Instructional Design : A Primer

No single book exists which presents a practical, internally consistent approach to the application of instructional design principles. Other books offer broad brush-strokes within which a myriad of interpretations and applications can exist in the same design, and as a result instructional designs are concocted which are confusing to the learner. In this book, a specific, synthesized approach is presented enabling the designer to more easily achieve closure on the design. Each step in the process is a logical part of the mosaic forming an instructional design. The book presents the following main topics: overview to the instructional design process; general systems theory; instruction for assessing needs, and for writing goals and objectives, for analyzing tasks, for planning learner activities, and for selecting, designing, producing and integrating media into the design. Developmental testing and validation are covered. Also included are strategies for motivation, rationale development, and overviews of constructivism and behaviorism. This book is intended for undergraduate pre-service education majors in teacher education, and for instructional designer/trainers in non-public education settings such as corporate training, health and allied agencies, military, government, and business and industry. Anyone who deals with teaching and learning will benefit from the book.