I am a huge fan of Barrie Bennett from OISE at the University of Toronto. His book Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration should be a mandatory read for any teacher. He specializes in instructional design intelligence, which got me to thinking is there such a thing as Instructional Design Intelligence?
I attended a conference a year ago and I overheard one of the biggest e-learning keynote speakers that is on the circuit today criticize David Merrill to a group of colleagues. He believed his work was outdated and no longer relevant. To say the least I was appalled. Yet it has gotten me thinking ever since about the relationship of Instructional Design, ID Models, PLN and SoMe and trying to understand how everything fits together in this day and age.
Much has been written about moral intelligence, multiple intelligence, learning theories from behaviourist to constructivist and everything in between, now combine all the theories of learning with all the 21st century technology, it simply makes it hard for instructional designers to keep one step in front of the learners.
This all leads me to the question is there such a thing as Instructional Design Intelligence. Instructional Intelligence is described as “the conscious interweaving of assessment and evaluation, knowledge of the learner, a broad teaching repertoire based on solid research, knowledge of content and the nature of the teacher. When combined, these from powerful tools for teaching and learning. “ If I were to use this definition as a model, how could I then define Instructional Design Intelligence.
Well I took a stab at it, here is my draft definition:
Instructional Design Intelligence – the conscious alignment and integration of learning theory, instructional strategies and assessment practices with the consideration of the nature of the content and the knowledge and skills of the both learner and the teacher.
I ponder whether the definition needs to incorporate digital literacy, personal learning networks, and social media, however at this point I argue not as I believe what is important in the definition is the pedagogy not the technology. Thinking further still does an instructional designer not need to have instructional intelligence to have design intelligence? If this is true then instructional design intelligence also requires assessment intelligence and learning intelligence. Is the definition then a combination of different intelligences much like Gartner’s multiple intelligences?
It is an interesting discussion because as I have found it difficult to articulate to others the nature of our work. What does design instruction mean, are not all educators by nature designers? Can we even define Instructional Design Intelligence in one paragraph?
I still have no clear answer only more questions.
2 comments:
Great post.
I think the idea of Instructional Design Intelligence is an interesting frame within which to try to define the work we do.
I like that your definition includes the instructional designer's sensitivity to teachers' and learners' knowledge, skills, and I would add preferences, backgrounds and dispositions.
The ability to understand the context as well as the content of learning is critical. Before we get to deploy our knowledge of learning theory, assessment styles etc., we need to talk to people in their own language.
Then there's the inevitable, time-devouring horizon scanning looking always towards the next iteration.
Thanks for your sharing your ideas. Your point about understanding the context as well as the content is critical and does some how need to be worked into the definition.
Contextual placement of the content is critical to both near and especially far transfer of learning.
Thanks for adding to the discussion.
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