Running head: PRINCIPLES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 1

Principles for Instructional Design and Technology

Cynthia Johnson

Liberty University
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Principles for Instructional Design and Technology

Within the realm of instructional design and distance learning, there are three standards,

or frameworks, that are valuable for consideration. Those standards are: International Society for

Technology in Education (ISTE), Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Technological

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK).

Summaries of Purpose: ISTE, UDL and TPCK

The ISTE, first known as the International Council for Computers in Education when it

founded in 1979 (Watters, 2015), is a framework containing standards that support all

stakeholders in the educational process, from students as well as for teachers, administrators

(education leaders), and Computer Science (CS) educators (ISTE, 2018). While ISTE standards

are being used in adult education, they have been used in the K-12 context for many years

(Vanek, 2018) and are strongly associated with that student population.

The UDL standard is promoted by the non-profit organization of the Center for Applied

Special Technology, known as CAST (CAST, 2018) who work directly with educators and

teaching organizations to help implement UDL principles for instructional design. CAST does

not have memberships, but they do accept donations. The focus of UDL is an intentional design

for curriculum development that directs the lesson planning process to give all individuals an

equal opportunity to learn, regardless of diversities and exceptionalities and emphasizes

universal access (WVDE, n.d.). UDL not intended to be an afterthought but should be part of the

process at the beginning of instructional design. UDL is scalable, less associated with student

level and more concerned about a flexible and responsive curriculum design and teaching

philosophy.
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TPCK, also referred to as TPACK (technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge), is a

framework extending information presented by Lee Shulman’s (Gudmundsdottir & Shulman,

1987) work on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (1987) and is directed primarily toward the

teacher’s teaching methodology and personal knowledge of the content being taught (Koehler,

Mishra, & Cain, 2013). In this respect, TPCK differs somewhat from ISTE and UDL in that the

focus is so strongly on the teacher’s behavior and knowledge. TPCK focuses not only on the

individual components of technology, content knowledge and pedagogy but also on the various

intersections of each component with the other and others, resulting in seven different

combinations, or approaches to guide the teacher into a complex and thorough understanding of

what needs to be taught, how it needs to be taught and with which technologies can that teaching

be best enhanced (Koehler, 2012).

Overview of Distinctives: ISTE, UDL and TPCK

ISTE is a strong and active organization that spans the globe with affiliate members from

many countries. ISTE is also committed to bringing educators together for collaboration through

their conferences, expos, special interest trainings and summits and many teaching webinars.

Such ambitious services require greater resources and ISTE’s individual membership is higher

than those of UDL and TPCK, which has no official organization.

The UDL standard, promoted by the CAST organization, works in tandem with both

ISTE standards and the TPCK framework to ensure that the decisions made, guided by ISTE and

TPCK, are universally accessible to every learner being taught, regardless of the nature of the

diversities represented by the class or cohort of learners.

The TPCK process begins before the ISTE standards are codified and before the UDL

diversities are addressed. The educator must be confident in the content to be taught and must be
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confident in teaching methodologies for the target learner population. TPCK continues to advise

the educator as various technologies are considered and analysis of the learning standards are

connected.

Applications for Instructional Design: ISTE, UDL and TPCK

All three standards are used throughout the instructional design process, with varied

involvement at different points in the design. The process of instructional design must begin with

a topic of something to be taught and learned. In this respect, TPCK would be a logical first step

in the planning of a lesson or course. Whether the lesson is assigned to the instructor or the

educator has chosen the topic, the educator must first be knowledgeable of the content to be

taught.

UDL should also be addressed very early in the design process. The educator should

consider the learners’ diversities and specific learning requirements in order to determine the

most appropriate pedagogy and UDL will also help refine the technology choices addressed by

both TPCK and UDL.

As the instructional design moves into the integration of technology and the lesson

content and pedagogy are being refined, ISTE is applied in codifying the various learning aspects

represented in the content, pedagogy and technology that is applied and integrated in the lesson

or course design. Throughout the design process, from initial consideration to final review, all

three standards and frameworks should be consulted, especially when changes are considered or

required. Prior to delivery of the instructional design, a final review should be performed from

each perspective to ensure that all three standards have been addressed appropriately.
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References

CAST. (2018). CAST: CAST timeline. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/about/timeline.html

Gudmundsdottir, S., & Shulman, L. (1987). Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Social Studies.

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 31(2), 59–70.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0031383870310201

ISTE. (2018). ISTE standards. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards

Koehler, M. (2012). TPACK.org. Retrieved from http://tpack.org/

Koehler, M. J., Mishra, P., & Cain, W. (2013). What is technological pedagogical content

knowledge? The Journal of Education, 193(3), 13–19. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/24636917

Vanek, J. (2018, September 17). Using the ISTE student standards in adult education. Retrieved

from https://edtech.worlded.org/using-iste-student-standards-adult-education/

Watters, A. (2015). Is it time to give up on computers in schools? Retrieved from

http://hybridpedagogy.org/is-it-time-to-give-up-on-computers-in-schools/

WVDE. (n.d.). UDL overview presentation. [PowerPoint slides] PowerPoint presented at the

UDL Webinar, WVDE. Retrieved from https://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/UDL/UDL

%20Overview%20presentation.ppt