Some implications of cognitive theory for instructional design

This article examines some of the implications of recent developments in cognitive theory for instructional design. It is argued that behavioral theory is inadequate to prescribe instructional strategies that teach for understanding. Examples of how instructional designers have adopted relevant aspects of cognitive theory are described. However, it is argued that such adoption is only a first step. The growing body of evidence for the indeterminism of human cognition requires even further changes in how instructional designers think and act. A number of bodies of scholarly research and opinion are cited in support of this claim. Three implications of cognitive theory for design are offered: instructional strategies need to be developed to counter the reductionism implicit in task analysis; design needs to be integrated into the implementation of instruction; designers should work from a thorough knowledge of theory not just from design procedures.     

The Phoenix Rising: Emergent models of instructional design

The blurring of distinctions between online and distance education in many parts of the developed world has led to reflections on the strategies and processes by which we create effective online learning environments for the distance education learner. In this article we argue that the foundational models of instructional design that typically inform the design, development, and delivery of online environments do not always support the epistemology and pedagogy that embodies the online environment. Through an analysis of current approaches to instructional design we present a case for adopting principles of emergence theory as a means to best harness the power and potential of design and development for online distance education. Using a prototype three‐phase design model that embodies emergent principles we advocate that to achieve the full potential of interaction and community networks through online communications requires a repositioning of roles and processes associated with “instructional design.”     

Designing instructional strategies which facilitate learning for mastery

While early proponents of mastery learning (ML) provided operational definitions regarding appropriate teaching/learning procedures, they did not provide guidelines for developing specific instructional strategies and activities. This article aims to provide such guidelines based on theories of learning and cognition. Part 1 describes the general instructional procedures developed by early ML proponents. Parts 2–4 provide guidelines for (a) the initial group‐based instruction, including guidelines for teaching to three different types of objectives (informational, conceptual, and procedural) and for varying four different modes of presentation (lecture, dialogue, discussion, and searwork) (b) sequencing; (c) developing correctives; and (d) developing enrichment activities.     

Review of current studies in instructional design theory in Korea: major trends and future directions

This article reviewed recent studies of instructional design theory in Korea to explore major trends and suggest future directions. Based on the analysis of 40 articles from the Journal of Educational Technology between 1994 and 2006, this study identified six trends: little emphasis on the conceptualization of instructional design theory; dominant interest in instructional design theories for higher-order thinking skills or self-regulated learning; special interest in instructional design theories for motivation and interactivity; emergent studies on the generic topic of instructional theories; heavy emphasis on instructional design theory for computer or Web environment; and sparse developmental research. Future directions of study for instructional design theory in Korea are suggested in response to issues arising from these trends.     

Learning from programmed instruction: Examining implications for modern instructional technology

This article reports a theoretical examination of several parallels between contemporary instructional technology (as manifest in one of its most current manifestations, online learning) and one of its direct predecessors, programmed instruction. We place particular focus on the unterlying assumptions of the two movements. Our analysis suggests that four assumptions that contributed to the historical demise of programmed instruction—(a) ontological determinisms, (b) materialism (c) social efficiency, and (d) technological determinism—also underlie contemporary instructional technology theory and practice and threaten its long-term viability as an educational resource. Based on this examination, we offer several recommendations for practicing instructional technologists and make a call for innovative assumptions and make a call for innovative assumptions and theories not widely visible in the field of instructional technology.     

The role of theory in instructional design: Some views of an ID practitioner

This article describes how an experienced instructional designer thinks about and uses learning theories to inform instructional design decisions. It uses a vision metaphor to provide a simple heuristic framework for identifying the nature of instructional problems and relating different types of problems to useful theoretical perspectives, methods of instructional analysis, and assessment strategies. Finally, it provides a synopsis of major learning theory perspectives and situations that could be addressed by applying models and strategies representing the different theoretical perspectives.     

Two instructional aids to optimise processing and learning from instructional explanations

Although instructional explanations are commonly used to introduce learners to new learning content, previous studies have often shown that their effects on learning outcomes are minimal. This failure might partly be due to mental passivity of the learners while processing introductory explanations and to a lack of opportunity to revise potential misunderstandings after working on introductory explanations. Against this background, we provided learners with two instructional support measures to optimise the introduction of new principles and concepts by providing instructional explanations in the domain of management theory: (a) prompts designed to induce inferences that are focused on the central content of the explanations, and (b) remedial explanations that are adapted to the learners’ knowledge gaps. We tested their effects in a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design with the following factors: (a) prompts designed to induce focused processing (with vs. without), and (b) remedial explanations (adapted vs. random). The participants consisted of 80 psychology students. We found that the prompts fostered both the share of deep-oriented processing and the acquisition of conceptual knowledge. The beneficial effect of prompts on conceptual knowledge was mediated by the number of inferences that learners generated in response to the prompts. In addition, we found that prompts also fostered the instructional efficiency of providing instructional explanations. The provision of adapted remedial explanations, however, fostered neither deep-oriented processing nor the acquisition of conceptual knowledge. We conclude that prompts designed to induce focused processing can foster deep-oriented processing as well as both the effectiveness and efficiency of learning from instructional explanations.     

基于混合学习的教育技术公共课的教学设计

分析了教育技术公共课的现状,提出混合学习能解决当前存在的问题,可以较好地实现该课程的教学目标,并详细地从学习者分析、环境分析、教学目标分析、教学策略和资源的设计、学习评价的设计5个方面阐述了如何在该课程中进行混合学习的设计。     

The motivating opportunities model for performance SUCCESS: Design,development, and instructional implications

This article develops the motivating opportunities model from its previous conceptual framework to its design, development, and instructional implications. It includes building the utility of the model for implementation around the acronym SUCCESS, representing a systematic approach to analyzing and designing motivation for situational, utilization, competence, content, emotional, social, and systemic factors. Furthermore, it details the considerations and questions included in each of the seven components of a process of analysis and design using SUCCESS as a tool and procedural guide. Accompanying each component are specific strategies that support implementation by generating the motivating opportunities that the model supports using, with examples to illustrate cases of use. Following the development and strategies of the model are research questions that may illuminate motivation in instructional design and human performance technology, and the utilization of the model.     

Cognitive task analysis for instructional design: Applications in distance education

The increasing complexity of the subjectmatters taught through distance education calls for a cognitive approach to instructional design. Cognitive task analysis‐based instructional design (CTA‐BID) is especially appropriate for distance education, which requires high‐fidelity instructional materials that teach cognitive content with little or no classroom instruction. CTA‐BID organises instructional materials around the results of a cognitive task analysis that identifies the optimal knowledge structures, mental models, strategies, and skills underlying expertise in the subject matter. CTA‐BID has produced innovative instructional programmes aimed at teaching cognitive skills, accelerating the development of expertise, and improving student performance and training efficiency. This article provides an overview of CTA‐BID and its applications in the design of instructional and testing materials for distance education. I also review recent developments in education, psychology, and instructional design that complement CTA‐BID.     

Aligning business needs and instructional assets (recycling instructional assets)

High‐performing organizations and performance improvement professionals frequently speak about the alignment of their instructional curricula with the needs of the business. However, they often lack a systematic methodology for performing that alignment. This article presents such a method. The process provides the ability to better support current business initiatives, increase organizational responsiveness, and reduce curriculum acquisition and development costs.     

A history of instructional design and technology: Part I: A history of instructional media

This is the first of a two-part article that will discuss the history of the field of instructional design and technology in the United States. A definition of the field is provided and the major features of the definition are identified. A rational for using instructional design and technology as the label for the field is also presented. Events in the history of instructional media, from the early 1900s to the present day, are described. The birth of school museums, the visual and audiovisual instruction movements, the use of media during World War II, and the interest in instructional television, computers, and the Internet are among the topics discussed. The article concludes with a summarization of the effects media have had on instructional practices, and a prediction regarding the effect computers, the Internet, and other digital media will have on such practices over the next decade. Portions of this article are from a chapter that will appear inTrends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (Reiser & Dempsey, in press). Some segments of the article previously appeared in a book chapter by Reiser (1987).     

An analysis of a decade of research in 10 instructional design and technology journals

In this paper, we review findings from an analysis of the past decade (2001–10) of research in 10 major journals in the field of instructional design and technology. Each research paper published in these journals during this decade was categorized according to its focus or methodology, topical keywords, authorship and citation trends; and the findings were aggregated across all of the journals to show trends over the last decade. We found there is a strong emphasis on technology‐related issues, distance education, communication strategies and instructional methods over cognitive‐related topics and learning issues. There is a strong history of theoretical inquiry and a fairly even balance of qualitative and quantitative research being published, with other research methods emerging. However, there are distinct differences in methodological stances among the journals. We also found some evidence that the Institute for Scientific Information Impact Factor may not be the best indicator of impact quality for journals in our field.     

Toward a philosophy of instructional technology: thirty years on

A current assessment of the "philosophy" of instructional technology is made using a 1970 BJET article as the basis of comparison. Each hypothesis of the original article is revisited and updated according to contemporary trends: (1) instructional technology is not yet a discipline; (2) the behavioural science concept of instructional technology is more valid than the physical science concept; (3) technology offers the best organizing concept for the development of the field and its evolution into a discipline; and (4) any statement of philosophy regarding instructional technology is tentative. The influence of distance education, public acceptance of media and technology, and training by artificial intelligence procedures in business and industry are nominated as important factors in bringing about major changes in the field. Each professional should develop a unique philosophy based on personal experiences in the field.     

The impact of the instructional planning self-reflective tool on preservice teacher performance, disposition, and self-efficacy beliefs regarding systematic instructional planning

This study investigated the impact of a self-regulatory tool, the Instructional Planning Self-Reflective Tool (IPSRT), on preservice teachers' performance, disposition, and self-efficacy beliefs regarding systematic instructional planning. Participants enrolled in an introductory educational technology course were taught how to develop an instructional plan as part of the course. An experimental group was provided with instruction on how to use the IPSRT while engaging in instructional planning. Results indicated that the experimental group demonstrated greater skill acquisition, showed more positive disposition, and reported higher perceived instrumentality of instructional planning. In terms of self-efficacy, no significant differences were found between the two groups. However, further analyses revealed that participants who were initially high in self-efficacy reported significantly lower self-efficacy following the tool intervention; in contrast, participants initially low in self-efficacy showed significantly higher self-efficacy following the tool intervention. Findings are discussed from a social-cognitive perspective.     

Identifying costs of instructional technology in higher education

Abstract

The current advocacy for rapidly increasing the use of instructional technologies has not been accompanied by sufficient research on the costs of these modes of instruction. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the need for more comprehensive research on instructional technology costs and to provide a framework for examining these costs. First, to provide context, some current assumptions about the growing use of instructional technology are discussed. Then various categories of costs are described.     

A reflexive model for teaching instructional design

Although there are numerous models to practive instructional design (ID), few instructional models to teach instructional design have been documented. This article documents a five-year study of two instructors who collaborated on formally studying their teaching of a master's level instructional design course. A reflexive instructional approach was used, in which the teachers examined their teaching while students were being prompted to reflect on their learning of instructional design through a course-long ID project. In this article we summarize our views on learning, teaching, and instructional design. A design and development framework from developmental research (Richey & Nelson, 1996) was used to describe our teaching in terms of the design decisions, model implementation, and model evaluation across six deliveries of the ID course from 1994–1998.     

High-tech instructional development: It's the thought that counts

Predictions that technology will soon bring about a revolution in teaching are now common. Some see this occurring as an inevitable result of the information storage and processing capabilities that new technologies possess; others believe that changes in values and technology application strategies will be more significant factors. This article argues that technologies affect education greatly by shaping attitudes about the nature of teaching and learning, and presents a simple model to illustrate this process. Also, it suggests that, to be effective advocates of the new technology, instructional developers must address the ideological dimensions of learning system design and make deliberate decisions regarding the educational values these designs are to embody.