Technology-based instructional design: Evolution and major trends

Abstract

This chapter surveys ICT-based tools and methods that support instructional designers in planning the delivery of learning systems. This field has evolved since the 1970 through several paradigms: authoring tools, expert systems and intelligent tutoring systems, automated and guided instructional design, knowledge-based design methods, eLearning standards and social/cognitive Web environments. Examples will be given to illustrate each paradigm and the major trends will be uncovered. ICT has evolved rapidly, enabling new approaches to emerge, helping more people to design learning environments and building learning design repositories. More and more people are learning on the Web, using learning portals, information pages and interacting with other people, but still with insufficient educational support. New challenges make this field an exciting and blooming research area that has a bright future.