Instructional Design For Dummies

Chapter 2

Looking at Learning and Design Foundations

IN THIS CHAPTER

Using best practices of alignment in instructional design

Identifying five foundations of well-designed instruction

Distinguishing between varied perspectives on learning and design

Most of us have likely encountered different types of instructional experiences. Our prior experiences often shape how you approach design, based on what worked for us and what did not. Our prior experience often leads us to design the same type of instruction because you are familiar with it.

Many of us are also quite familiar with the instructional model of a teacher in a classroom delivering new information, giving worksheets to practice the knowledge and skills, and providing assessments. However, there are many different types of instructional models. If you think about it, you may have experienced other types of instructional approaches that did not look like “instruction” in a traditional sense:

• Learning how to knit through apprenticeship with more experienced knitters in a knitting club
• Learning strength-training technique through one-on-one coaching
• Performing CPR through practice on a simulator
• Learning to code a programming ...