Instructional Design Links

Pedagogy and Frameworks

To gain a more thorough understanding of teaching and learning models, check out the Digital Learning Institute’s overview. This site provides just enough detail to be useful without overwhelming those who are new to the field.

More specific treatments of particular models include CUNY’s edtech pages, featuring their overview of Dick and Carey’s framework.

CUNY also has an informative overview of the 5E Model. Though most online sources associate this framework with its STEM roots, CUNY’s 5E summary provides a more flexible scope for this model.

Maureen McMahon delineates an academic overview of Keller’s ARCS Model in her 2021 article available on EBSCO. Short enough to be easily digestible, the article offers especial insights on the ARCS model in higher education.

Trudy Christensen wrote a cogent article outlining a simple spectrum of learning theories in the context of instructional design. Though the article is a bit dated, Christensen’s explanation still stands. It was a powerful tool in helping me grasp the framework of Dick and Carey, among others.

Bridging the gap between academic theory and practical tools, Vanderbilt University’s Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education maintains a world class hub of resources and tools that I have found useful since I first became interested in instructional design.

Quality Matters, a nonprofit focused on digital learning at every level, publishes thorough rubrics for the entire spectrum of instruction. Professionally, my colleagues and I use the QM higher education rubric to inform our work with graduate school professors.

 

Accessibility

A classic in facilitating website accessibility, the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provides guidelines, training materials, and site rubrics for ensuring that your digital learning experiences are available to students in all contexts.

The free, fast, and simple tool provided by AccessibilityChecker.org enables any website host to verify their site’s accessibility standards. More importantly, the site breaks down in everyday language any deficiencies, and offers advice on how to resolve them so that every user can enjoy your site.

Though not squarely an accessibility site, this article on flex containers in CSS provides an excellent overview of this tool, which has been a game changer enabling me to replace tables, an accessibility nightmare when used incorrectly, with more responsive containers. Though the English is a bit choppy, the bulleted lists and bite-sized explanations make the site an excellent go-to.