Discusses Component Display Theory (CDT) as a method of instructional design, and describes a reorganization of CDT meant to increase its utility in the instructional design process. Matrices in the CDT are explained, and a synthesized matrix based on content and performance elements is provided. (six references) (LRW)

Discusses teachers' use of mental imagery and metaphors in classroom planning. Topics include visualizing, analogies, educational technology as metaphor, malapropisms and mixing theoretical metaphors, designing instruction for the acquisition of abstract concepts, and examples of metaphors of novice and experienced teachers. (LRW)

Describes a methodology for structuring interviews with subject experts during knowledge elicitation, or knowledge acquisition, that will be useful to instructional designers. Topics discussed include a prototype knowledge editor, SNOWMAN (System for Knowledge Management); the nature of expertise; reductive bias; four interviewing strategies; and…

Defines instructional strategies and instructional tactics in the context of an iterative design model, distinguishes instructional tactics as methods of implementing instructional strategies, discusses instructional strategies versus learning strategies, and gives examples of how to select instructional tactics for educational and corporate…

Discusses the role of human performance technology in improving performance in organizations; explains the criteria used for designing an international training program of instructional and performance technology; and addresses steps necessary to move an organization towards a continuous learning organization. Examines the role of human resource…

A decision made under risky conditions can be sounder than one made when the decision maker is circumspect and prudent. It is important to understand one's risk-taking patterns, one's perceptions rooted in personal and professional history, and the degree to which cultural injunctions encourage or deter prudent risk taking. (Author/JOW)

Examines instructional systems design in light of training and performance technology. Topics include the nature of design; categories of stakeholders; three levels of instructional systems design, including Curriculum Architecture Design, instructional process design, and user interface/instructional activity design; and design goals. (LRW)

Introduces six articles on the instructional implications of cognitive load theory (CLT). CLT is based on a cognitive architecture that consists of a limited working memory, with partly independent processing units for visual and audio information, which interacts with an unlimited long-term memory. (SLD)

Comments on recent trends in cognitive load theory discussed in the papers in this special issue. Considers the external management of cognitive load through means of optimal instruction and the internal management of cognitive load by learners' metacognitive and self-regulative competence. (SLD)

Discussion of online help for performance support systems focuses on how online help has expanded to allow the design of more effective support systems. Explains embedded help, interactive help, intelligent agents, bubble help (tool tips), "What's This?" help, and expanded help content. (LRW)

Discusses task analysis as a step in instructional development and presents an alternative method for instructional applications called Knowledge Analysis of Tasks (KAT). Results of KAT are used to produce a model of tasks in terms of Task Knowledge Structures (TKS), which represent the knowledge people possess about tasks they perform.…

Teachers involved in the development of competency-based higher education (CBE) are expected to fulfil a new role of instructional designer. As a consequence, they are confronted with the problem to translate abstract new curriculum principles into concrete learning tasks. Recent studies have shown that teachers can be trained to apply an…

According to the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (ibstpi) new technologies and methods have made instructional design practice more complex and sophisticated today than it was in the early years of the field (Richey et al., 2001). The authors of the 2000 ibstpi instructional design standards claimed…

In this exploratory inquiry into the nature of the relationship between systematic instructional design models and teachers' planning practices and needs, the researchers conducted open-­ended interviews with six teachers of science and math in order to discover how they conceptualized and practiced instructional design. The most important finding…

Engaging primary and elementary students in meaningful, relevant science learning is challenging. PBL is an instructional approach that provides a means to foster meaningful science learning while enhancing teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This paper reports on the experiences of a teacher inquiry group consisting of five teachers…