Adapting instructional design methods to intelligent multimedia authoring systems

Given the recent development of Intelligent Multimedia Authoring ("IMA") systems, there are few well-developed associated methodologies for authoring courseware. System designers have therefore turned to the automation of instructional design models, originally developed for traditional teaching. In this paper we describe one case of automating a specific instructional design model in an IMA system the "SHIVA" system which was based on the instructional design method of Posner and Rudnitsky. On the basis of a high-level conceptual structure of the courseware, and a set of multi-media Units of Learning Material input graphically by the author, the system automatically decides the teaching presentation sequence, whilst adapting to the students' responses. We describe results of an integrated formative evaluation program, the results of which contribute to our understanding of how to adapt existing instructional design models to the specificities of interactive intelligent multimedia and different teaching domains. In conclusion we argue that the task of authoring intelligent multi-media courseware may be viewed as a collaborative activity, involving authors and systems.