Skip to main content
Log in

Instructional systems design: Five views of the field

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of instructional development

Abstract

Despite high enrollments in graduate programs, flourishing relationships with business and industry, and a general feeling that the field has much to offer, instructional systems design seems to confuse the public. Some think of it as focused on technology and/or the production of materials; others think it mechanical and antihumanistic. Still others claim the field is stuck in a behavioral paradigm. Perceptions like these have been voiced for years. Where do they come from? Are they true? This paper presents five ways the field is viewed and suggests how instructional systems design professionals can avoid ambiguity in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, J. (1980).Cognitive psychology and its implications. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armbruster, B., & Anderson, T. (1985). Frames: Structures for informative text. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.),The technology of text. Vol. 2. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ausubel, D. (1968).Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986).Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, C., & Nadler, L. (Eds.) (1979).The client-consultant handbook. Houston: Gulf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernhard, K., & DiPaolo, A. (1982). Profiling and targeting training and development needs.NSPI Journal, 21(10), 12–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booher, E. (1982). Eleven myths about writing — and how trainers can debunk them.Training, 19(4), 40–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bratton, B. (1981). Training the instructional development specialist to work in unfamiliar content areas.Journal of Instructional Development, 4(3), 21–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, L. (Ed.) (1977).Instructional design: Principles and applications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broad, M. L. (1982). Management actions to support transfer of training.Training and Development Journal, 36(5), 124–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruner, J. (1973).The relevance of education. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrier, C. (1986). A first meeting of professors of educational technology: A summary of issues.Journal of Instructional Development, 8(3), 15–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan, T. (1984). In search of the artistry in educational technology.Educational Technology, 24(4), 7–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R., & Salomon, G. (1986). Media in teaching. In M. Wittrock (Ed.)Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed.) New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coldeway, D., & Rasmussen, R., (1984). Instructional variables.Journal of Instructional Development, 7(1), 23–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, T., & Reichardt, C. (Eds.). (1979).Qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation and research. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craig, R. (Ed.) (1976).Training and development handbook (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, I. (1975). Some aspects of a theory of advice: The management of an instructional-developer, evaluator-client relationship.Instructional Science, 3, 351–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dick, W. (1981). Instructional design models: Future trends and issues.Educational Technology, 21(7), 29–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick, W., & Carey, L. (1985).The systematic design of instruction (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, M., & Levie, H. (1978).Instructional message design: Principles from the behavioral sciences. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagne, E. (1985).The cognitive psychology of school learning. Boston: Little, Brown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagne, R. (1985).The conditions of learning (4th ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagne, R., & Beard, J. (1978). Assessment of learning outcomes. In R. Glaser (Ed.),Advances in instructional psychology. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerlach, L., & Ely, D. (1980).Teaching and media: A systematic approach (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gronlund, N., (1981).Measurement and evaluation in teaching. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havelock, R. (1973).The change agent’s guide to innovation in education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Head, G., & Buchanan, C. (1981). Cost/benefit analysis of training: A foundation for change.NSPI Journal, 20(9), 25–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, R., & English, F. (1979).Needs assessment: Concept and application. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, J. (1983). Motivational design of instruction. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.),Instructional-design theories and models: An overview of their current status. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klatzky, R. (1980).Human memory: Structures and processes (2nd ed.). San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knirk, F., & Gustafson, K. (1986).Instructional technology: A systematic approach to education. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knowles, M. (1984).Andragogy in action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levie, W., & Dickie, K. (1973). The analysis and application of media. In M. Travers (Ed.),Second handbook of research on teaching. Chicago: Rand McNally.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, E. (Ed.). (1985).The educational media and technology yearbook. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, R. (1986) Foreword.Journal of Instructional Development, 8(3), 2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1954).The construction of reality in the child. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiser, R., & Gagne, R. (1983).Selecting media for instruction. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, E. (1983).Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothkopf, E. (1970). The concept of mathemagenic activities.Review of Educational Research, 40, 325–336.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schein, E. (1986). What you need to know about organizational culture.Training and Development Journal, 40(1), 30–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleger, P. (1984). Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.Training and Development Journal, 38(4), 97–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schramm, W. (1977).Big media, little media: Tools and technologies for instruction. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching.Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silberman, C. (1970).Crisis in the classroom. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorman, J. (1982). Criterion referenced evaluation and its effect on achievement and attitude.NSPI Journal, 21(10), 15–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torkelson, G. (1977). AVCR—One quarter of a century: Evolution of theory and research.AVCR, 25(4), 317–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tubbs, S. (1978).A systems approach to small group interaction. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuckman, B. (1979).Evaluating instructional programs. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walter, S., & Earle, R. (1981–82). Contracting for instructional development: A follow-up.Journal of Instructional Development, 5(2), 26–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wildman, T. (1981). Cognitive theory and the design of instruction.Educational Technology, 21(7), 14–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wildman, T., & Burton, J. (1981). Integrating learning theory with instructional design.Journal of Instructional Development, 4(3), 5–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schiffman, S.S. Instructional systems design: Five views of the field. Journal of Instructional Development 9, 14–21 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02908314

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02908314

Keywords

Navigation