E-learning Instructional Design Guidelines - Human Factors ...

HFIDTC/WP2.1.5/2
Version 2/ 30 April 2006
6 Principle e-learning disciplines
Instructional design is one of the principal disciplines within e-learning design and
development (the other disciplines being Subject Matter Expertise, Digital Media Design,
Programming and Project Management):
Project Management
Instructional Design
Subject Matter Expertise
Programming and
Technical Expertise
Digital Media Design
Figure 5 - Principal disciplines within e-learning
While Figure 5 shows these components as separate disciplines there is a high degree of
interaction between them. All of these core disciplines interact to some extent, and all
must be present for the best possible learning experience to be delivered to the user. A
defect in one area can easily affect another area, such as a technical bug or problem
impacting on the instructional experience.
The components and interactions between these areas are described below:
Instructional Design (instructional design) is defined as “the systematic and reflective
process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans and products for
instructional materials, activities, information resources and evaluation.” (Smith and
Ragan, 2005). Instructional design is concerned with the design of the instruction that
facilitates the students’ learning process.
6.1 Instructional Design
Instructional design defines the objectives and the application (learning transfer)
environment, selects the appropriate subject matter for the course, contextualises it to the
audience and situation, sequences it appropriately and ensures congruence between
objectives, learning content and interactions and assessment.
Instructional design impacts on the efficacy of the final instructional project from every
perspective; structural, cognitive, contextual, motivational, and from an overall quality
perspective.
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