Week 1: Intro to ISD

"…ISD is nothing more than common sense with a plan." - Chuck Hodell ISD From the Ground Up

INTRODUCTION

Instructional systems design (ISD) is a convenient method that provides a way to approach a project systematically. Projects can come in what appears to be a very neat and tidy package or a chaotic mess. In whatever form the project comes, ISD can help manage the process. Using an ISD model to organize and categorize components of any size or type project assists in the creative thinking process for developing short- and long-term solutions for both the developer and the end user.

As CSI staff, we have all used ISD principles to one degree or another in our work. Whether you have had formal training in ISD or not, the premise of ISD will be familiar to you. To get an understanding of what instructional design entails, the list below provides a brief description of what instructional designers do, which should look familiar to you. For a more detailed description of ISD, review the materials under ISD Definitions, Processes, and Functions. Then, review From the Perspective of an Instructional Designer to help you understand some of the why's and how's of using ISD.

Instructional Designers...

  • Solve problems
  • Analyze needs of sponsors and users
  • Research relevant content
  • Collaborate with SMEs and stakeholders
  • Design and develop courses, trainings, programs, and instructional objects
  • Write and publish tutorials, articles, and books
  • Conduct trainings and demos
  • Design evaluation tools for sponsor criteria, user needs and performance, improvements, and outcomes
  • Design and conduct pilots and focus groups
  • Develop and use evaluation / feedback for improvement
  • Provide consultation

ISD DEFINITIONS, PROCESSES and FUNCTIONS

Take a look at these definitions of ISD from different perspectives. You'll notice that the "D" in ISD and ID (interchangeable terms) refers to either design or development. It seems people in the field couldn't come up with just one acronym—or words for that matter. For more information on understanding these terms, check out the link under Educational Technology below which provides a good summary of the different roles of educational technologists and what they (we) do. Please review the corresponding materials in more detail by clicking on the source links.

/in•struc•tion•al de•sign/ (n): The process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers often use technology and multimedia as tools to enhance instruction.

Source: http://www.instructionaldesign.org/

Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is the practice of maximizing the effectiveness, efficiency and appeal of instruction and other learning experiences. The process consists broadly of determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating some "intervention" to assist in the transition. Ideally the process is informed by pedagogically and andragogically (adult learning) tested theories of learning and may take place in student-only, teacher-led or community-based settings. The outcome of this instruction may be directly observable and scientifically measured or completely hidden and assumed. There are many instructional design models but many are based on the ADDIE model with the phases analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. As a field, instructional design is historically and traditionally rooted in cognitive and behavioral psychology.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructional_design

ISD as a Design Science: While some learning theory is part of the descriptive sciences, which describe the way things function in the natural world; ISD is more a part of the design sciences, which offer ways to perform certain human-defined tasks. Descriptive sciences can be considered the law, while design sciences are roadmaps, thus there is normally more than one way to get from one point the next.

Source: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/isd/design_science.html

Instructional Design as a Process: Instructional Design is the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs. It includes development of instructional materials and activities; and tryout and evaluation of all instruction and learner activities.

Instructional Design as a Discipline: Instructional Design is that branch of knowledge concerned with research and theory about instructional strategies and the process for developing and implementing those strategies.

Instructional Design as a Science: Instructional Design is the science of creating detailed specifications for the development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of situations that facilitate the learning of both large and small units of subject matter at all levels of complexity.

Instructional Design as Reality: Instructional Design can start at any point in the design process. Often a glimmer of an idea is developed to give the core of an instruction situation. By the time the entire process is done the designer looks back and she or he checks to see that all parts of the "science" have been taken into account. Then the entire process is written up as if it occurred in a systematic fashion.

Source: http://www.coe.uh.edu/courses/cuin6373/whatisid.html

Educational Technology

FROM AN INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER PERSPECTIVE

From the perspective of an instructional designer , any undertaking that includes a learner and the subject matter necessary to learn requires an instructional system. Instructional designers need inputs like subject matter and resources, an Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, and outputs like curriculum and materials to build a training course. This combination of elements is called an instructional system. Anything from a lecture to web-based training starts with the same fundamentals. 

Source: http://www.astd.org/NR/rdonlyres/1EEDFBCB-8466-4E8F-BE80-FB76A72E7849/0/module1sample.pdf 

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

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