Discusses the concepts of instructional theory and their application in the design of instructional and training packages, particularly computer-assisted instruction programs. (12 references) (CLB)

Discusses Johnson's theory that information can be gathered in either a systematic or spontaneous manner and that this information will be analyzed either internally or externally, and considers some of its implications for understanding group interactions. Models of decision-making styles and characteristics and the problem-solving process are…

Explains how cost-utility analysis can be applied to the selection of curriculum and instructional methods. Describes the use of multiattribute utility models of decision making as a tool for more informed judgment in educational administration. (SK)

Documents the process used to construct the definition of the field of instructional technology. A chronology of the development and the key factors that influenced the construction process are described. Issues confronted, including acceptable definition characteristics and the scope and nature of the domains, are covered. (13 references) (KRN)

Describes the use of a computerized spreadsheet technique to assist in the front-end analysis phase of an instructional design project in an industrial training program. The use of a microcomputer is explained as a decision-making aid to analyze, select, and sequence instructional goals and objectives and to develop criterion performance measures.…

Research on teacher planning, teachers' interactive decision making, and the relation between teachers' decisions and student outcomes is summarized. A cognitive psychological framework for analyzing teacher thinking is presented and applied to existing research on teacher planning and decision making. (DB)

This review of the state of educational evaluation, which is directed to both those who produce and those who consume evaluation data, suggests that certain prevalent evaluation practices are seriously out of step with, and inappropriate for, current mainstream instructional activity. Evaluation is recommended as not merely an appendage to…

Planning the activities for an instructional development unit and evaluating how well it has performed requires a set of standards against which the unit can be compared. This paper proposes a set of standards developed from a variety of references and personal experiences with instructional development units from across the country. Thirty-eight…

Describes changes in the instructional designer's role with the development of intelligent computer assisted instruction (ICAI). A shift in decision-making from the design to the implementation phase of instruction is emphasized, as the designer writes rules that allow systems to select methods once instruction has begun. Seventy-nine references…

Centrally concerned with design, educational technology involves making the best possible decisions for action given a particular set of circumstances, with a body of knowledge or instructional theory for guidance. More work is needed to aid educational technologists in the three tasks of building instructional theory, developing techniques for…

H. S. Bhola's CLER (configurations, linkages, environments, resources) Model, when applied to instructional development, can: (1) anchor instructional development in real time and space; (2) assist in focusing the variables involved; (3) help determine the range of choices; and (4) assist with implementation and evaluation. It can help developers…

This article discusses the process and structures of teacher collaboration; the collaborative tools available to educators for accommodating students with disabilities in regular settings; and the instructional, curricular, and contextual factors in designing more inclusive educational programs. It proposes a decision network that collaborating…

Considers four major decisions to illustrate the complexity of decision making about pretesting as part of the instructional process: whether a pretest should be administered; the behaviors that should be pretested; how pretesting should be accomplished; and how teaching strategies should be adjusted to pretest results. (MBR)

A review of the literature reveals little evidence that classroom decision making is an important component in teaching effectiveness. Studies investigating decision making before (preactive) and during (interactive) instruction indicate that teachers are preoccupied with activity flow and procedural concerns rather than with increasing student…

Describes functions comprising task analysis process--inventory, description, selection, sequencing, and analysis--and reviews distinctions between the micro/macro level, top-down/bottom-up, and job/learning task analysis processes. These functions and distinctions are combined into a quasi-algorithm suggesting which of 30 task analysis procedures…