Running Head: RATIONALE 1

Final Assignment:
Rationale
Deborah Leal
University of New Brunswick
August 13, 2017
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Finale Assignment:
Rationale

Audience

Intended Learners and Context

The intended learners for this course are workers, and the families of those residing in long-term

care homes. Recently there has been an increase in news coverage around the treatment of elders

in long-term care. It appears there is a need for enhanced training on recognizing abuse, and

knowing how to appropriate report abusive situations. This module, What is Elder Abuse?,

along with subsequent courses in the series, will prepare workers and families to recognize the

signs and symptoms of elder abuse, and what to do is elder abuse is suspected. While this course

is targeted to the long-term care context, it would be equally as useful to those engaged in home

care and family-based caregiving for the elderly.

Delivery

This course has been designed to be delivered via online course. This delivery method will

ensure that the course is available to a wide audience who may not be able to attend a traditional,

face-to-face training setting, due to caregiving constraints. In addition, the online delivery of this

course makes the cost of facilitation minimal, for long-term care homes where the financial

resources are already stretched.

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Theories

ROPES model. I used Hannafins (1988) ROPES model to guide the online design of

my eLearning module. I addressed his principles of retrieval (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.113), by

using advanced organizers to help link information to existing cognitive structures (Hannafin

as cited in Rose, 2011, p.113). In addition, I used case studies and examples that the intended

audience of my training would be familiar with, either in the context of caregiver or family

member. For example, I presented on the Case Studies page, three scenarios that could happen

to an elder person in long-term care. According to Hannafin (1988), relating content to the

learners experience make a more effective retrieval process (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.113).

I ensured that the principles of retrieval were also used. I did not use media capabilities

because they are there (Hannifin as cited in Rose, 2011, p.113), but judiciously choose images

and a single video to emphasis important information, and facilitate learning activities. The video

on the Video Introduction page, also serves to enhance motivation (Hannafin as cited in

Rose, 2011, p.113)., by bringing the learner into the role of investigator to identify the types of

abuse depicted in the video.

My presentation is in accordance with Hannafin (1988) as well, because I vary video

and non-video techniques to distribute emphasis purposefully and enhance depth of

processing (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.114). Furthermore, the esthetics of the training website are

simple; text has high-contrast, images are realistic and detailed, and I make effective use of

colour (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.114).

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While the limitations of the chosen technology did not allow for comprehensive

monitoring of performance and feedback, according to Hannafins (1988) encoding principles (as

cited in Rose, 2011, p.114), I did incorporate feedback in the form of a pre and post knowledge

check on elder abuse, with a score displayed for the learner.

Finally, I addressed the sequence principles by providing a drop-down menu from which

the learner could choose pages in the order that works best for them, as well as a main page with

in page navigation to guide the learner through the training. Hannafin (1988) states one should,

provide guidance such as information on how to proceed (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.115).

10 Commandments of Picture Facilitation. In selecting appropriate pictures for use on

the training website, I used the 10 Commandments of Picture Facilitation. Levin, Anglin, and

Carney (1987) state that, pictures should be congruent and relevant to the information

presented (as cited in Rose, 2011, p.99). My use of images is minimal and used mainly to

provide examples of situations of elder abuse. In addition, pictures cannot be effective unless

learners have the prerequisite reading abilities (Levin, Anglin, & Carney as cited in Rose, 2011,

p.99). The pictures I have chosen are infographics with minimal text and at a reading level that

most learners would be able to interpret. Finally, the images I have chosen to use in this training

are simple with high contrast, and clearly represent the content that is to be remembered without

additional dressing up (Levin, Anglin, & Carney as cited in Rose, 2011, p.99).
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Conclusion

The online training module that I created uses two theories learned over the course of my

study in this course. As a result, the training module is an effective method to teach learners

about elder abuse and the online delivery mode ensures that a wide audience will be able to

receive instruction on this important aspect of life in long-term care or family caregiving of the

elderly.
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References

Rose, E. (2011). Designing Instructional Materials. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com

/open?id=0B2R2ztJPUfYLYnV3S0FNTG00eFE