Instructional-Design Theories and Models, Volume III

Building a Common Knowledge Base

Charles M. Reigeluth, Alison A. Carr-Chellman, Charles M. Reigeluth, Alison A. Carr-Chellman

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9780805864564
• eBook ISBN: 9781135211066
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Instructional-Design Theories and Models, Volume III: Building a Common Knowledge Base is perhaps best described by its new subtitle. Whereas Volume II sought to comprehensively review the proliferating theories and models of instruction of the 1980's and 1990's, Volume III takes on an even more daunting task: starting to build a common knowledge base that underlies and supports the vast array of instructional theories, models and strategies that constitute the field of Instructional Design. Unit I describes the need for a common knowledge base, offers some universal principles of instruction, and addresses the need for variation and detailed guidance when implementing the universal principles. Unit II describes how the universal principles apply to some major approaches to instruction such as direct instruction or problem-based instruction. Unit III describes how to apply the universal principles to some major types of learning such as understandings and skills. Unit IV provides a deeper understanding of instructional theory using the structural layers of a house as its metaphor and discusses instructional theory in the broader context of paradigm change in education.

Unit 1
Frameworks for Understanding Instructional Theory

Unit Foreword

This unit lays the groundwork for a shared language and a set of common understandings in instructional theory. This unit foreword provides brief descriptions of the primary ideas in each of the chapters in this unit, which offer some organizational schemes for understanding and developing a common knowledge base about instruction. We strongly recommend reading this unit before reading any of the other chapters in this book.

In chapter 1 we (Reigeluth & Carr-Chellman) look at the constructs and terminology used to describe and understand instructional theory. First, we define instruction as anything that is done purposely to facilitate learning. Based on this definition and understanding of the entire field of instructional design, we make the case for the need for a common knowledge base and then relate design theory, instructional design theory, student-assessment design theory, curriculum design theory, learning theory, and the learning sciences to instruction. We identify several aspects of instructional design theory, including event, analysis, planning, building, implementation, and evaluation design theory within instructional design theory. These aspects are then related to the concept of layers of design (Gibbons & Rogers, chapter 14). We identify the need for a significantly new paradigm for future change efforts and describe the need for learner-centeredness in that paradigm. We share the results of a small Delphi study to help build consensus on common terms, which lays a foundation for a common language in our field.

Chapter 2 takes up the issue of what we mean by instruction itself (as opposed to instructional theory, which we deal with in chapter 1). Here Reigeluth and Keller take up the issues associated with major constructs that make up instructional theories. They settle on instructional situations, methods, approaches, components, and content sequencing as the categories of constructs concerned with instruction. Built on an analogy to rules of English grammar, these constructs are linked and designers are advised to carefully consider the relationships among the categories.

In chapter 3 Merrill discusses the principles of good instruction that may be common to all instruction. Calling these “First Principles,” Merrill lays out the qualifications for inclusion in this list, along with the principles in brief and in more detail. The principles include the demonstration principle, application principle, task-centered principle, activation principle, and integration principle. The chapter takes up the difficult task of elaborating on these principles and relating them to one another to create a defensible set of principles that Merrill asserts will create effective and efficient instruction.

Chapter 4 (Reigeluth & Carr-Chellman) focuses on the situational principles of instruction—ones that vary from one situation to another. This chapter describes what situational principles are and links them to the notion of universal principles through an analogy of the universe and galaxies. In an effort to increase precision in our language and knowledge base, we elaborate on kinds, parts, and criteria as ways to make methods more precise. Principles as heuristics, or rules of thumb, are particularly important for precise descriptions of methods. A review of learning taxonomies leads us to a description of the instructional theories we have included in units 2 and 3.

—CMR & ACC

1
Understanding Instructional Theory

CHARLES M.REIGELUTH
Indiana University

ALISON A.CARR-CHELLMAN
Pennsylvania State University

Charles M.Reigeluth received a BA in economics from Harvard University. He was a high school teacher for three years before earning his doctorate in instructional psychology at Brigham Young University. He has been a professor in the Instructional Systems Technology Department at Indiana University’s School of Education in Bloomington since 1988, and served as chairman of the department from 1990 to 1992. His major area for service, teaching, and research is the process for facilitating district-wide paradigm change in public school systems. His major research goal is to advance knowledge to help school districts successfully navigate transformation to the learner-centered paradigm of education. He has published nine books and over 120 journal articles and chapters. Two of his books received an “outstanding book of the year” award from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). He also received AECT’s Distinguished Service Award and Brigham Young University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Alison A.Carr-Chellman is a professor of instructional systems at Pennsylvania State University in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems. She received a B.S. and an M.S. from Syracuse University. She taught elementary school, community education, and worked as an interactional designer for McDonnell Douglas before returning to Indiana University to earn her doctorate. She is the author of more than 100 publications including two books, many book chapters, and a wide variety of refereed and nonrefereed journal articles. Her research interests are diffusion of innovations, systemic school change, elearning, systems theory, and design theory.

EDITORS’ FOREWORD

Vision

• To build a common knowledge base and a common language about instruction

Definition of Instruction

• Instruction is anything that is done purposely to facilitate learning.

The Nature of Theories Related to Instruction

• Design theory is goal oriented and normative.

• Instructional design theory is a set of design theories that pertain to various aspects of instruction and include:

1. Instructional-event design theory (DT)

2. Instructional-analysis DT

3. Instructional-planning DT

4. Instructional-building DT

5. Instructional-implementation DT

6. Instructional-evaluation DT

• Related theories include:

1. Student-assessment design theory

2. Curriculum design theory

3. Learning theory

4. Learning sciences

• Interrelationships among all these kinds of theories are powerful, and it is often beneficial to integrate them.

• Instructional design theories and layers of design

1. Content layer

2. Strategy layer

3. Message layer

4. Control layer

5. Representation layer

6. Media logic layer

7. Data management layer

The Role of Instructional Theory in Educational Reform

• Why a new paradigm of education is needed and possible

• Relation to paradigm change in education

• Relation to Learner-Centered Instruction

• Learner-centered psychological principles

• The science of learning

• New paradigm of instructional theory (volume 2)

• Cognitive flexibility theory, personalized learning, brain-based learning, and differentiated instruction

The Nature of Instructional Theories: Constructs and Terms

• Results of a Delphi study

• Recommended constructs and terms

1. Instructional method

1.1. Scope (micro-meso-macro)

1.2. Generality (universal-local)

1.3. Precision (imprecise-precise) based on parts, kinds, or criteria

1.4. Power (low-high)

1.5. Consistency (low-high)

2. Instructional situation

2.1. Values

2.1.1. About learning goals

2.1.2. About priorities (effectiveness, efficiency, appeal)

2.1.3. About methods

2.1.4. About power (learner, teacher, institution)

2.2. Conditions

2.2.1. Content

2.2.2. Learner

2.2.3. Learning environment

2.2.4. Instructional development constraints

—CMR & ACC

UNDERSTANDING INSTRUCTIONAL THEORY

Instructional theory may sound, at first, like a dense and difficult topic, but it is easier to understand than you might think. Furthermore, this knowledge is central to helping you improve the quality of your teaching and training. Taking the time to understand the nature of instructional theory will help you to understand individual instructional theories and even help you make contributions to this growing knowledge base. Therefore, an understanding of the nature of instructional theory is important to both your growth and the growth of our field.

Vague and inconsistent language is impeding such growth. Different theorists use the same term to refer to different things and different terms to refer to the same things. This is confusing for all of us, from beginning graduate students to expert designers and researchers. When a discipline is young, it is natural for there to be such inconsistent language. We propose that instructional theory has now reached a level of development where a common knowledge base with a consistent terminology would greatly facilitate the future development ...

Table of contents

• Contents
• List of Figures and Tables
• Preface
• Unit 1 Frameworks for Understanding Instructional Theory
• Unit 2 Theories for Different Approaches to Instruction
• Unit 3 Theories for Different Outcomes of Instruction
• Unit 4 Tools for Building a Common Knowledge Base
• Author Index
• Subject Index