Design processes and criteria integrating Web 2.0 social software into neomillennial learning environments

Selecting instructional materials, determining appropriate projects, and assessing learners' characteristics are instructional design processes affected by new and emerging technologies. The purpose of this study was to explore what instructional-design processes and selection criteria are more or less important for integrating Web 2.0 socially collaborative software into neo-millennial learning environments. A concurrent mixed methods study sampled 34 instructional design participants who had three or more years of instructional design experience. A survey consisting of the following four parts was administered: (a) general information, demographics, professional and educational background; (b) a list of instructional-design processes used and decision criteria; (c) identification of and reasons for using the instructional designer models; and (d) open-ended questions requiring reflections on instructional design processes for social media in neo-millennial learning environments. The survey's results showed the participants' most common models used were the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate) process and Dick and Carey model. This study's data provides insight into instructional designers' choices in the design process selection. The study's findings suggested the instructional design process and selection criteria more important for integrating Web 2.0 socially collaborative software into neo-millennial learning environments to be: (a) the evaluation process (71.8%), and (b) quality of instruction criteria (61.7%). The study's participants felt the current instructional design processes were adequate; however, others should be developed to match future technologies. This study contributed to establishing knowledge to better understand changing learners, new technologies, and design processes and criteria currently used by instructional designers.