Distance Education Innovations and New Learning Environments: Com ...

comprehension of the theory and proper application of the theory, then the theory is as good as dead.

The major purpose of instructional design theories is to give clear instructional advice on how to design which instructional solutions for specific learning needs or contexts. If the instructional strategies are couched in jargon or pervasive theoretical ramblings, practitioners are far less likely to comprehend or adopt the instructional design theory, even if it is based on the firmest of instructional design principles, the latest research, or expert opinion. Therefore, the final criterion of judgment for choosing promising instructional design theories is usability. The following questions can help to confirm a theory’s usability: How clearly is the theory stated and organized? Is it likely to be comprehensible? Is it presented in such a way as to facilitate and ease adoption and applicability?

How the Background Study was Conducted

These five categories explicated in the previous sections will guide the review of promising instructional design theories for distance and blended learning contexts. This review will help to establish an organized approach to gathering and assessing instructional design theories. But most importantly, this review will shine light on a knowledge gap; that is, the need to improve through formative research the best instructional design theories that now exist for blended and distance learning contexts.

Electronic Searches

To discover existing instructional design theories, various search terms were employed in electronic searches: distance education instructional design theory, distance education instructional theory, distance education instructional model, hybrid instructional design theory, hybrid instructional theory, hybrid instructional model, blended instructional design theory, blended instructional theory, blended instructional model. These search terms were used across each information retrieval platform to ensure the widest coverage of hits.