Abstract:

The instructional design of either traditional face-to-face or online academic courses or whole programs is evolving into a dynamic field of any learning or training process focused on designing effective learning experiences for learners by using mainly modern technological tools and new strategies. As practiced by instructional designer professionals nowadays, it exhibits a high level of complexity and variability. The purpose of this article is not to conduct a thorough analysis of all the existing instructional design models, as this would be impossible, but to present the state of the art of the basic principles in designing a learning experience and to further explore some models that are extensively used to comprehend the whole philosophy in using and applying such models in the design of an educational or training process with the aid to develop effective instructional or learning materials. This conceptual paper primarily focuses on the presentation of the concept of instructional design for preparing and conducting effective face-to-face or e-learning courses and/or vocational training programs. Then, some models of instructional design are presented and analysed, which are considered timeless in modern literature.

The article concludes with the presentation of some models for the design and organization of educational programs with the assistance of digital technologies. Instructional design is considered necessary to create effective educational or training interventions. Especially in the case of online learning, due to its complexity and the many parameters that must be taken into serious consideration when creating e-learning environments, it is considered imperative. Instructional design serves as valuable conceptual tool for matching the proper creative learning process to the proper design situation, as well as providing an effective framework for conducting research and creating high-quality face-to-face or online educational materials. However, whatever model the instructional designers choose, most of them follow similar procedures - steps of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating a program and similar pedagogical dimensions. Instructional design models act as a framework for the entire face-to-face or online programs and dictate the access of the learners, the selected learning activities, and the level of interaction with content, the instructor, and peers. In this light, it is essential to choose the most effective instructional design model to align with the learning strategy. The criteria for choosing the most adequate model can be a challenge and depends on the goals of the learning course or program, on the learning target audience, on the iterative process of the model, and the constant support of collaboration.

Instructional design basics include a sound understanding of various design methods, learning theories, and styles. It is a promising field that is continuously innovating toward new approaches to design effective and engaging learning experiences. It is recommended that communication, interaction, and creativity need to be addressed and recognized in ID since they are key 21st- century skills

Keywords:

Instructional design, curriculum design, instructional design models, ADDIE model, online education, e-learning, training programs.