The field of biology is becoming increasingly fragmented, and this fragmentation spills over into the ways our students think and learn about biology. Biology education policy documents stress the importance of teaching biology in an integrated manner and call for the biology education research community to establish a unifying paradigm for the…

This commentary on the special issue, entitled "Models and Tools for Systems Learning and Instruction," highlights the accomplishments of the papers in this collection. It also points to some avenues for further strengthening research on promoting systems understanding. Collectively, the papers make advances in our understanding of how…

This study used a design based-research (DBR) methodology to examine how an Instructional Systematic Design (ISD) process such as ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) can be employed to develop a web-based module to teach metacognitive learning strategies to students in higher education. The goal of the study was…

The school-aged population continues to diversify, yet the student body at small liberal arts teacher preparation programs generally does not. To help prepare our socioculturally homogeneous students to teach a more diverse student body, we developed a three-tiered approach that includes a diversity model integrated across the curriculum, an…

Examines three views of performance improvement--scientific management, instructional design, and systems thinking--each providing a unique view of performance improvement and specific roles for evaluation. Provides an integrated definition of performance and a synthesis model that encompasses the three views. (AEF)

This glossary offers definitions of almost 600 terms normally associated with the field of educational technology in brief and easy-to-understand form, all in Spanish (a Portugese version exists). The terms are organized into six major areas: learning, communications, instructional design, evaluation, media production, and systems theory. (Author)

Presents an activities assessment model based on Schumacher's concept of appropriate technology for assessing results of nonformal staff training activities. This model includes identifying training purposes, matching needs to capability levels, choosing source persons to judge student achievement, defining evidence and indicators, generating…

Presents a process definition of task analysis and discusses how various techniques of analysis--breaking the task into its constituent elements, determining the relationship between these elements, and restructuring for performance and instruction--relate to this perspective. Two decision tables, a master design chart, and 28 references are…

Developmental research, as opposed to simple instructional development, has been defined as the systematic study of designing, developing, and evaluating instructional programs, processes, and products that must meet criteria of internal consistency and effectiveness. Developmental research is particularly important in the field of instructional…

Presents a conceptual framework for comparing instructional design models and employing appropriate design applications. Highlights include the classification system on which the framework is centered and how the framework allows for the models' instructional context and the size of the audience. (27 references) (KRN)

This booklet begins by examining the role played by evaluation in course and curriculum development, and then shows how the basic "error elimination" approach advocated by the philosopher Karl Popper can be used as a basis for the on-going evaluation of instructional systems. Next, two contrasting paradigms of evaluation are described,…

Reviews four different approaches to evaluation--decision-oriented, applied research, value-oriented, and systems-oriented--and suggests how each may be applied to the evaluation of instructional programs. Nine references are listed. (Author/CHC)

Presents a systems model for developing instruction in the affective domain and offers a checklist for instructional design. Topics discussed include conducting a needs assessment; behavioral objectives; sequencing affective objectives; the relationship between affective and cognitive behaviors; selecting instructional procedures; and designing…

Discusses rationale for distinguishing between task analysis and instructional analysis, contributions they make to instructional design, and why they are dependent on each other. Major functions in the instructional analysis process are described, examples are provided, and benefits of using this approach to achieve effective and efficient…

Discusses two ways in which task analysis can be integrated with instructional design--substantive integration, where the type of task analysis is determined by design type, and temporal integration, where analysis activities are interspersed with design activities. Flowcharts, examples of and procedures for instructional analysis, and references…