Charles Reigeluth

Charles M Reigeluth Profile Image

 

 BRIEF VITA:

  • Education: 
 A.B. cum laude, Economics, Harvard University, 1969
Ph.D. Instructional Technology, Brigham Young University, 1977
  • Experience: 
Professor, Indiana University, Since 1988.  Taught at Syracuse Univeristy 1978n -1988. 
  • Publications: 
Numerous books including Instructional-Design Theories and Models, Volumes I - III, Systematic Change in Education and Systematic Restructuring in Education.  Numerous chapters in books and articles on topics including Educational Systems Design, Elaboration Theory, Learning Management Systems, Problem-Based Learning, and Organizational Learning.
 
 
MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST & RESEARCH: 
  • Elaboration Theory           
      • Elaboration Theory theorizes that instruction should be given in the order of simplest task to most difficult task, increasing in complexity, for optimal learning.  A key idea of Elaboration Theory is that the learner should be reminded of subsequent tasks as they're learning increases in complexity.  As the learner's understanding of a particular task increases, a summary of subsequent ideas and tasks should be included so that the learner can assimilate the skills at each level of learning.
      • Elaboration Theory proposes seven strategic components which are:
        • An elaborative sequence
        • Pre-requisite sequences of learning
        • Summarizing subsequent ideas as the learner progresses
        • Synthesis or assimilation of learned skills as understanding increases
        • Analogies - provide examples of a similar task or idea
        • Cognitive strategies - strategies built into the learning plan to test the learner's perception, memory and judgment in regard to a particular task or idea.
        • Learner control - allowing the learner to learn at his/her own pace

(The most important step is the first, an elaborative sequence, organizing the instruction from simplest task to most complex.  Use of an elaborative sequence, allows the learner to epitomize the first lesson and the ideas and skills that will follow.)   

  • Heuristic Task Analysis

Heuristic Task Analysis (HTA) is comprised of three major components:  Knowledge Elicitation, Knowledge Analysis and Knowledge Representation.  The steps of each component are discussed below.

      • Knowledge Elicitation
        • Introduce yourself to the task expert to establish rapport
        • Explain the analysis process to the task expert
        • Understand the task by asking the task expert to explain the nature of the task in general
        • Identify key characteristics of the learners who will perform the task
        • Define the delivery constraints of the task in general
      • Knowledge Analysis
        • Ask and help the task expert to break the task down into components ranging from simplest to most complex.
        • Ask the expert to describe the conditions that distinguish how the expert's version of the task may differ from other versions
      • Knowledge Representation
        • Video tape the task expert performing a specific task, or ask the task expert to think of one specific task that can be analyzed.
        • Using a top-down approach, ask the expert to represent his/her duties, working backward from the most complex to the simplest.
        • Represent the knowledge base of the task expert by asking him/her to think of similar performances of the task that make up a single version of the task. As each performance is recorded, broaden the steps, guidelines, models (explanatory and descriptive), and metacognitive-decision rules so that they too, represent the knowledge of the task expert.
        • If time and resources permit, identify a second task expert and repeat the entire process described above, so that alternate views and processes can be identified, to help streamline instruction and reconcile conflicts. 
  • Systemic Change of Educational Systems

There are 5 phases of systemically changing educational systems proposed by Charles Reigeluth.  These phases are outlined and described below. 

    1. Initiate a Systemic Change Effort:   The change facilitator must first establish a relationship at the district level.  If both the facilitator and district are ready for change and committed to work with one another, a formal agreement is negotiated.  This agreement outlines all stakeholder expectations and the role of the facilitator.
    2. Prepare a Starter Team:  After the formal agreement is in place, the facilitator helps the district design a team of representatives from each stakeholder group.  Preferably the most powerful representative of each group will be chosen to join the "starter team".  The stakeholder groups should include a representative from the superintendent's office, the school board, the teacher's association, parent representatives and representation from non-teaching staff.
    3. Develop a District-Wide Framework and Capacity for Change:  After the "starter team" has been identified, each representative of the team recruits associates or respected opinion leaders from their area of expertise to help them with the change effort.  This becomes the leadership team and can have about 25 participants.  This creates a framework and central support system of stakeholders with a shared vision, mission and belief system.
    4. Create Designs for New Schools:  As the design phase begins the leadership team and central support group asks creative thinkers from each stakeholder group to become part of the design team.  This team usually consists of about 10 people and is responsible for the design and implementation of change.  Larger schools can have multiple design teams to help with the implementation.  As part of this phase, the design effort is built from the bottom up - from the schools all the way up to the district level.
    5. Implement and Evolve the New System:  Once a design has been decided upon and approved, the change is implemented and continually evaluated and fine-tuned.  This process of change is cyclical and often re-evaluation and new leadership groups will be formed to implement new visions and missions.

  • Computer- Based Simulation
A simulation can be determined by three main facets of its design: the scenario, the underlying model, and the instructional overlay. The senario simulates a  real life situation to some degree. The model is required by a computer because the computer must respond to learner actions in a way that reflects the situation. And the instructional overlay is to optimize learning and motivation.

Reigeluth claims that a simulation have five features which conduce to achieving acquisition, application, and assessment. These include the generality, example, practice, feedback, and help.

In order to achieve successful acquisition, application and assessment, Reigeluth designs a general model that describes five aspects of simulations and provides prescriptions for the implementation of each. The procedure is as follows:
  1. Select the appropriate complexity:
Selecting the appropriate complexity for the content that is to be learned is the first step of the design of the instructional overlay for any simulation. The best design usually simplifies the real situation and selects only a few of important variables in the model.
  1. Introduction:
It can depict the scenario, identify goals and objectives, and present directions as well as rules that will control the simulation.
  1. Acquisition:
In this phase, the learner will form a meaningful understanding of a principle or knowledge of the steps in a procedure.
  1. Application:
The learner develops the ability to make use of the principles or procedures that have been learned in the acquisition phase. The divergent practice that consists of a stimulus, a learner response, help, and feedback is the major component of the application stage.
  1. Assessment:
After foregoing instructional stages of the simulation, a criterion test must be used to examine whether the learner has achived the objectives.
  1. Control:
It will make an influence on all elements of a simulation and the system control is involed in every aspect of the simulation (i.e. the level of complexity, learner's progress, routine features, help, introduction, and test criterion).
 
Although the general model appplies to all simulations for teaching principles or procedures, many facets of a simulation will be different in distinct situations, which depend on such variations on the general model as the nature of the behavior to be learned, complexity of the content, learner participation, the form of the changes, and the motivational requirements. These variations will determine when and how to use each type of simulations in specific conditions.
 

MAJOR INITIATIVES:

Charles Reigeluth's interests include the designing of quality learning resources and redesigning educational systems to better meet the needs of learners.

Founder of the School of Restructuring Support Service @ Indiana University

The mission of Restructuring Support Service (founded in 1992) is to enhance the restructuring of schools to be successful when implementing fundamental change.  Future educational systems will focus on meeting every learners' needs by:
  • serving the learners' for which it was designed,
  • serving other users in the system and
  • serving the community (society) that created it.
The design process involves the entire community and promotes collaboration among all stakeholders.  By participating in the design process members build cohesion and a sense of ownership.
 
To be involved in restructuring a community must hold the following values:
  • highly value its children and their future
  • community involvement in the change process  (from the school board down to the principal in individual schools)
  • shared decision making (Those in positions of power are willing to empower others by allowing site-based management)
  • focus on learning (commitment to meeting needs of learners within budgetary constraints)
  • fundamental change (support fundamental change if design team and stakeholders deem it necessary).
  • community involvement (administration values community involvement in schools).

Co-Founder of Division for Systemic Change in Education (AECT)
 
AECT formed a division called Division for Systemic change in Education.  The purpose of the division is the serve the needs of those who are interested in systemic change in education (wide variety of settings--public and private schools, higher education, technical institutes and so forth).  The founders believe that systemic change (in a variety of settings) to meet learner's needs and improve quality of education.
 
Membership in the division consists primarly of teachers, educational policy makers, administrators, change consultants and researchers.  The services provided to members include
  • a regular newsletter (including information about upcoming events, articles and information about tools of interest),
  • opportunity to network with others who are interested in restructuruing,
  • clearinghouse of resources and information on systemic change, and
  • annual AECT conference (division provides workshops, presentations, informal meetings and demonstrations of tools).
 
Systemic Change in Education--MCD Decatur Township--a Systemic Transformation Process 
 
 Reigeluth is a lead facilitator in a district-wide "Journey Toward Excellence" for the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township.  This effort strives to help every student, teacher, parent and administrator to reach their potential within their own role in the educational system.  The districts journey requires exploring
  • need for change, agreeing on a framework for change,
  • designing the "ideal" schools that fit the framework and
  • determining how to change current schools so that they are as close as possible to their "ideal" design.
To facilitate the change the effort includes getting as many stakeholders as possible involved and giving them ownership in the decision making process and in the change process.  The effort is focused on student learning and development (all changes are designed with this in mind) and encouraging the community (all participants) to evolve and deepen thinking about education so that a strategic plan can be developed to evolve toward the "ideal."
 
 
References:
 
  1. Elaboration Theory (C. Reigeluth) (http://tip.psychology.org/reigelut.html)
  2. Lee, J. y., et. al., Formative Research on the Heuristic Task Analysis Process. Educational Technology Research and Development v. 51 no. 4 (2003) p. 5-24
  3. Reigeluth, C. M. The Guidance System for Transforming Education. TechTrends v. 50 no. 2 (March/April 2006) p. 42
  4. Charles Reigeluth Vita (http://www.indiana.edu/~iuncate/facultyvita/facultyvita/reigelut.htm)
  5. Charles Reigeluth Biography (http://mypage.iu.edu/~reigelut/1bio.html)
  6. MCD Decatur Township Systemic Change (http://www.indiana.edu/~syschang/decatur/index.html)
  7. Indiana University Restructuring Support Service (http://mypage.iu.edu/~reigelut/2systems/2.6sys.html)
  8. Division for Systemic Change in Education (http://mypage.iu.edu/~reigelut/2systems/2.8sys.html)
  9. Reigeluth, C. M. An Instructional Theory for the Design of Computer-Based Simulations. IDD&E Working Paper No. 23.
  10. Charles Reigeluth Indiana University Profile (http://profile.educ.indiana.edu/Default.aspx?alias=profile.educ.indiana.edu/reigelut)

 
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Disclaimer

Any opinions expressed here, except as specifically noted, are those of the individual authors or commenters and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Department of Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences, the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, or Utah State University.