The Importance of Learning Theories in Instructional Design
Instructional designers are tasked with creating learning experiences of all kinds, from in-person workshops to digital self-paced elearning courses. In doing so, they must create opportunities for meaningful learning for a diverse array of individuals with varied learning styles, motivations, and experiences. This may seem daunting, especially as the digitized world allows people across the globe to communicate and share knowledge at a rapid pace. A return to the fundamental theories of learning, however, can help instructional designers create learning experiences that meet the needs of the ever-evolving population of twenty-first century learners.
The most common theories of learning, including behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, are each quite distinctive, but an examination of these different perspectives can help instructional designers approach their work with an appreciation for the complexity of the learning process. Let’s take a look at three reasons why it is important for instructional designers to understand different perspectives on how people learn.
Theories help us make informed decisions about the elements of learning experiences.
Theories provide us with a base of scientific research conducted on what learning actually is, how people learn, the role of memory, and where knowledge comes from. From this base, we are provided with blueprints for designing learning experiences. While each theory differs, and not all theories will work for every learner or situation, learning designers can use the commonalities to ensure that they are including key elements in all learning experiences they design. Behaviorism tells us that learners should master early steps before complex ones, that reinforcement positively impacts performance, and that practice is key. Cognitivism tells us that explanations and analogies are important to make sense of new ideas, that reasoning and problem solving are important, and that learners should be actively involved in the learning process. Constructivism tells us that learners incorporate their own experiences into their learning, that learning should occur in settings relevant to learners’ lives, and that learners should be able to transfer knowledge to new experiences flexibly (Ertmer & Newby, 1993). A learning designer who is starting to build a course can draw from all of these theories to make sure they are including important elements of the learning process. Imagine a designer creating a course on basic video editing. They can draw from behaviorism by teaching about the timeline feature before they teach about clipping. They can draw from cognitivism by giving students opportunities to try out video editing software in increments. They can draw from constructivism by allowing students to create their own video project at the end of the course. Theories provide us with a “bank” of important elements of learning design that can be selected and matched to the needs of the learners and the situation.
2. We can design experiences that meet the needs of all kinds of learners.
Learning is a distinct experience for everyone, and not all learners find success the same way. An instructional designer who is versed in different learning theories can use them to make sure they are meeting the needs of all kinds of learners. Some people learn best by getting their hands dirty, trying out new tools as they go. These learners may be drawing from their existing experiences and connecting to previously learned material, or they might be building their knowledge from the ground up. Others may prefer to take it slower, learning the basics first and practicing in small steps before attempting a new task. An understanding of the different perspectives on how people learn can make instructional designers more sensitive to different learning styles and better able to meet the needs of all learners. If one method is not producing the desired results, experimenting with new ways of delivering instruction or allowing learners to apply their knowledge may work instead.
3. We can make the most of current trends in learning.
Recognizing the different perspectives on how people learn can keep instructional designers from designing stagnant, dated learning experiences. There is a current push for open-minded learners who are able to collaborate to solve complex real-world problems. This necessitates that instructional designers create learning experiences allowing learners to practice these very skills. Learning environments are much different than they were even five years ago, with a greater emphasis on elearning, asynchronous learning, and social networking. Scholars argue that constructivist teaching methods are the norm today, with problem-based learning and team environments driving trends (Ertmer & Newby, 2013). Instructional designers must be able to understand constructivist theories and use them to design learning experiences, while also keeping in mind the tried and true older theories that will inevitably be necessary for certain situations and learners.
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50–72.
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Article Update: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Connecting “Yesterday’s” Theories to Today’s Contexts. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 65–70.
