Instructional Design

Instructional design theory and practice has evolved over the past 30 years from an initial narrow focus on programmed instruction to a multidimensional field of study integrating psychology, technology, evaluation, measurement and management. The growth of instructional design (ID) has occurred because of direct needs, problems and goals from society. Its application in planning instruction first developed in the United States with the Department of Defence during World War II, with the purpose of meeting immediate concerns for effective training of larger numbers of military personnel. From the beginning, ID has rapidly expanded into applications in industrial and executive training, vocational training, classroom learning and professional education. The goal of this two volume set is to establish international foundations for ID theory, research and practice within the framework of the two following objectives: to identify and define the theoretical, research and model foundations for ID, and to bridge the gap between ID foundations and application. Volume 1 includes chapters on philosophical and theoretical issues on learning theory and ID models. Volume 2 provides an overview of the state of the art of solving ID problems. The contributors offer contrasting points of view which provide a rare opportunity to see the diversity and complexity in the field.