The Discipline of Instructional Design

EDUA 6377 - Instructional Design

According to Smith and Ragan (2005), instructional design is defined as "the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation" (p. 4). Instructional design is an essential discipline that has evolved over the years to meet the needs of learners in various contexts. As the need for online learning continues to grow, the role of instructional designers becomes even more critical. Today's instructional designers must have a deep understanding of the philosophical foundations and theoretical bases of the field to create effective educational materials that meet the needs of learners. In this blog post, we'll explore why it is important for instructional designers to understand the philosophical foundations and theoretical bases of the field. Also, the “advent of a change in the science of instructional design at the beginning of the 21st century and a heightened awareness of the greater complexity of systems and the new, increasingly ubiquitous computer-based media production tools have created situations in which instructional designers must adapt their views and practices.” (Brown & Green, pg. 18)

To create effective educational materials, instructional designers use a variety of tools and techniques. One of the most popular tools is the ADDIE model, which stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The ADDIE model is a systematic approach that ensures that the instructional materials meet the learning objectives and are effective.

The Systems Approach Model for Designing Instruction according to "The Discipline of Instructional Design," Dick and Carey's system approach model is a classic example of performing an instructional design task systematically.

In conclusion, understanding the philosophical foundations and theoretical bases of instructional design is essential for instructional designers today. As noted in The Discipline of Instructional Design, article, pg. 7, “instructional design advocates make use of the available research on how people think, how people learn, the technologies available for communication, referred to as information technologies), and methods of analysis. They further state that “instructional design is the practical application of this knowledge to create a situation where learning is most likely to effectively occur.” This allows instructional designers to create materials that are grounded in sound educational principles, based on proven educational theories, and consistent with best practices and evidence-based research. It also allows instructional designers to communicate effectively with stakeholders and ensure that their materials are effective in promoting learning. As the need for online learning continues to grow, instructional designers who understand the philosophical foundations and theoretical bases of the field will be better equipped to create effective educational materials that meet the needs of learners in various contexts.

Thoughts

My thinking about education and designing instruction has not changed, and I agree with Smith and Ragan's (2005) instructional design definition. I continue to believe that it is a systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction and, from that inspiration, create the plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation" (p. 4).

Finally, as cited by Avelino (2022) in the “10 instructional design examples,” “When it comes to designing a learning experience, instructional designers must take three main components into account to ensure the learning is effective: learning objectives, learning activities, and assessments. This is known as the “Magic Triangle” of learning.” I am a pragmatist, and effective learning is simplified, as stated above.

References:

Instructional systems-Design. .I Green, Timothy D., 1968- II. Title. LBI 028.38.B76 2015

371.3-dc23 2015003334

Smith, P.L., & Ragan, T.J. (2005) Instructional Design (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.