Instructional Design Models and

Theories
https://educationaltechnology.net/instructional-design-models-and-theories/

Last Updated February 17, 2021 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Courses & Certification 

 Instructional Design Certificate (Fully Online). This fully online program

is for anyone developing and/or teaching an online course. Learn more...
 ADDIE Instructional Design Certificate Program (Fully Online). This
fully online program is designed for individuals interested in learning more
about the ADDIE model. Learn more...
 Instructional Design Models Certificate (Fully Online). You will explore
traditional instructional design models and the progression of the learning
design approach to creating online learning experiences. Learn more...

An instructional design model provides guidelines to organize appropriate pedagogical

scenarios to achieve instructional goals. Instructional design can be defined as the
practice of creating instructional experiences to help facilitate learning most
effectively. Driscoll & Carliner (2005) states that “ design is more than a process; that
process, and resulting product, represent a framework of thinking” (p. 9).

Instructional design models describe how to conduct the various steps. These steps
involve instructional design process.  The models help trainers and educators to guide
and plan the overall process.

Branch  & Kopcha say that “instructional design is intended to be an iterative process of
planning outcomes, selecting effective strategies for teaching and learning, choosing
relevant technologies, identifying educational media and measuring performance” (p.
77).

There are numerous instructional design models. These are commonly accepted design

models:

 ADDIE
 Dick and Carey
 Assure
 Backward Design (Understanding By Design)
 Kemp Design Model
 The Kirkpatrick Model
  Gerlach-Ely Model
 TPACK
 Situated Learning Theory
 Anchored Instruction Model
 Cognitive Apprenticeship
 Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction
 Robert Gagné’s Taxonomy of Learning
 Bloom’s Taxonomy
 Flipped Classroom
 Social Learning Theory: Albert Bandura
 Andragogy Theory – Malcolm Knowles
 Lev Vygotsky – Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive
Development and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and
Scaffolding
 Jean Piaget and His Theory & Stages of Cognitive
Development and Theory of Moral Development – Piaget
 Stages of Moral Development – Lawrence Kohlberg
 Theory of Multiple Intelligences – Gardner
 Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Characteristics of Instructional Design Models

According to Branch and Merrill (2002), there are several characteristics that should be
present in all instructional design models:

1. Instructional design is learner-centered: Learner and his/her performance

are the focal points.
2. Instructional design is goal-oriented: Well-defined goals are essential.
3. Instructional design focuses on real-world performance. Help learners
perform the behaviors that will be expected of them in the real world.
4. Instructional design focuses on outcomes that can be measured in a
reliable and valid way. Creating valid and reliable measurement
instruments is essential.
5. Instructional design is empirical. Data are the heart of the process.
6. Instructional design typically is a team effort. This process usually involves
teamwork.

References:

Gustafson, K. L., & Branch, R. M. (2002). What is instructional design? Trends and

issues in instructional design and technology, 16-25.
 Branch, R. M., & Kopcha, T. J. (2014). Instructional design models. In Handbook of
research on educational communications and technology (pp. 77-87). Springer New
York.

Driscoll, M., Carliner, S. (2005) Advanced Web-Based Training: Adapting Real World
Strategies in Your Online Learning, Pfeiffer. ISBN 0787969796

Cite this article as: Kurt, S. "Instructional Design Models and Theories," in Educational
Technology, December 9, 2015. Retrieved
from https://educationaltechnology.net/instructional-design-models-and-theories/
 

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Constructivist Learning Theory

Last Updated February 21, 2021 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

The constructivist theory is based around the idea that learners are active participants in their
learning journey; knowledge is constructed based on experiences. As events occur, each person
reflects on their experience and incorporates the new ideas with their prior knowledge. Learners
develop schemas to organize acquired knowledge. This model was entrenched in learning
theories […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Constructivism

Theory of Multiple Intelligences –

Gardner
Last Updated April 29, 2021 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
 The Theory of Multiple Intelligences was first presented in 1983 by Howard Gardner, a
psychologist, when he published his book Frames of Mind. He declared that learning occurred
through many types of intelligences, and that people had various levels of each. Traditionally, it
was believed that intelligence was pre-determined and fixed. Despite one’s best efforts, […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Gardner

Theory of Moral Development – Piaget

Last Updated August 19, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

There are three stages in Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development. In stage one, children are not
concerned with moral reasoning as they prioritize other skills such as social development and
dexterity. In stage two, children submit to authority and show absolute respect for regulations. In
stage three, children acknowledge the flexibility of regulations according to […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Piaget

Stages of Moral Development –

Lawrence Kohlberg
Last Updated August 17, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
 Jean Piaget introduced the idea of how moral development occurs in stages, each level built on
life experiences and active reasoning. Lawrence Kohlberg furthered this idea by examining how
moral reasoning changes as we grow. How did people determine what was right or wrong?
Following specific patterns of human behavior, Kohlberg organized the six stages […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Lawrence Kohlberg, Moral

Jean Piaget and His Theory & Stages

of Cognitive Development
Last Updated August 8, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

One of the most popular theories of cognitive development was created by Jean Piaget, a Swiss
psychologist who believed that cognitive growth occurred in stages. Piaget studied children
through to their teens in an effort to determine how they developed logical thinking. He
attempted to document the stages of cognitive development by observing the memory […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Piaget

Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal

Development and Scaffolding
 Last Updated August 18, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Vygotsky created the concept of the zone of proximal development, often abbreviated as ZPD,
which came to be a central part of his theory. Language is the way that a child communicates
with others after they are born and they continue to learn by interacting with those around them.
Building on his idea of social […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: ZDP

Lev Vygotsky – Sociocultural Theory of

Cognitive Development
Last Updated July 11, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian teacher who is considered a pioneer in learning in

social contexts. As a psychologist, he was also the first to examine how our social interactions
influence our cognitive growth. He was convinced that learning occurred through interactions
with others in our communities: peers, adults, teachers, and other mentors. Vygotsky sought […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Vygotsky

Andragogy Theory – Malcolm Knowles

 Last Updated July 11, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Adult education, self-direction, and andragogy Although the theory of Andragogy is a complex
one, this article attempts to outline the main points of Malcolm Knowles. As educators are
always looking for helpful ideas to implement in the classroom, some of his ideas and
suggestions can be found below. Similar to the term pedagogy, which addresses […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: andragogy

Social Learning Theory: Albert

Bandura
Last Updated January 6, 2020 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Albert Bandura’s “Social Learning Theory” and Its Impact on Teachers and Learning Think back
to your childhood. Do you remember learning to ride a bike, how to play checkers, and do simple
addition problems? I bet you learned these skills by watching someone else ride their bike, play a
game of checkers, and solve addition […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Bandura

Flipped Classroom
 Last Updated May 13, 2018 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

What is a flipped classroom? A flipped classroom is an instructional strategy. “Flipping” a

classroom entails switching up the usual model through which students encounter new
knowledge. In a flipped classroom, students have required reading or lecture videos before the
class meets, and then class time is used for discussions, problem-solving, or other kinds of […]

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TPACK: Technological Pedagogical

Content Knowledge Framework
Last Updated September 16, 2019 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

What is TPACK? Technology has become an increasingly important part of students’ lives
beyond school, and even within the classroom it can also help increase their understanding of
complex concepts or encourage collaboration among peers. Because of these benefits, current
educational practice suggests that teachers implement some form of technology in their
classrooms – but […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: TPACK

ADDIE Model: Instructional Design

Last Updated December 16, 2018 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
 For many years now, educators and instructional designers alike have used the ADDIE
Instructional Design (ID) method as a framework in designing and developing educational and
training programs. “ADDIE” stands for Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate.
This sequence, however, does not impose a strict linear progression through the steps. Educators,
instructional designers and training […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Addie model

The Gerlach and Ely Design Model

Last Updated November 25, 2016 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

The effectiveness of the Gerlach & Ely model of instruction, first introduced in 1971, has proven
its value in the intervening decades. Designed by Vernom S. Gerlach and Donald P. Ely, this
model “has stood the test of time” and continues to serve “classroom teachers well.” (Ely, as
cited in Grabowski & Branch, 2003). Incorporating […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & Theories

Kirkpatrick Model: Four Levels of

Learning Evaluation
Last Updated September 6, 2018 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
 The Kirkpatrick Model is probably the best known model for analyzing and evaluating the
results of training and educational programs. It takes into account any style of training, both
informal or formal, to determine aptitude based on four levels criteria. Level 1 Reaction
measures how participants react to the training (e.g., satisfaction?). Level 2 Learning analyzes
[…]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Kirkpatrick

Kemp Design Model

Last Updated December 12, 2016 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

This article describes the Kemp Instructional Design Model (also referred to as the “Morrison,
Ross, and Kemp Model”), and also seeks to offer insight into some of the potential advantages of
utilizing this framework. Incorporating a variety of approaches from a multiplicity of disciplines
(Morrison et al., 2010), this model represents an innovative approach to […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Kemp

Instructional Design Models and

Theories
Last Updated February 17, 2021 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
 An instructional design model provides guidelines to organize appropriate pedagogical scenarios
to achieve instructional goals. Instructional design can be defined as the practice of creating
instructional experiences to help facilitate learning most effectively. Driscoll & Carliner (2005)
states that “ design is more than a process; that process, and resulting product, represent a
framework of thinking” (p. 9). Instructional design models describe […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: instructional design models

Dick and Carey Instructional Model

Last Updated December 12, 2016 By Dr. Serhat Kurt

Instructional models can vary widely. While some may focus on how to make the lesson plans
and others focus on the delivery of the content itself, the Dick and Carey instructional design
model (also known as the Systems Approach Model) is one of the former. Despite the seemingly
complicated diagrams that pop up when searching […]

Filed Under: Frameworks & TheoriesTagged With: Dick and Carey Model

ASSURE: Instructional Design Model

Last Updated February 14, 2016 By Dr. Serhat Kurt
ASSURE is an instructional design model that has the goal of producing more effective teaching
and learning. “ASSURE” is an acronym that stands for the various steps in the model. The
following is a breakdown of each step. See also: ADDIE Model Dick and Carey Model
Instructional Design Models and Theories A – Analyze Learners […]