1. Definitions and History
IDT 617
Instructional Design & Technology

2. A Tricky Beginning…
Defining the field can be tricky
It might take an entire semester to decide on what you think
is the best definition
Let’s look at some of the definitions and see how they relate
to what instructional designers do in research and practice

3. Many definitions…
 Instructional design is the systemic and systematic application of strategies and
techniques derived from behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories to the
solution of instructional problems.
 Instructional design is the systematic application of theory and other organized
knowledge to the task of instructional design and development.
 It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development
of a delivery system to meet those needs.
 Educational technology is the application of research, learning theory, emergent
technologies, and child and adult psychology to solving instructional and
performance problems.

4. The Final Word
1994: Instructional technology is the theory and practice of
design, development, utilization, management, and
evaluation of processes and resources for learning.
2006: Educational technology is the study and ethical
practice of facilitating learning and improving
performance by creating, using and managing
appropriate technological processes and resources.
Association for Educational Communications and Technology, 1994; 2006

5. Components of the Definition
Study
Research informing practice
Ethical practice
Impacts choices
Facilitating & Learning
Shift in ideas of learning
Changing definitions
Improving
The benefits of a systematic
approach
Subjective measure
Performance
Usable knowledge
Creating & Using
Making stuff
Where the solution meets the
problem
Managing
Keeping track of everything
Appropriate Technology,
Processes & Resources
The right process or tool for
the job

6. At It’s Core…Instructional Design is:
 Student Centered
Meaningful learning environments
 Goal Oriented
Tangible goals that can be achieved through training
 Focused on Performance
Higher levels of learning than recall
 Focused on Measurable Outcomes
Assessments are key
 Empirical, Iterative and Self-correcting
Guided by theory, strong research focus
 Primarily a Team Effort
Complex processes require more than one person

7. Instructional
Design
& Technology
Ed Psych
Performance
Support
K-12 &
Higher Ed
Learning
Technologies
Educational
Research
Our Sandboxes…

8. Ed Psych
Educational Psychology
Cognitive psychology
Cognitive Science
Learning Sciences
Individual differences
Learning theories
Learning environments

9. Performance Support
Electronic Performance
Support Systems (EPSS)
Knowledge Management
Change Management
Needs andTask Analyses
Performance
Support

10. Education
Technology and curriculum
integration
Media literacy
Virtual High Schools
Distance Learning
Educational Gaming
K-12 &
Higher Ed

11. Computer Technologies
Instructional Software
Development and
Evaluation
Hypertext
Web-based instruction
Emerging technologies
Instructional gaming and
simulation
Learning
Technologies

12. Research
Quantitative
Qualitative
Literature Reviews
Meta-analyses
Evaluation
Action Research
Educational
Research

13. Now that you have so many definitions
and applications…
Think about the following questions and write your
responses on the Discussion Board
Which definition makes the most sense to you as you begin to
study the field?
Where do you think the main focal point should be? Research?
Practice? Or a combination of both?
Did anything in the readings or these slides surprise you?

14. Comprehensive information and a good template
for yourTimeline found at:
http://www.slideshare.net/benton44/history-of-
instructional-design-and-technology
The History of IDT

15. Two tracks
Instructional Media
Instructional Approaches

16. Instructional Media
Schools and museum materials
Lantern projectors
Adoption of educational films
Telecommunications Satellites and educational television
Personal Computers

17. First museums
delivered materials by
horse-drawn cart
Excerpt from an early textbook:
linking images and text
Lantern
projector
and film
catalog
Telstar Communications Satellite (1962)
Start of transatlantic TV transmission
First Apple Computer (1976)
eventually leading to the personal
computer

18. Instructional Approaches
Dewey
Classroom as a laboratory
The importance of WWII
Skinner
Behavioral Learning Theory and Programmed instruction
Interest in the “Black Box” was minimal
A systematic approach to instruction

19. Moving Towards the ID process
Instructional Objectives
Robert Mager: Preparing Objectives for Programmed Instruction,
1962
Behavioral and Cognitive Objectives
Criterion referenced testing
Gagne
Conditions of learning
Taxonomy of skills
Events of instruction

20. ID Models/Growth of Constructivism
1970s
Number of ID Models increased
Shift from behaviorism to cognitive approach
Focus on constructivism
Gagne’s events of instruction map onto cognitive processes
•Gain Attention
•Inform Learner of Objective
•Recall Prior Knowledge
•Present Material
•Provide Guided Learning
•Elicit Performance
•Provide Feedback
•Assess Performance
•Enhance Retention and Transfer

21. Progress and performance
1980s and 1990s
Explosion of Media and Access
Computers
WWW (allowed for worldwide connections)
Hypertext and Hypermedia
Performance Technologies (i.e., assessing gaps in skills)
Expanded scope of instructional designers
Instructional strategies lean more towards student centered
learning

22. Where are we now?
Human Performance Technology
Technology Integration in K12 Environments
Cognitive Science & Learning Sciences
Consulting with Engineering, Modeling & Simulation
Researchers
Training for military, business and K-20 students
Digital literacies

23. For the remainder of the week…
Respond to questions on Discussion Board
Reply to classmate’s responses and continue the conversation
I will moderate, answer questions and keep us on track

24. Next week
I will review the discussion board interactions
We will discuss ID process and the relationship of Learning
Theory and Design
Timeline is due before class on Sept. 16th
Upload is available from Assignment Uploads link