Volume Two - Academic Conferences

A Holistic Approach to Instructional Design for Blended
Learning Environments
Li Zhong Zhang
Regional School of Business, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia
L.Zhang@latrobe.edu.au
Abstract: This paper aims at presenting an integrated framework, comprising three key components, namely,
instructional design, pedagogy and learning technologies, as a holistic approach to designing technology-based
blended learning environments. Each component will be reviewed commencing from the earlier developments
that have served as part of the foundation to the development of new trends and emerging ideas or concepts in
the field. The dynamic inter-relationships among the three components will be discussed. The design implications
and challenges in creating technology-based blended learning environments in support of contemporary
educational and technological trends and developments will be presented.
Keywords: Instructional design, pedagogy, learning technologies, blended learning
1. Introduction
The prevalence of online learning and information access is growing exponentially in various areas of
our society. Increasingly more teachers, educators, and instructors are beginning to see and
experience the importance and potential of using learning technologies in their courses and
programmes. However, they are often being rushed into using various learning technologies without
due considerations on pedagogical and instructional design aspects of instruction and learning
(Convery, 2009).
It is evident to educators alike that in moving from face-to-face setting to technology-mediated
environment would call for the need to change the way we teach and learn, this is more so for a
blended learning environment (Conole and Oliver, 2007).
From a macro perspective, blended learning could entail a hybrid mode of delivery, i.e, face-to-face
and online components. However, from a micro perspective, blended learning could mean
deployment of a mix of different instructional strategies and media within a setting. The discussion in
this paper encompasses both perspectives of blended learning. In addition, the integrated design
framework presented in this paper attempts to introduce another dimension of blended learning by
adopting a mix of learning approaches as the pedagogical bases for design.
2. Instructional design: Perspectives and considerations
Instructional design is increasingly gaining importance and popular among education and training
industry for creating effective instruction and learning in curriculum and training programmes. It is
useful for creating learning structure which keeps learners focused during the course of learning on
the intended learning outcomes, goals, process of learning (via various learning tasks) and the
product of learning (what is expected of the learners from the learning).
Instructional design is a systematic approach for the design, development, implementation and
evaluation of instruction to improve learning and performance in educational settings and workplace.
It is a procedural system for all phases of instructional system design (Dick and Carey, 2004, p.4).
The iterative and self-correction nature of instructional design process emerges as one of its greatest
strength (Reiser and Dempsey, 2005, p.19).
There are various instructional design models and processes cited in the literature (e.g, Dick and
Carey, 2004; Morrison, Ross and Kemp, 2007; Pachler and Daly, 2011). The following section
describes some components of instructional design process in four phases, namely, planning and
analysis, design, develop, delivery and management. For the purpose of this paper, only the first two
phases will be included in the discussion.
2.1 Planning and analysis phase
This phase comprises of analyses of learners, instructors, environment and tasks. It includes
identifying learning or performance needs and problems, learner profile, and learning setting. The
886