What would it take for instructional design to qualify as a bona fide applied discipline? First and foremost, a fundamental requirement is a testable and tested theoretical base. Untested rationales until verified remain in limbo. Secondly, the discipline's applied prescriptions must be demonstrably traceable to the theoretical base once it is…

Proposes a framework for designers and teachers to research better design methodologies for distance education and to choose the most appropriate technologies and design better instructional tasks. Presents a scenario in which inherent characteristics of technologies are merged with task characteristics to create positive and powerful educational…