Discipline of Instructional Design - Essay Example

Instructional design Before probing into the issue of researching and analyzing instructional design, let’s first get to know what instructional design actually is. So starting with instructional design, it is that kind of systematic process which translates the general principles instruction and learning into such plans which are used for instructional materials and learning. Discipline of instructional design If we define instructional design as a disciple, we can say that instructional design is that branch of knowledge that is not only concerned with such research and theories which are related to the instructional strategies but also to the process of first developing and then implementing those specific strategies. There is always a set of some specific assumptions and suppositions on which the discipline of instructional design is based. Jonassen, Tessmer and Hannum (1999) found that there exist some specific scientific principles which are there for the foundation of the discipline of instructional design and these principles are verified by the empirical data. Instructional design’s alignment with science I do believe that instructional design is aligned with science in a sense that instructional design is the science of developing such specifications in detail for the purpose of creating, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating such sort of situations whose main task is to facilitate learning of not only large but also small units of subject matters regardless of the level of complexities related to the subject matters. After evaluation, it also helps in the maintenance of the situations. Also we can say that instructional design is a science based technology which is based on the specific assumptions related to the real world. Instructions which are based on scientific principles could be more effective. This science based technology not only involves the identification of the variables but also it identifies the potential relationships that exist between those variables. So, we can say that instructional design has got alignment with the field of science. Instructional design as a technology To describe instructional design as a technology, we can say that it is not only methodical but also systemic application of such techniques and strategies which are derived from the theories including behavioral, cognitive and constructive theories. And the purpose of the derivation is to apply the strategies and techniques to the solutions of various instructional problems. Rogers (2002) found that instruction design as a technology is the combination of instructional design and instructional development. We can also say that as a technology, it is the systematic and logical application of the related theories to the task of development of instructional design covering the processes and systems of developing human capability through the processes of learning and instructions. Difference between instructional theory and learning theory Instructional theory is a discipline which promotes the education of individuals by focusing on the methods for structuring the materials for this purpose. It is not necessary to tie the instructional theory to any learning theory because of the reason that instructional theory can be derived from the surveillance of successful and effective instructional practices in a direct manner rather than combining it with any specific learning theory. Learning theory helps us in understanding the complex process of learning through describing the ways of how individuals learn through experiences. The main concept behind learning theory is that people learn from experiences and acting in different circumstances and situation while instructional theory is based on use of methods and instructional materials in order to promote education in people. Learning in instructional design ADDIE is the model which is used in instructional design for a learning process. It includes analysis of the learner’s characteristics, development of learning objectives, creation of instructional materials, implementation of the model, and evaluation of the learning process. Learning gap is to be identified by the instructional designer in order to effectively meet the goals of learning. These goals should be given critical importance in any specific learning process because they describe the learning outcome. Such environment should be created which should help the students in performing all activities related to the process of learning. Learning objectives should be given importance because they form the basis of what is to be learned by the students and under which conditions it is to be performed by them. The three parts of learning objectives are observable action, one measurable criterion and conditions of performance. Critical components of instructional design The first component is the presentation which is related to the instructional objectives. Second component is the activities which are required by the learners in order to process the information and then generate some response based on the information. Third component is the feedback regarding positive and negative responses and that feedback is provided to the learners re. All of these components are of critical importance and instructional designers should not ignore any of these components while developing any specific instructional design package. Tasks of instructional designers The main task of an instructional designer is to make sure that learners have those specific opportunities which are required by a learner in order to practice whatever they have been learning and experiencing. The experiences of learning and practicing are added to the process of instructional designing by an instructional designer as they know how individuals learn any specific experience and how the process of learning for those individuals can be made better. Gagne (1987) found that instructional designers work with subject matter experts in order to examine what the individuals actually need to learn. They develop the objectives for the learners and then structure the content to help the learners in the process of learning. Then they develop assessments and adapt such instructional materials which help them in promoting education in the individuals. Critical skills of an instructional designer 1. An instructional designer can understand and apply such concepts and theories related to instructional design which are based on relevance. 2. An instructional designer can suggest the most appropriate training solutions and can understand the mind of target audience. 3. He can also perform task analysis and can write measurable learning objectives. 4. He can also design various hands on exercises and learning strategies to keep the learner engaged with the course. 5. An instructional designer can evaluate the training feedbacks in order to make required improvements in the course. Conclusion Summing it up, it can be said that instructional design, in the present era, has gained a lot of importance in the field of education and learning. The discipline of instructional design is constructed on the rock of science and in the world of science and technology, the crucial and significant role of instructional design in the field of education and social change can never be denied. References Gagne, R. (1987). Instructional technology: foundations. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Jonassen, D., Tessmer. M., & Hannum, W. (1999). Task analysis methods for instructional design. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Rogers, P. (2002). Designing instruction for technology-enhanced learning. U.S.A: Idea Group Inc. Read More