Re: Course design and development software

Bruce Carter (bcarter@mentor.idbsu.edu)
Tue, 26 Mar 1996 01:15:27 EST

At 1:15 PM 3/24/96, Luc Gamache wrote:
>The other day I receive a pamphlet and there was an offer regarding
>a course design and development software (DesignWare).
>My question is how many of these products are on the market right now?
>If you have ever try one of these, how good are they?
>When I read things like "you will design like an expert overnight" I
>become very sceptical.
>What do you think?

I've seen a few of these (ID Expert, and the thing from Allen
Communications) and they can be a useful tool if you're already a designer.
Nothing is going to teach you the psychology of learning overnight,
though. There are products that can lead you through the ISD steps, but
they don't make you a designer.

I throw most of these products into the same barrel as the "you'll never
need a programmer again" development products, they can be useful, but the
claims are way overblown.

--
Bruce Carter, Instructional Software Designer     (208)385-1851@voice
Boise State University, Boise, ID  83725          (208)385-1856@fax
http://mentor.idbsu.edu/BruceCarter/home.html     bcarter@mentor.idbsu.edu