Real World Instructional Design provides novices with the knowledge and skills they need to become effective practitioners in the current market. It’s an introductory textbook that gives special attention to collaboration and communication; the book also presents instructional design as a spiral model. When the designer begins work on a project, she (or he) knows very little about the learners, the goals, the strategies, the content, or the assessment – all the “elements” of instructional design. As the designer works through each of the five phases of instructional design (define, design, demonstrate, develop, deliver) she revisits each of the elements, reviewing and revising all along the way. This iterative process builds her understanding and also helps her build an increasingly more effective, targeted product. Thus the spiral – we start in the center and loop out and around until we have a very strong understanding of the elements, we’re confident about the product, and ready to deliver. Now available from Wadsworth College Publishers, a unit of Thomson Learning.

Dr Katherine Cennamo is an associate professor at Virginia Tech with 25 years of experience in teaching and instructional media production. Debby Kalk, principal of Cortex Learning, has 20 years of instructional media development experience including ten years developing e-learning products for companies like Motorola, Delta Air Lines, and Prentice Hall.

© 2003 Cortex Learning