Serwan Bakey Initial Response: Instructional Design Theory.

Mastrian, McGonigle, Mahan, and Bixler (2011) presented a significant concept about the difference between learning theories and instructional design theories and said, “the learning theories provide a description of how people learn, but they do not give specific method or strategies”, while, “instructional design theories are based on learning theories, and provide guidance on how to design or create the instruction to enhance learning” (p. 94).  This concept really clarifies the difference between both types of aforementioned theories that learning theories describe how people learn and instructional design theories explain how to use the best way to enhance learning.  But, both types of theories are interrelated with each other.  The two instructional design theories that I prefer to use, as an educator in nursing, are the “Elaboration theory” and 4C/ID model”, which are more related to nursing education.

Elaboration theory can be used effectively in education in which it helps learners form cognitive schema for better understanding of complex knowledge and practices through dividing these complex concepts to simple tasks and information.  So, students can understand and use information successfully.  Scope and sequence are two elements that should be available to use elaboration theory.  Scope explains how a complex content should be separated into small and simple contents.  Sequence in elaboration theory means how the small and simple contents should be prepared and used in logical order.  In other words, it means how contents should be organized in a logical manner and sequence, and what content should be presented before the others.  Educators use topical sequence to completely teach one topic before moving to another one; while, they can use spiral sequence to teach students the basics of different topics before giving them the detail concepts of each topic.  Moreover, educators can use different types of sequence based on the type of expertise that they need to create in students, including domain expertise in which students become expertise in a specific part of knowledge through gaining knowledge from broader concept to narrower view, and task expertise in which students become experts in specific skills through gaining skills from simplest task to more complex skills.  This theory is helpful for nursing education, especially in teaching psychomotor skills and controlling learners during teaching process.  Reigeluth's elaboration theory assists students to learn and move from particular simple concepts to more complex concepts (Reigeluth & Carr-Chellman, 2009; Mergel, 1998).  Tennyson (2010) said that “elaboration theory is a theory of instructional design aimed at telling people how to teach rather than focusing on why and how people learn.  It is concerned with the structure and organization of instructional material (stimuli) rather than the material itself” (p. 8). 

The 4C/ID model can be used by nurse educators to teach students complex tasks as a whole.  It is different from the elaboration theory, which is used to divide complex topic to small parts.  Constituent skills that learners can acquire through the use of 4C/ID model can be classified in to non-recurrent skills in which learners can use to solve novel problems, and recurrent skills in which learners can use to solve routine problems.  Non-recurrent skills can be guided by cognitive skills; while, recurrent skills can be guided by sort of rules.  The use of 4C/ID model helps to develop students’ competencies and apply problem solving approaches.  The 4C/ID model helps students to learn new tasks through constructing cognitive schema; gain supportive information to be able to apply problem solving approach and critical reasoning; use step-by-step knowledge for better application of skills; and apply part-task practice for complex skills.  This model can be used successfully when students gain a lot of information and skills to be able to deal with complex situations and real-life situations.  Van Merriënboer and Kester (2008) said that “both novice and advanced learners achieved better whole task performance and better transfer performance if they received the 4C/ID whole-task training” (p. 453).

In short, instructional design theories help in guiding the learning process to enhance learning.  Different theories can be used and applied based on the learning environment.  Elaboration theory can be applied in education for early stage students who have limited information, knowledge base, and skills; while 4C/ID model can be used for more developed students in their progressed years of education. 

References:

Mastrian, K., McGonigle, D., Mahan, W., & Bixler, B.  (2011). Integrating Technology in Nursing Education: Tools for the Knowledge Era. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Mergel, B. (1998). Instructional design and learning theory. Retrieved January,4, 2010. Retrieved from http://principals.in/uploads/pdf/CurriculumDesignPlanning/10.1.1.135.5780[1].pdf

Reigeluth, C. M., & Carr-Chellman, A. A. (2009). Instructional Design Theories and Models Volume III Building a common knowledge base. New York and London.

Tennyson, R. D. (2010). Historical reflection on learning theories and instructional design. Contemporary Educational Technology, 2010, 1 (1), 1-16.[ELECTRONIC VERSION]. Retrieved on May 15, 2011 from http://cedtech. net/articles/11/111. pdf.

Van Merriënboer, J. J., & Kester, L. (2008). Whole-task models in education.Handbook of research on educational communications and technology, 3, 441-456. Retrieved from http://itforum.coe.uga.edu/paper118/Chapter35Handbook.pdf