design would be of benefit. A simplified form of entity relationship diagram is found to be particularly appropriate to the logical design of an instructional system. For illustration, an entity relationship diagram is drawn up for a simple course and once decomposed and set up in canonical form is shown to be a useful tool for setting objectives, establishing modules and the learning sequence and listing topics. These modules are sufficiently defined and their objectives sufficiently clarified to be developed independently. The successful use of entity relationship diagrams in education emphasises the importance of using conceptual modelling techniques in l.S.