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Birth of Instructional Design
The field of instructional design is born during World War II as soldiers were trained through materials developed by psychologists and education specialists. Soldiers were also administered tests to determine learning abilities. -
Programmed Instruction
B. F. Skinner, best known for behaviorism and operant conditioning, introduced programmed instruction through his article, "The Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching". Programmed instruction suggested that learning materials should include small steps, questions, and feedback. -
Bloom's Taxonomy
Specific domains of learning were created by Bloom, originally called Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, now widely known as Bloom's Taxonomy. These domains assist with specific learning outcomes and assessment methods. -
Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction
Robert Gagne developed nine events of instruction, which include specific domains of learning outcomes and hierarchies. -
Computer-Based Training
PLATO, which standards for Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operation, developed one of the first computer-based training systems. This computer-based system would also be used for instructional purposes. -
Component Display Theory
Changes were beginning in the way instructional materials were presented. Merrill created component display theory, or CDT, which focused on different methods of how instructional materials were presented. -
The Rise of "Authentic Learning"
There was significant growth during this time for learning to become more focused on real-life experiences. The growth for authentic learning led to constructivism, or constructivist theory. -
Rapid Prototyping
The 1990s began the rise of rapid prototyping. During this time, training materials were prototyped quickly, then revised through a rapid testing process. -
Growth of Online Learning
There was significant growth of online learning during this time. Online learning, also identified as elearning, grew in educational settings and corporate environments. Online learning also began to encompass onboarding for new employees, the use of multimedia, and growth of learning management systems. -
Growth of Blended Learning
Online learning continued to evolve to social formats and mobile devices. An increase in the use of smartphones and tablets further led learning in online formats. -
Learning Experience (LX) and Design
With continuous growth in elearning formats, instructional design began to encompass user experience (UX) learning and design, along with big data and analytics.