It Started with the Military
When I started my master’s in education back in the 90s, I discovered I had the military to thank for my particular field of work.
I often get quizzical looks when I tell people I have my M.Ed. in Learning Psychology & Instructional Design. The "instructional design" part in particular usually results in a “what the...?” look. Then I explain what instructional design is: a proven method to help someone learn efficiently.
First, I was surprised to discover that the concept of instructional design started in the armed forces. After a little reflection, I wasn’t surprised at all. In the military, there’s process and protocol. You’d better know it and execute to it. In the 70s, a group of military folks decided to analyze the process of learning and determine the most efficient way to provide training. A very practical topic, given that military service requires skills that can be the difference between life and death.
Instructional design applies the principles of learning psychology to training and education. Basically, you want someone to learn because of how you designed and delivered the learning experience, not in spite of it. Some people are intuitively great at training, but most aren’t. If you have a core framework to follow, you can be way more effective.
It's not rocket science, but it is science. And it starts with the 5 Basic Elements of Instruction:
1. Provide an intro (give context, link to the big picture, connect to the learner’s frame of reference)
2. Provide content (in chunks that are “digestible” for the leaner)
3. Provide practice
4. Provide feedback
5. Conclude (bring them out of the trees to look at the forest again, review main points and re-connect to big picture)
Just telling someone how to do something isn’t training them. Say that again as many times as needed to have it sink in.
In my next few blogs, I’ll be diving into each step as well as the specific needs of adult learners. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, here’s to you and your success. Cheers!