Instructional Design for Distance Education at UPNG

Introduction
University of Papua New Guinea Open College has three main sections:Programs and Production,Student Support Services and Professional studies and Continuing Education. Instructional Design comes under the section Programs and Production.

The Programs and Production section is headed by the Associate Director who currently is Mr Aria Hailaeavila.The Programs and Production Team consist of the Instructional Designers, The Production Officer, Text Processors, Assessment Coordinator and the Despatch Clerk. Programs and Production team

Instructional Design is a new concept for most Papua New Guineans up until the Introduction of the Open and Distance Learning. Distance Education was introduced in PNG some time ago. However, the term Instructional Design was not familiar to most that were involved in Distance Education.Instructional Design actually came into light once the inception of UPNG Open College with the assisstance from Ausaid.

Instructional design refers to the systematic check we have in place to ensure that these things are done and that it connetcs between the three booklets that make up the study package for the students. The three booklets include: Course Outline, Study Guide and the Resource book. What is in the Course Outline must be linked to the Study Guide. The content in the Study Guide must also tie to the readings in the Resource Book.

What do Instructional Designers do?
The purpose of Instructional Design is to make learning easier and more enjoyable.As instructional designers(IDs), we have a numbers of responsibilities:


 * Most importantly we provide advice and support to the course writers.
 * We ensure that the teaching or lessons are presented in the most appropriate way for delivery through whatever chosen medium.
 * We assist in organising learning so that our students can achieve good outcomes and sucessfully complete the course.
 * We proofread
 * Check materials through the phases of development.
 * Ensure that the materials meet quality standards set by UPNG Open College

The three phrases of development

All courses through a development process, whether they are printed, provided on a disk or CD.

At present, all course materails are provided in print. In the print development process, a course of study goers through 3 stages.The three phrases of development process for course development include:


 * Phrase 1:Draft 1 Stage

In this stage the Course Writer completes the intiat write up the material in his or her subject area and then submits to an Instructional Designer to do ID work. The Instructional Designer does his/her ID work on the mark and then provide feedback to the course writer. The feedback would consist of advice or suggestion as to how the course writer improve his/her material to best suit the target auidence needs.
 * Phrase 2:Draft 2 Stage
 * Phrase 3:Draft 3 Stage

Meet the Instructional Designers?
Various consultants participated in the intial development of the Open College. The ID system at Open College was established with help of a DE specialist namely Dr Helen Gessinger-who actually trained the Instructional Designers.The Instructional Designers that were trained by Dr Gessinger include:
 * Eileen Turare
 * Janet Rangou
 * Aspasia Sawaraba
 * Ivy Pagolu

Other Instructional Designers were trained by the other instructional designers include:
 * Judith Nukuitu
 * Benjamin Cheong
 * Kipli Minol

Currently, there are only three Instructional Designers:Janet,Judith & Kipli. Hopefully, our team will be beefed up to five IDs altogether.

Goods news for the team: One of our Instructional Designers has just returned back from studies. Congradulations to Janet Bulumaris Rangou!!!!