The Instructional Design Model: A Practical Guide To Better Instructional Design
Instructional design is one of the most misunderstood and
undervalued technical fields in software today. Modern software is complex, and
no matter how much we try to make it user-friendly, it’s still going to be a
series of tangles of code. The top reasons for this lack of appreciation for
instruction design are its complexity and the difficulty in communicating its
value to leaders who are not directly involved with the software development
process. Fortunately, the two main tools that support instruction designers –
instructional design theories and instructional design models – have become
more accessible than ever. This article will explore those tools, their
benefits, and how they can be used effectively to improve your instructional
design skills.
What is Instructional Design?
Instructional design is the process of creating software
that supports the learning process for both users and instructors.
Instructional designers focus on the overall user experience with software and
consider how the material will be presented to the end user. The people who use
your software will depend on the quality of the information you provide. If you
create poor-quality software, your users will be frustrated and fail to learn.
Instructional designers work on many aspects of the software
lifecycle, including interpreting information needs and determining how the
software will be used. They also help develop methods for demonstrating the
software and creating training and support materials. The educational
environment is a good example of when this role is especially important;
educational software can be used to facilitate learning in a wide range of
settings, such as corporate training, independent study, or job training.
Instructional Design Theories
The field of instructional design hinges on several theories
that help explain how humans learn and how to create excellent user
experiences. Instructional design theories are the “big picture” explanations
of the field, and they are the foundation upon which most other designs are
built.
Instructional design theories are the foundation of the
field and are considered the “grand unifying theories” that explain human
learning. These theories include Cognitive Theory, Learning Theory, and
Learning Models.
Learning Theory
Theories of human learning explain the process by which
people acquire knowledge. Instructional design theories are based on the
assumption that people do not “know” things until they “learn” them. Learning
Theory explains that the process of learning is a chain of associations, or
links, between the things we already know and the things we want to learn.
Learning Theory explains that the more links you create
between things you know and things you want to learn, the more likely you are
to remember the new information. People are more likely to remember things that
are connected to other things they already know, because these links help
“prime” the information in the brain to be more easily accessed.
Cognitive Theory
Cognitive Theory explains that learning is a process of
linking previously unrelated concepts together, and it is based on the premise
that the brain makes links between things based on its experience. The brain
records information through a process called perception. Your eyes take in
sensory data (the stimulus) and send it to your brain (the perceiver). Your
brain organizes the data so you can understand what it means, and it turns that
information into something you can remember and use (the concept).
If you want to learn, you must create links between concepts
in your brain. If you want to create links between related concepts, you must
associate new information with things you already know.
Cognitive Theory suggests that the more links you create
between concepts you want to learn and things you already know, the more likely
you are to remember them.
Learning Models
Models of learning explain how humans learn, how they store
and retrieve information, and how they apply the information they retrieve. The
most common Learning Model is the Systematic Model of Learning, which explains
that people learn by breaking down information into smaller parts, relating
each part to one or more other parts of the same or a different type of
information, and finally combining all the parts to create a new logical whole.
Learning Models explain that learning happens in three
stages: representation, retrieval, and application. Humans are more likely to
remember information if it is presented in a meaningful way. Once information
is stored in your brain, you are more likely to retrieve it by creating links
between concepts that you want to learn and things you already know. Finally,
you are more likely to use the information you retrieve when you apply it to
new situations.
Application Model
Application Model explains the way people use information,
how they create mental models, and how they apply new knowledge. It is based on
the assumption that people are more likely to successfully use information they
created themselves. Application Models suggest that people use mental models to
create new models of reality in their heads, or “maps.” Mental models are
created from existing models in your head and are used to create new models
from scratch. People are more likely to successfully use information if they
created it themselves.
Application Models explain that successful use of
information requires creating a mental map of the information, which leads to
successful retrieval of information. Finally, successful use of information
requires creating a new model of reality.
Application Models suggest that the best way to use
information is to create a mental model and then use that model to create new
information.
Summary
Instructional design theories explain how people learn and
how they create mental models. Learning models explain the link between
concepts, cognitive theories explain how the brain links those concepts
together, and learning models explain the link between the information and the
person using it. Instructional design theories are