Instructional-Design Theories and Models: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theory

Charles Reigeluth has taken a very different approach to instructional theory. He has gathered together many of the best minds in instruction and assembled their writings into a second volume of instructional theory and practice. In this volume, he allows the various authors to present twenty-one different instructional theories. As editor, Dr. Reigeluth and others cross-reference these various theories and practices to create a discussion of similarities. Rather than take a position that one camp or another is right or wrong, each is allowed to make a case for the work they are doing. Each is given space to offer examples of process and results. If you are looking for a clear picture of the profession of instruction in 1999, then you need look no further than this volume. You will not find exhaustive descriptions of each theory or complete descriptions of all the associated research. This book is more of a summary of all the important work in the profession with extensive references to the larger body of work.
The message from Reigeluth is clear. Instructional professionals need to spend more energy looking for solutions and less energy on carving out individual positions. The focus should be on results because results ultimately determine what works. This work builds on the original volume of instructional theories published in 1983, and there is an indication from Reigeluth that a third volume is now in the works. This is must reading for anyone who wants to take the pulse of the profession.

Volume two is organized into five units. An introductory unit and a reflective unit surround the three units that form the core of the book. These three units present instructional design theories grouped around cognitive, psychomotor and affective development themes. While the topics are divided, the overarching theme of the book is a systems approach to learning-- everything is related.

The introductory unit offers two papers presenting perspectives on the theories and changes that have occurred since the first volume. Reigeluth (1999) begins the unit by defining the terminology of design and theory. He works to establish the framework within which the reader can "analyze and understand the instructional-design theories presented in this book" (p.5).

Thirty-eight authors present twenty-three papers in the three units that form the core of this book-- the descriptions and reports on the state of learning and instructional design theory. Reigeluth organizes each unit purposefully. He explains the selected content and his thinking about their organization by briefly introducing each unit. Each paper is authored by a recognized authority on that topic: Jonassen on constructivist learning environments; Hanaffin on open learning environments; and Gardner on multiple approaches to learning, for instance. Romiszowski presents the single paper that comprises the second unit, psychomotor development.

The only comment that might be taken as a mild negative suggests that while there are many discussions of changing paradigms, the reader is left without a sense of one direction in which to develop instruction. This is more a reflection of our times than the quality or organization of the text. Thirty years ago there were fewer theories and more consensus than is evident today. Reiguluth has been fair to present the multiple points of view, even when they do not intersect to form one dominant theory by which to gauge the work of instructional design.

The author, Charles M. Reigeluth has been a Professor of Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University since 1988. According to Reigeluth, his "research interests include redesigning educational systems and designing high quality learning resources" (Reigeluth, 2001, p. 2). An avid writer, his publications include eight books; two have received "Outstanding Book of the Year Awards" from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT).