ABSTRACT

The catch phrase content is king is not just a slogan – it truly conveys the prominence of content analysis in the process of instructional design. Of all the different analyses you conduct for a project, the examination of the content is pivotal and generally the most time-consuming. For most projects, a content analysis is the basis upon which you will build your instructional design, identifying the specific knowledge, skills/tasks, and attitudes (KSAs) required, and the sequencing and type of learning experiences necessary for the learner to master the instructional goals. A thorough content analysis reveals the demands of the content. It enables you to identify prerequisites and priorities, provides a basis for the structure and sequencing of learning experiences, provides essential guidance for identifying learning outcomes, assessments, and instructional strategies, and can even provide a rationale for the selection of instructional technologies and delivery modes. When you consider how the results of the other analyses interact with the demands of the content, this information provides solid direction for content treatment design decisions.