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Introduction
This study is broken into two distinct sections. Part 1 functions as an extended introduction to the topic. Part 2 contains a detailed presentation and analysis of the instructional prescriptions of the innovations in distance education (IDE) theory, their application, and the resulting research data.
Preview of Part 1
Part 1 contains three chapters which cover the introduction, background, and methodology of the study. In chapter 1, I will discuss the evolution of distance education programs and explore the connection between distance learning and blended learning. I also will establish that there is a pressing need for viable, promising instructional design theories for blended learning contexts. In chapter 2, I will present the best criteria by which to select a promising instructional design theory, concluding that the IDE theory is the most promising. In chapter 3, I will explain how a formative research methodology was implemented to improve the