What is Instructional Design?
First of all, to know the use or the need of something, we must understand it.
Instructional Design may be common in some fields. However, it may be new to some who may have never heard of it or who may have heard it but never really understood what it is.
Although some of us may be familiar with Instructional Design, some of us may not be familiar. Therefore, below is to simplify or to understand the words by definition;
Definition of Instruction:
Detailed information about how something should be done or operated.
Definition of Design:
Purpose or planning that exists behind an action, fact, or object.
Definition of Instructional Design:
The creation of learning experiences and materials resulting in the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.
In other words, or in another simple term is that, instructional design is a creation of instructional materials and constructive learning experience for learners. However, it goes beyond than just simply creating teaching materials but it is carefully considering the methods of which is most effective, to help one achieve their academic goals.
A brief history of Instructional Design
“Psychologists used their knowledge of evaluation and testing to help assess the skills of trainees and select the individuals who were most likely to benefit from particular training programs.” (Reiser, 2001)
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It is always exciting to know the origin of something, right? Well, here is a brief history of Instructional Design.
The start of instructional design as an academic subject and profession came about through a combination of multiple disciplines such as behavioural science, military training practices, and education.
The practice of designing instructions through Instructional Design is actually an old concept but the basis of instructional design theories began during World War II. Soldiers needed extensive training on many complex tasks.
When a big number of soldiers needed to be taught very specific tasks in a short amount of time, individual aspects of these complex tasks needed to be broken down. Using research from B.F Skinner’s studies in behavioural science, military instructors learned to break tasks into individual learning goals. From doing this, they saw much better results.
From there, many of the training practices used for the military during the war were transferred to business and education.
In recent years, as traditional methods are becoming obsolete, Instructional Design has become a common thing especially in learning, whether in school or at work. Educational tools are designed and created to deliver certain subjects to specific learning groups, from students to adult employees across all industry sectors.
Instructional Design 101 is one of AIM’s Signature Programmes. If you are interested in this topic, click the button below to learn more about the programme or even register for our next training session
