Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce both traditional and emerging pedagogies and instructional design models, as well as instructional design frameworks. A brief history of instructional system design is provided. In order for faculty to craft the best possible courses for their students, they must be aware of these theories to provide a comprehensive, student-centered, holistic experience in both the classroom and in online learning. Most faculty are experts in their field, but are not experts in pedagogy or instructional design. This chapter is intended as an introductory chapter for faculty to educate them on these theories and their practical use.
TopTheoretical Basis Of Instructional Design
How can learning be defined? Educational theories continue to grow and change. Socrates first defined learning as gaining self-knowledge; learners must realize they do not know everything. He defined several theories in the learning process: theory of value, theory of knowledge, and theory of human nature. In the theory of value, learners must gain skills in discriminating what knowledge is important. In the theory of knowledge, learners must have definitional knowledge (facts lower-level learning) in order to engage in philosophical discussions (higher-level learning). The last is the theory of human nature which is internal aspects of the learner. The learner must choose to learn, and choose knowledge rather than ignorance (Burgess, 2022). However, learning cannot be attained by force. Socrates’ theories of learning set the groundwork for centuries of education where the teacher was the deliverer of knowledge and the learner was the recipient.
Skinner (1950) defined learning as a change in behavior. In 1973, Malcolm Knowles defined learning as gaining knowledge and expertise in his study of adult learners (Knowles, 1980). In other words, learning should have meaning and purpose. More recent theorists in various fields still find these definitions lacking. In 2013, DeHouwer et al. proposed that current definitions of learning which are behavioral, ontogenetic adaptation, and mechanistic do not truly define this construct. They propose that for learning to occur, there must be a change in behavior, a regularity in environment (such as experience or the classroom), and a causal relationship between the environment and the change in behavior. They note learning is cognitive, adaptive and physical in regards to brain chemistry. Doyle (2023) calls it a change in the brain and notes “learning has not occurred unless students can recall the information when they need it…later in the course or in future activities” (p. 4). Throughout time, these different perspectives and theories of learning led to the creation of pedagogies.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Instructional Technology: Technology that is used to enhance the educational process such as video lecture capture systems, educational games, augmented, reality, etc.
Emerging Instructional Design Models: Newer instructional design models that consider instructional technology, student motivation, student empathy and competency-based education; many emerging models are not linear and are agile and iterative.
Instructional Design: The process of creating and designing curriculum for deliver in the face-to-face or online classroom to promote effective student learning.
Emerging Pedagogies: Newer pedagogical theories such as heutagogy, transformational learning, Pedagogy 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 that deviate from historical pedagogical models such as behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism.
Traditional Instructional Design Models: Instructional design models primarily based on the concept of instructional systems design. Traditional design models are linear.
Instructional Design Frameworks: Specific guidelines and processes that link educational theory to practice.
Curriculum Strategies: Models and methods of creating curriculum based on pedagogy, andragogy, heutagogy and other theories of learning.