Rewinding to the Roots

The importance of understanding foundations and theories of instructional design

Theory and Practice

As educators, our field is constantly changing. There is an old saying in education about a pendulum that is constantly swinging back and forth concerning educational trends; however, no one ever seems to be on the right side of that pendulum. In order to be an effective educator, it is important to be aware of those trends and understand best practices. Instructional technology and the idea of instructional design are no different. Because the field of education is so intertwined and involved in the business of people, it is important that we take the time to truly grasp the origins and how those roots have routed the present bases of the field

Understanding the four-part definition of instructional design is important for truly understanding the field as a process, discipline, science, and reality (Brown & Green, 2016). Each component of the definition further proves the notion justifying the importance of the field to human knowledge, interaction, and learning. All of education is wrapped up in philosophical foundations and theoretical bases. By understanding these components, instructional designers have a better ability to broaden their own scope and sequence of the field to better serve their learners. Because there are so many varying opinions of best practices when it comes to instruction, knowing the history and timeline of the development can be a helpful tool in narrowing down the best practices and models that address the needs of the learners. Because “truth is a construct that is based on an individual’s personal interpretation” (Brown & Green, 2016), it is important that instructional designers be equipped with knowledge of the varying models and theories that best support instructional design.

Personal Conclusions

As a teacher who taught before and after the pandemic, I feel like my thoughts on instructional design have shifted drastically in the last three years and are still evolving. Learning the history of instructional design and seeing how long it has taken for education to be truly affected by all that encompasses it is shocking, considering how quickly learning was forced to change during the pandemic. The evolution of how learning was designed, has never really been a pondering thought of mine, but I am curious to continue learning about the roots and reasons for the direction instructions design is heading. Since so many schools and companies are creating online learning environments, it is especially important to best understand models like the Dick and Carey Model or the Pebble-in-the-Pond Model. As I’ve began scratching the surface on some of these ideas, I am extremely thankful for the technology we have to best combine the best practices of these models to produce content and is beneficial for the diverse learners impacted by instructional design today.

Works Cited

Brown, A., & Green, T. D. (2016). The essentials of instructional design : connecting fundamental principles with process and practice. Routledge.