Instructional Design

Abstract

The term instructional design (ID) refers to the systematic and professional provisions for education or training. Therefore it is especially relevant to the fields of instructional technology, instructional science, and educational psychology. Considerations regarding planned instruction have been made at least as long as there have been institutions for instruction and training. But the term ‘instructional design’ itself appeared for the first time in the midst of the twentieth century. The development of instructional design was mainly stimulated by two factors: first, to train as many learners as possible within a short period of time, and second, to use the most efficient available instructional means (e.g., media, such as written instructions, demonstration films, and practical exercises). One starting point for instructional design was the urgent training of newly drafted soldiers when the United States entered the Second World War. The article gives a short description of the beginning and development of the field ‘instructional design’, changes of its theoretical adjustment (especially regarding behaviorism and cognitive psychology), the emphasis in current theory and research, methodological problems, and prospective future directions.