Competencies that constitute the instructional design profession and how these competencies should be measured have been of interest to researchers for many years. Among the competency sets developed to date, the ibstpi® instructional designer competencies have been widely used by researchers, practitioners, educational programs, and employers in…

While the majority of workplace learning is informal, most organizational resources devoted to learning are allocated to more formal means, such as training. The purpose of this study was to investigate how instructional designers facilitate informal learning in the workplace. Three hundred eighty-five practitioners completed an online survey…

The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study conducted to examine the application of Merrill's First Principles of Instruction ("Educ Technol Res Dev" 50(3):43-59, 2002, "First principles of instruction," Pfeiffer, San Francisco, 2012) to determine how they were implemented during a fast-paced project that required the…

This article focuses on informal learning and its implications for instructional design and performance improvement. The authors begin by sharing a story of how a novice instructional designer employs informal learning strategies in her professional and personal life. Next, they offer a definition of informal learning that encompasses both…

This exploratory study examined the influence of national and organizational culture on the use of various performance improvement interventions. Data on intervention use were collected from practitioners in the United States and South Asia. Results revealed that orientation programs, organizational communication, instructor-led training, and…

The purpose of this article is to provide direction to those entertaining a developmental research project. There are two categories of developmental research, both of which are examined here. The two types vary in terms of the extent to which the conclusions resulting from the research are generalizable or contextually specific. This article…

Summarizes issues affecting the field of educational technology which were addressed at the 1989 meeting of the Professors of Instructional Design and Technology (PIDT). Topics discussed include redefining the field of instructional design and technology (IDT); improving graduate studies in IDT; and conducting research in IDT. (16 references) (LRW)

Describes a study that examined preservice teacher success in acquiring and applying principles of learning and instructional design. Tests that measured attainment of the essentials of learning objectives and attainment of competency-based instruction (CBI) objectives are described, and lesson planning performance is examined. (24 references)…

The field of instructional design and technology (IDT) evolved during the 1990s to include theories and practices of performance improvement. Some authors have indicated that the goal of our field has shifted from facilitating learning to improving performance; and contemporary definitions of IDT incorporate human performance technology concepts…

The effectiveness of learning paired associates from a computer-based drill strategy known as the progressive state drill was compared in this study with the effectiveness of having students use their own strategies with flashcards. Characteristics of the progressive state drill which make it a potentially effective drill and practice strategy for…

Competency is defined as a set of related knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enables an individual to effectively perform the activities of a given occupation or job function to the standards expected in employment. Competencies for professionals in the performance improvement field have received considerable attention in recent years. For…

This study assessed whether learner control of feedback has a beneficial effect in student performance and attitude, focusing on whether the degree of elaboration feedback needed for high performance could be determined. Program and learner control were used at three levels of feedback, verification, correct answer, and elaboration. Subjects were…

Examines the role of discussion groups in a case-based environment. College students completed two cases individually or in small discussion groups. Overall, participants in groups liked their method significantly better than those who worked alone, felt they learned more working in a group than they would have working alone, and expressed a…

Although both learner control and feedback have been heavily researched, very little research has been conducted on giving learners control over the feedback which they receive. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of learner control of feedback in a computer assisted instruction (CAI) lesson. The independent variables were type of…

The effects of orienting activities and practice on performance and student behaviors in a cooperative learning environment were studied with 80 graduate education majors in an educational psychology course. A 2 x 2 factorial design was used, with orienting activity (advance organizer versus objectives) and type of practice (verbal information…