The Education of Instructional Designers: Reflections on the Tripp Paper

Abstract

In a recent issue of this journal, Steven D. Tripp proposed some innovations in the education of instructional designers based on his analysis of education practices in other design professions. His principal proposals were that students should analyze great instructional designs of the past and that instructional design studios should form part of the educational preparation of students entering the profession. This paper proposes some extensions and modifications to Tripp's original ideas. These include extending his concept of the analysis of great lessons of the past to the analysis of current examples of expert work, the use of an expanded jury system to incorporate peer and practitioner evaluation of students' work, and the criticality of students developing solutions to actual performance problems during the instructional design studio experience. Finally, it is proposed that opportunities for critical reflection on the process of instructional design be built into the studio experience.