ID Model: SAM
- Admin
- Nov 6, 2020
- 2 min read
Some employers want their job candidates to be familiar with the Successive Approximation Model for instructional design. Here I'll summarize my findings on the model and some examples.
I heavily rely on eLearning Industry to inform me on the latest updates in the field like this article, Rapid Instructional Design With SAM. Rooted in cognitivism learning theory, the SAM model was developed as a response to the confined feel of the ADDIE design process. There are many similar concepts within the two models, but SAM is truncated with an emphasis on being "rapid". Below is a table of learning theories from the paper Applying learning theories and instructional design models for effective instruction. The table defines the type of learning involved in cognitivism and other main components of the theory.
SAM consists of 4 phases: preparation, iterative design, iterative development, & alpha, beta, gold release. Phase 1, preparation, is when you'd gather background information on the learners and you develop "rapid" prototypes in the form of sketches, storyboards, or brainstorming. In the end, you and your team would come away with a potential design for each content area.
Phase 2, iterative design, begins with setting project timelines and dividing tasks between the subject matter experts and the project designers or developers. During this phase the team will edit and refine the instructional components. For each content area the design team should create three potential designs to present to the stakeholders.
Phase 3, iterative development. By now the team has agreed upon a design and you are going to be evaluating and implementing the design. You should have a product ready to use and gain feedback on. SAM is unique in that you provide usable content before the final stage. This is so that learners can provide feedback on all stages of the project's development, not just the final product.
Phase 4 is called the Alpha, Beta, Gold Release. The alpha stage is when you provide the first version of a completed project. Each component of the course should be fully usable including media, interactives, and formative feedback loops. There are no major flaws and minor editing takes place. Beta is a version of the project updated to reflect the reviews and feedback received on the course. Once these updates are made, you're essentially gold and therefore ready for full deployment.
Constant editing and revisions being made based on feedback received during the design process is what makes SAM different from the ADDIE instructional design model. The constant feedback loop allows for slightly more flexibility. Getting feedback during the design process rather than after it seems like an excellent way to boost your learning outcomes.
Works Cited
Khalil, Mohammed K, and Ihsan A Elkhider. “Applying Learning Theories and Instructional Design Models ...” Physiology.org, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, 25 Jan. 2016, journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/advan.00138.2015.
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