A Framework Of Instructional Design Toward Knowledge Age

In view of the limitations of traditional instructional design (ID) paradigm, this dissertation explores and creates a possible framework toward knowledge age based on the theoretical and practical trends of ID and the new requirements of knowledge age, aiming at promoting the development of the learner. It argues that with the evolution of knowledge age, the limitations of traditional ID based on the industrial age and objectivist paradigm is making itself obvious. Traditional ID can hardly meet the requirements of social and personal developments in current society. Under such circumstances, traditional ID faces great challenges and needs urgent reconstructions. In order to keep pace with the age, the ID research should respond to the challenges actively and advance with the social development consciously and harmoniously. The research in this dissertation represents an effort to respond the challenges.The dissertation starts with a review and analysis of the history and current trends of ID, and identifies the critical characteristics of objectivist and constructivist paradigm. Based on the nature of design and ID, the dissertation redefines ID, reflects on the limitations of traditional paradigm, and creates a framework of ID toward knowledge age. Within this framework, the research constructs a quality-oriented model toward knowledge age aiming at promoting the development of the learner. It holds that the idea of quality education, constructivist learning theory and information technology represent the three core underpinnings of ID framework. It also argues that the continuum thinking is a unique thinking mode of ID, and that the theoretical and practical research of constructivist learning environments is the most important part of the framework of the new ID. The way of implementing ID is the user-design which can realize the subjective role of the teacher. According to these viewpoints, this research expatiates the connotations and functions of the three core underpinnings, elaborates on the continuum thinking mode, discusses the construction and application of IT-based learning models, and explores the reasons and methods of user-design model in designing instruction.Chapter 1: The Historical Development and Current Trends of Instructional Design After reviewing the historical development of ID, this chapter examines the prominent characteristics of objectivism and constructivism, and analyzes the critical characteristics of objectivism-oriented and constructivism-oriented ID paradigm from the perspectives of ontology, epistemology, anthropology and methodology.; The chapter ends with a summary of the current trends of ID research development.Chapter 2: A Framework of Instructional Design Toward Knowledge Age Based on thedefinition, purpose and culture of design, and the variables affecting design process, the chapter analyzes the characteristics and limitations of traditional ID; It then explicates the nature of ID and redefine it; and proposes an ID framework toward knowledge age. It also explains the essential hypotheses and prominent characteristics underlying the framework.Chapter 3: The Aim of Instructional Design Toward Knowledge Ageromoting the Development of the Learner Based on the comparison of the industrial age with knowledge age, the chapter distinguishes the typical characteristics of knowledge age, and clarifies the concepts of data, information, knowledge and wisdom. A quality-oriented model of ID toward knowledge age is proposed, and the connotation and metaphor of the model is analyzed. In order to promote the higher-order thinking abilities/skills, some hypotheses of ID are discussed.Chapter 4: The Three Core Underpinnings of Constructing the Framework of Instructional Design The three core underpinnings used in constructing the framework of ID toward knowledge age are quality education, constructivism and information technology. The chapter elaborates the ideas of quality education and the correspondent subjective education and the new curriculum reform. Then it discus...