History of Instructional Design

This article would look at the emergence of Instructional Design as a discipline. To know about this we need to go back to its history. Let’s look at the chronological events that happened in the field of education.

1905- The educators saw the importance of visual instruction.

1913- Thomas Edison proclaimed that “books will soon obsolete in schools. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture.”

1930- Educators proposed the importance of objectives for a curriculum according to student behavior. Also formative evaluation was used for the first time during this time.

1940- This was a period when the role of the instructional technologist emerged. This period was marked by military training needs. The idea for an instructional development team was conceived during this period.

1950- Programmed instruction was started.
Skinner propounded that human learning can be conditioned.
Benjamin Bloom (1956) came up with the taxonomy of educational objectives.
Behaviorism also emerged as a learning theory.

1960- Robert Gagne introduced the concept of task analysis and came up with nine events of instructions.
Norman Crowder developed intrinsic programming.
Cognitive theories of learning also emerged during this time.

1970- This period was marked by the emergence of instructional strategies and instructional theories in the full swing.

1980- During this period CBI (Computer Based Instruction) flourished. Also focus was on designing interactivity.

1990- This period marked a shift from cognitive theory to constructivist theories.
This article would look at the emergence of Instructional Design as a discipline. To know about this we need to go back to its history. Let’s look at the chronological events that happened in the field of education.

1905- The educators saw the importance of visual instruction.

1913- Thomas Edison proclaimed that “books will soon obsolete in schools. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture.”

1930- Educators proposed the importance of objectives for a curriculum according to student behavior. Also formative evaluation was used for the first time during this time.

1940- This was a period when the role of the instructional technologist emerged. This period was marked by military training needs. The idea for an instructional development team was conceived during this period.

1950- Programmed instruction was started.
Skinner propounded that human learning can be conditioned.
Benjamin Bloom (1956) came up with the taxonomy of educational objectives.
Behaviorism also emerged as a learning theory.

1960- Robert Gagne introduced the concept of task analysis and came up with nine events of instructions.
Norman Crowder developed intrinsic programming.
Cognitive theories of learning also emerged during this time.

1970- This period was marked by the emergence of instructional strategies and instructional theories in the full swing.

1980- During this period CBI (Computer Based Instruction) flourished. Also focus was on designing interactivity.

1990- This period marked a shift from cognitive theory to constructivist theories.