What is instructional design (ID)? Why do we need it? Who are the individuals who need it? Let’s start with a definition. There are many definitions, which definition is the best. As for me in selecting the definition, make sure it fits your needs. Let say I’m an educator who wanted to design a lesson so the meaning should be related to creating the instructional system (as a whole). In micro level, perhaps I can think of lesson design. I believe anything that related to teaching and learning it involves the creation of a ‘system’. To achieve this, we need to look at the ‘process’. So in the context of your scenario, what do you think the definition will be?
Through the practice of instructional design, forces me to think systematically. The beauty of an instructional system relies on the way how the designers think. For example, let say I were to design the instructional system. First, I need to set a parameter or boundaries. Then start to identify the components that might work within limits. Through literature as evidence, I begin building the thinking structure. The first thing, I will look is the main element of the thinking structure.
The most crucial element in its design is the INPUT and OUTPUT of the THINKING that contribute to the SURROUNDINGS. You might be interested with ideas on SYSTEM by Bertalanfy (1960). The diagram below shows the application of system thinking in creating the instructional system. It also attempts to demonstrate the ideas on the system thinking by Bertalanfy. I think most of the components appeared in the diagram are common to everybody. It is to show the thinking structure as provided in the tools of system thinker.
One thought on “Why Do I need Instructional Design?”