As an instructional designer who incorporates three distinctives, my philosophy is grounded in a systems-based model that highlights the interplay — you might even say the harmony — of component parts. Perhaps the most overtly systems-based model derived from ADDIE is that of Dick and Carey, whose paradigm is both flexible and highly iterative.
Dick and Carey's model emphasizes interdependence of components such as front-end analysis, which can overlap with later phases of design. For example, thoroughly gathering data about learners and contexts may involve interviews that trigger greater metacognition for learners. In turn, learner behaviors might change substantially from the behaviors that yielded original assessment outcomes. Much like the observation effect in quantum mechanics, Dick and Carey’s model emphasizes that instructional systems are dynamic. Thus, it is imperative that instructional designers remain flexible and aware of changes to learners, their contexts, content, and other factors during the ADDIE process.
Dick and Carey hint that true Constructivism connotes a belief in Relativism, implying that knowledge is entirely an individualized construct that depends upon the knower. I appreciate that they take a less extreme approach, noting that their text incorporates some Constructivist approaches, without adopting this theory (which would upend any sort of systematic approach) wholly. Moreover, my epistemology is grounded in a belief in absolute, rather than relative, truth. Thus, while I thoroughly embrace the notion of encouraging students in the work of constructing knowledge, I believe they do so as a means of interpreting real and knowable concepts, rather than entirely relative notions.
For this reason, and also because Dick and Carey’s systematic method incorporates a more structured model than purely social constructivist paradigms, their work resounds with my own philosophies. (For a cogent discussion of the range of learning perspectives, see Christensen’s classic “Role of Theory in Instructional Design”).
Reflecting the close relationship between learning theory and project management, I have been indirectly influenced by George T. Doran and his emphasis on SMART goals. One of my current projects, in fact, involved realigning a graduate study course in which student submissions generally seemed vague or tangential in relation to the course objectives. Front-end analysis revealed that the initial assignment elicited student reflection about goals, but there were few guidelines about how to frame the goals. After discussing with the professor, I suggested incorporating SMART goals, along with exemplars, as a scaffold for students. I am excited to see how Doran's powered tool helps realign the elements, and thus the harmony, of this particular course.
Regarding organizational models, I find Gagné’s Nine Events a simple, accessible means to structure both in-person and online learning experiences. Notwithstanding its simplicity, the model carries weight in academic settings due to its proven effectiveness (Ali & Liaqat, 2017; Amalia & Suryaningtyas, 2023). Particularly in higher education contexts, it is critical to recommend strategies with academic credibility.
Furthermore, Gagné’s strategy meshes well with Keller’s ARCS Motivational Model. As with other durable educational models, this paradigm is flexible enough to deliver results in almost every context. Gaining Attention, for example, might look different in an asynchronous gateway course than it does in an upper level independent study. However, the need to address this first step in motivation, as well as the subsequent three steps (Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) is arguably more critical than ever, given the fast-paced, information-overload contexts of today’s learners.
Mayer’s Multimedia Principles have played a prominent role in my development work since my first exposure to Nilson and Goodson’s excellent text Online Teaching at Its Best. In fact, Clark and Mayer’s seminal text itself has profoundly impacted my use of images for active learning. I am a firm advocate for use of interpretive graphics in which students can manipulate variables to construct their knowledge. In one course, for example, I collaborated with a professor to replace three lectures with interactive, scaffolded learning modules where students grappled with abstract concepts by arranging them on a whiteboard that I had purpose-built to scaffold the former lecture material.
Instructional design is recursive and iterative not only in the everyday work of its practitioners, but also as a field unto itself. Furthermore, as digital devices increasingly shape human cognition and social norms impact learning goals, this field continues to evolve rapidly. As an instructional designer, my systems-based framework centers on harmonizing each component of the process to facilitate an outstanding symphony of learning.