A History of Instructional Design

A History of Instructional Design
By. Kyle M. Wright

Technology expands and people look toward a horizon, but one only needs to look backwards to become aware of the effect of technology. Most major technological advancements, from the advent of motion pictures to the use of the World Wide Web, have altered professional’s opinions about the state of instructional design.

In 1905, the nations first school museum opened up in St. Louis. The museum had many visual elements, including slides and stereographs. Following the opening of the St. Louis school museum, there was an abundance of museum openings. School museums were constructed at an unprecedented rate; since then, there has been very little construction of them within the United States (R. A. Reiser, Dempsey, John V. , 2007).

Within the years, 1908 – 1913, there were several major events that helped to define and shape instructional technology. In 1908, the Keystone View Company published the first visual education catalogue (R. A. Reiser, 2001). The publication of the Keystone catalogue was a catalyst for the visual education movement. One of the proponents of visual education, Thomas Edison, observed that visual education will be at the forefront and motion pictures will have a resounding effect on the educational system, and books will no longer be necessary (R. A. Reiser, Dempsey, John V. , 2007).

The visual education movement lasted for several decades and helped to catapult instructional design to a serious form of study. Five professional organizations and journals were started, and a host of public school systems instituted visual education departments. Among the developments that occurred during this period, was the first catalog of instructional films; the catalog was published in 1910 and was first used by the school system of Rochester, New York (R. A. Reiser, Dempsey, John V. , 2007). Among the tools developed during this period were the magic lantern (used as a slide projector), motion picture projectors, and stereopticons.

The next technological advancement to have an effect on the instructional field was broadcast radio. The use of sound and film led to another revolution in instructional design, which brought about the audiovisual instructional period. In 1932, several organizations formed the Department of Visual Instruction, which was part of the National Education Association (R. A. Reiser, 2001). The audiovisual movement lasted through the Great Depression; however, a led figure in the movement, McCluskey, estimated that investors lost millions of dollars in instructional innovations such as radio. Thus, broadcast radio failed to transform instructional education.

At the United States entrance in WWII, instructional education was poised to make a dramatic leap in terms of uses and technologies. Early, in 1941, the federal government established a division or visual aids for war training; between 1941 – 45 over 450 training films were produced. All resources were used in the development of training and instructional purposes for WWII. For instance, during a two-year period, over four million showings of training films occurred, and the United States Air Force produced over 400 training films. Several instructional tools were developed and used for the first time in WWII; this includes the overhead projector, slide projectors, and simulators. WWII also marked the first time audio training was employed; audio was used in training men for sonar (R. A. Reiser, 2001).
In 1952, the FCC set aside 242 channels that would be devoted to public broadcasting. At that time there were a total of 15 educational channels, but by 1960 there would be more than 50 channels devoted to education. With the help of the FCC and various foundations, such as the ford foundation, instructional television flourished in the 1950s. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, which set off the cold war; for decades the Soviet Union and the United States race to out perform the other. The United States realized the necessity for a strong math and science education (R. A. Reiser, 2001).

Robert M. Gagne`, who had a major influence on instructional design for several decades, wrote The Condition of Learning in 1965; he described the five domains of learning in detail (R. A. Reiser, Dempsey, John V. , 2007). His research paved the way for new design models.

As early as the 1950s, computers were being developed by IBM and incorporated into instructional design. However, it was not until computers became affordable, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, that educators harnessed the potential. In the early 1980s, instructional designers hailed the personal computer as a new technological innovation that would one day replace books; as Edison describe the moving pictures, Papert described personal computers as a shift that would dramatically transform education. In 1983, computers were used in 40% of elementary classes and 75% in secondary education (R. A. Reiser, 2001).

In the midst of the 1970s, a shift was taking place in instructional design. The advent of computers perpetuated many changes and promulgated an interest in systems approach. Several successful professional journals were renamed to reflect the changing technological and educational atmospheres. New models, including the Dick and Carey model and Gagne` and Briggs model emerged; by 1980, over 40 new instructional models were constructed (R. A. Reiser, Dempsey, John V. , 2007).

Instructional education is constantly being revamped to incorporate the next technology. With the ubiquity of the World Wide Web, instructional technology can go anywhere. One thing is certain, major events and moments in history often pivotal point in the development of instructional design.

References

Reiser, R. A. (2001). A History of Instructional Design and Technology: Part 1: A History of Instructional Media Educational Technology, Research and Development, 49(1), 53-64.
Reiser, R. A., Dempsey, John V. . (2007). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (2nd ed.): Pearson Prentice Hall