Instructional design and blended Learning to extend the
reach of a research product for impact at scale:
Reflections from the FEAST tool
Iddo Dror (ILRI) and Emil Heidkamp (Sonata Learning)
FEAST e-Learning Materials Launch
Addis Ababa, 22 May 2015

Instructional Design in the context of FEAST
• Alan just explained about
FEAST and its evolution.
• This presentation explains
how, from a Capacity
Development perspective,
such research products can
be extended for much wider
reach and hopefully impact.

Why are you here today?
What is the primary reason for you being here today?
1.Feeds / the FEAST
tool
2.Approaches and
tools to scale up
research
3.Instructional design
4.What?! This isn’t the
session about chicken
genetics?!
56%
31%
0%
13%
0%
20%
40%
60%

Exposure to Instructional Design
Who here has…
1.Previously heard of
instructional design
2.Worked with an
instructional
designer
3.Worked as an
instructional
designer
4.None of the above
30%
13%
4%
52%
0%
20%
40%
60%

• An organization has a mission
• People working for / with
organization must perform
certain tasks to achieve it
• Sometimes individuals lack skills,
knowledge or attitudes to
effectively perform tasks
• Instructional designers apply
systematic approach to helping
learners acquire and retain new
skills, knowledge and attitudes
What is Instructional Design?

Instructional Designers
Q: Are IDs experts in the subject matter?
A: Not necessarily.
– Experts in how people acquire skills + knowledge, in the
abstract
– Help subject matter experts translate broad expertise into a
series of tightly focused, outcome-driven learning
experiences.

Instructional Designers
Q: Are IDs instructors?
A: Not necessarily.
– Coordinate with instructors, e-Learning developers and
others to provide learners with the right content at the right
time via the most appropriate channels.
– Create an overall strategy and plan for learning in context
of organization’s mission-related goals and budget / time /
infrastructure / logistical / cultural constraints

Instructional Designers
An instructional designer works with subject matter experts,
trainers and e-Learning developers to create:
• Logically sequenced curriculum that introduce skills and
concepts in an accessible, step-by-step manner
• Activities that offer relevant practice
• Assessments that truly gauge learners’ mastery of subject
• Insightful, memorable anecdotes and case studies
• An engaging experience for learners delivered through the most
appropriate methods / channels

Instructional Design
“Instructional designers help translate EXPERTISE
into effective LEARNING EXPERIENCES”

Instructional Design
• A pathway from
research outputs to
development
• Can be applied in a
variety of contexts – not
a ‘feed specific’ issue –
and can help solve some
of the ‘wicked
problems’.

ILRI CapDev role in the revised FEAST
• In 2014, the ILRI Capacity Development
Unit was called on to develop such a new
learning approach for FEAST.
• Worked closely with animal feed subject
experts to review existing training materials
and knowledge about the FEAST tool and
the FCD process, some of it hardly
documented.
• Classroom training events in various
countries were observed and participant
needs assessed. Based on the needs
identified, a curriculum framework was
generated.

The Goal and Approach
• The goal was to improve the classroom
experience and extend the reach of the
training program while lessening the
logistical burden on ILRI scientists.
• ToR developed and a instructional design
firm contracted to help execute the work,
as little instructional design capacity at ILRI
at the time
• From the start, it was clear that a blended
learning approach combining classroom
training with online learning
• was the most appropriate solution.

Class participants will learn to
collect better data by:
• Applying proven techniques
for leading productive focus
group discussions
• Developing interview skills to
gather more complete data
from farmers
• Using the interview /
discussion guides included in
the FEAST Tool
Research Skills

Participants will receive hands-on
practice using the FEAST Data
Template to:
• Track and analyze data collected
from farmers
• Calculate key metrics for feed
availability, animal nutrition,
farmer income & economic
factors
• Produce graphs to support
findings & recommendations in
reports
Computer & Data Analysis Skills

Course features activities to help
learners:
• Recognize good writing / well-
organized reports
• Present findings with
appropriate supporting data,
graphs, etc.
• Clearly explain
recommendations for livestock
feed interventions and why
they should work in local
context
Report Writing Skills

Instructional Design enabled the project to:
• Revise and expand classroom instruction
• Adapt course for online delivery
• Develop hands-on classroom and eLearning activities
• Design new FEAST forms and reference guides
• Work carried out in partnership with Sonata Learning,
a firm specialized in learning development.
Instructional Design Matters!

Instructional design and appropriate learning
technologies - outcomes
• Began with analyzing
desired mission
outcomes
• Aligned learning
objectives with mission
• Redesigned classroom
materials applying adult
learning theory
• Over 400 slides, 12
lessons, standardized
lesson plans / scripts

Redesigned Forms & Job Aids
• Redesigned data collection forms to include tips for facilitators,
recommended follow-up questions and overview of FEAST
process for reference in the field

Improved materials: Presentations, FGD
guide and Questionnaire
Self-Guided e-Learning Course
• 12 lessons
• 60 videos (3+ hours)
• 5 interactive
scenarios related to
key skills
• Over 200 review and
assessment questions
– Multiple selection
– Drag / drop
– Hotspot
– Word bank

Improved materials: Presentations, FGD guide
and Questionnaire
Blended Experience
• Use of e-Learning in classroom
• Rich interactive activities
• Standard video presentations
for software tutorials
• Computer-based assessments
and results tracking

Adult learning principles applied
• Identified the skills required for effective use
of the FEAST toolkit.
• Met with typical course participants to
conduct need assessment.
• Designed learning experiences which would
help a course participant develop the skills
required.
• Engaging course that is highly interactive.
• Connected with their existing knowledge and
skill sets, meshed with perceived professional
development needs.
• Based on relevant and practical examples.

Learning Technologies
• Detailed & frustrating review of a
fragmented LMS market – ended
(happily) with a partnership with
Sonata Learning.
• All ‘core LMS’ functionalities - plus:
• Simple, clean, intuitive user interface
• “Blended first” approach to delivery
• Integration of social learning
• Branding and sub-portals
• Ability to scale with the growth of ILRI
programs
• A unique approach to grading
• Reporting features

“e-Learning” “social learning” webinars
Homework Group Work
Traditional
Classroom
Instruction
Job aids / reference
guides
Teamwork
Mentoring /
coaching /
apprenticeship
Self-Guided Instructor-LedCollaborative
OnlineClassroomPointofUse E-Learning

• Materials
–e-Learning content based on revised classroom
materials,
• ILRI SME’s Ben Lukuyu, Alan Duncan, Iddo Dror
• Further refined based on feedback from Pakistan
and Uganda sessions plus ID input from Deborah
Wyburn
–12 lessons, 60 videos (3+ hours), 5 interactive
activities and scenarios, 200+ assessment and review
questions (drag and drop, multiple response, word
bank, etc.)
e-Learning and FEAST

• Instructors
–Provide extensive guides to instructors, both
for general delivery and use of e-Learning
elements in classroom
–Online instructor-led training largely moot (for
now) due to bandwidth limitations in regions
where ILRI operates
• Technology
–Where we departed from convention
e-Learning and FEAST

Learning Management Systems
• Traditionally, organizations deliver online learning / e-Learning
via a “Learning Management System”
• Specialized web application that
– Hosts e-Learning content
– Tracks learner progress / performance / deadlines
– Generates reports
• Integration with other systems (HR, student records,
etc.)
– Manages learner access to content based on group
membership, manual assignment by admin, completion of
prerequisites
– Might include other features such as built-in quiz generator,
integration with web conferencing

Sonata LMS for ILRI
Online learning can be really great… if you’re online.

The ‘offline’ challenge
Most of the regions where ILRI operates have less than 3%
broadband / 3G+ connectivity (connections per capita).
In many cases less than 1%
125%
74%
20%
International Telecommunications Union 2013 survey
0.2% 2.1%
0.7% 2.2%

LMS on a stick – the Sonata offline player
A ‘game-changer’ for poor connectivity environments
• Portable e-Learning and Data
Collection Apps
–Data collection utility
–Full e-Learning course
• Run from USB drive on any
Microsoft Windows computer
(XP or later), no installation
required
• Every record (data collected,
training results) stamped with
a unique ID for upload to
central website

Sonata Offline e-Learning Player
“LMS On A Stick”

That’s all folks!
Thank you for your attention!
For more info contact i.dror@cgiar.org
Web site ilri.org/feast
E-learning course: learning.ilri.org

The presentation has a Creative Commons licence. You are free to re-use or distribute this work, provided credit is given to ILRI.
better lives through livestock
ilri.org