Instructional planning and design - Essay Example

While no textbook is perfect, how do teachers go about deciding if a proposed textbook will be chosen? What makes a particular instructional material adequate? One of the most important criteria is design. If the textbook in question does not align with the standards being addressed, then what use can it be? Textbooks that actually help achieve these standards must also be free from errors with documented sources that can be referred to if a question of accuracy arises. This is especially important in subjects such as geography where place names and maps change over time.

Textbooks must also address both the desires of teachers and students in order to be effective. It is here that design tends to overlap with the criteria of clarity, efficiency and procedure. Teachers wish to have a book that emphasizes important points. Actual text should provide enough information in a grade/age appropriate manner but also facts that can assist in initiating discussions. While students should be challenged to go beyond the basics of the standard being addressed, they do not need to be overwhelmed with irrelevant information.

Teachers want a sufficient number of questions to reinforce the topic being studied but not so many that students take one look and panic. Activities should provide practice of the basic skill but also encourage students to stretch a little and engage their critical thinking skills. While many teachers have created their own assessments over the years, some may want to be able to use the prepared assessments that come with new textbooks. If the teacher has to make major revisions to the prepared assessments in order to use them then the textbook may not be adequate.

In addition, teachers want to be able to train students to use the textbook as an aid in the individual learning process. Once this training has been completed, the instructions for textbook activities should be such that teachers can use them