EDID6503 – Instructional Design Theories, Models and Strategies

Trimester 3 2013/2014

Assignment 2

By

Meredith B. Hodge

Student ID: 20053571

University of the West Indies

Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

MSc. Instructional Design and Technology

Course Coordinator: Camille Dickson-Deane

Dr Farhad (Fred) Saba

Personal life
Dr Farhad Saba attained a BA, in Broadcast Communication Arts from the San Francisco State
University. He furthered his education at the same university and was awarded a MA in
Broadcast Communication Arts in 1970. He obtained his Ph.D. in Instructional Design,
Development and Evaluation in 1973, from Syracuse University. Dr Farhad Saba worked in the
field of Distance Education for forty-one years (1973 - Present). He is associated with the San
Diego State University where he served dutifully from 1984 – 2009, as a Professor in
Educational Technology. He retains the prestigious title of Professor Emeritus where he
continues to teach courses on distance education (San Diego State University - Emeritus
Faculty, 2014). He is the owner, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Distance-Educator.com.
Dr Saba is known for his contribution to the field of distance education in general, but more
specifically for his part in building a systems theory of distance education and his pioneering
research and development of the Dynamic Systems Approach Model. He is a prolific author and
has written more than 100 articles and authored and co-authored several chapters in books
(Distance-Educator.com, 2014). He is a member of the editorial board of the American Journal
of Distance Education (AJDE); the International Review of Distance and Open Learning;
MERLOT’s Journal of Online Learning and Teaching; Asia Pacific Education Review; and the
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education.

Dr Saba reviews manuscripts for Publishers like Simon and Schuster, Prentice-Hall, and
Wadsworth. He was the first winner of the prestigious Charles Wedemeyer Award, for best
research article in distance education. In May 2010, he was inducted into the Distance Learning
Association Hall of Fame. The Association of Educational Communications and Technology
Educational Technology Research and Development Journal also honored him with an award.
He has worked with various universities and corporate and public institutions during the course
of his career. He has made presentations at professional conferences in many countries
including: Afghanistan, The People's Republic of China, Great Britain, France, Malaysia, Mexico,
Sweden, Switzerland (The United Nations), and Turkey. Some major organizations that he has
worked with include:

 Apple Computer Inc., Digital Equipment Corporation (merged with Hewlett

Packard through Compaq),
 Nortel, US Department of Education, Office of the Governor of the State of
Connecticut,
 Office of the Chancellor of the California State University system,
 the World Bank, San Diego County Office of Education,
 Harvard Business School Publishing,
 Brigham Young University, and
 The University of Connecticut, and American Pacific University (Mahon
Advisory Top Talent, 2014)

Languages

Dr Saba speaks fluent English and Farsi.

Research

Saba's Systems Dynamics Model

Dr Farhad Saba’s System’s Dynamics Model was created based on Michael G Moore’s theory of
Transactional Distance. Transactional distance is the geographical distance between the learner
and the instructor which affects the art and science of teaching. This distance leaves a
communication gap and room for potential misunderstandings between the inputs of the
instructor and the learner (Moore, 1991).

Dr Saba felt that the way that distance education was being delivered was reminiscent of the
industrial era. Information and communication technologies used in the process delivered a
“one size fits all curriculum.” (Saba, 2012 p. 1). Its unique ability to adapt courses to the needs
of individual learners has been neglected (Saba, 2012. p. 2). The construct and delivery of
courses limit the learner’s creative thinking and ability to pursue personal interest. Dr Saba felt
that while the rigid form of distance education was effective, it lacked the ability to allow for
student to teacher and student to student interaction which are necessary aspects of the
learning experience. His vision for distance education was that the technology should be used in
the delivery of information that caters to the individual interests, preferences and autonomy of
the learner.

Saba and Shearer conducted a study in which they used STELLA, a system-dynamics modeling
software to simulate the variability of transactional distance with two other variables of
structure and dialogue. They analyzed how the variables impacted learners and determined that
“as dialogue increases, structure decreases, and as structure decreases dialogue increases to
keep the system stable." (Saba, 2012, p. 3). They also observed that transactional dialogue
varied from learner to learner as their personalized instruction progressed. They realized based
on their testing that learning could take place under different conditions. As such it was felt
that education systems of the future can optimize conditions for learning if they respond
learners individually in a dynamic environment where learner’s desire for autonomy and
instructor’s need for structure are met (Saba, 2012, P. 7, 8). Instructors should therefore
revamp their approach to instructional design meet the needs of students. Based on the results
Saba concluded in essence that, depending on how universities are conducted and the practices
they employ in light of new technology and student needs, they may not be able to relate to the
administrative culture of universities.
 Sources

Linked In (2014). Farhad Fred Saba. Personal Profile.

Retrieved from

www.linkedin.com/pub/farhad-fred-saba/0/b97/91

San Diego State University (2013). Emeritus Faculty General Catalogue 2013-2014. Retrieved
from

http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/catalog/2013-14/502-510_EmrFac.pdf

ZoomInfo (2014): Farhad Saba. Professor of Education Technology at Distance-Educator.com

Retrieved from http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Farhad-Saba/5998132

Saba, F. (2012). Systems Approach to the Future of Distance Education in Colleges and Universities.
Research, Development, and Implementation Vol. 76, 2012(1, 2, 3, 7, 8), San Diego State
University. Retrieved from
http://distance-educator.com/wp-content/uploads/Saba.pdf

Sir Learnalot’s Knowledge (2011). Top 20 most Influential People in on-line Learning. Online University
Ranking. The Best Online College Rankings (2010).Retrieved from
http://onlineuniversityrankings.org/2010/top-20-most-influential-people-in-online-learning/

Mahon Advisory/Top Talent (2014). Retrieved from

http://mahonadvisory.com/intellectual_capital/Saba2.html

Moore, M. G., & Kearsley, G. (1991). Distance education: A systems view. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Publishing Company

Moore, M. G. (1996). Theory of Transactional Distance: Retrieved from

http://www.jou.ufl.edu/faculty/mleslie/spring96/moore.html
Publications

Some of Dr. Saba’s Publications - Distance Education

Saba, F, (2014):Introduction to Distance Education: Higher Education: Retrieved from

http://distance-educator.com/introduction-to-distance-education-higher-education/

Saba, F, (2013). Planning and Managing Distance Education Systems: Software Systems: Retrieved
from http://distance-educator.com/planning-and-managing-distance-education-systems-software-
systems/

Saba, F. (2012). A systems approach to the future of distance education in colleges and
universities: Research, development, and implementation. Continuing Higher Education Review.
76, 30-37.

Saba, F.(2011). Distance education in the United States: Past, present, future. Educational
Technology, 51 (6) 11-18.

Saba, F. (2008). Learning management systems of the future: A theoretical framework and
design. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4 (2).

Saba, F. ( 2005). The future of distance education: Research, conceptual development and
practice. 19th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, WI.