David O. McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Professor of Information and Learning Technologies, University of Colorado Denver
Brent G. Wilson is a professor emeritus of Learning Design & Technology in the School of Education & Human Development at the University of Colorado Denver. His scholarship explores the theory and foundations of instructional design, constructivist learning environments, online learning, and learning communities. He completed both a B.S. (1976) and a Ph.D. (1982) at Brigham Young University, studying with David Merrill. His widely cited works include the edited volume Constructivist Learning Environments, essays on metaphors for instruction and reflections on constructivism, and research on designing e‑learning environments and bounded learning communities. citeturn4search3turn22search1
A model for sequencing and synthesizing instruction that organizes content from simple to complex via an epitome, with summarizers and synthesizers to promote integration and transfer. Wilson contributed to core articulations of the theory with Reigeluth and Merrill.
Conceptual framework treating learning experience as a transactional phenomenon shaped by context, meaning‑making, and engagement; proposed to guide instructional design beyond content delivery toward richer learner experience.
Journal of Computing in Higher Education • Journal
Explores how instructional designers come to identify with the IDT profession and how graduate programs can support this process. Proposes a conceptual framework emphasizing professional roles, community affiliation, guiding principles, and program‑level supports, and offers recommendations for treating professional identity formation as an explicit learning outcome. citeturn20search0
TechTrends • Journal
Responding to AECT’s return to the label “educational technology,” the authors argue the rationale was insufficient and that shifts in terminology can mislead external audiences and practitioners. They review job postings, program titles, and community discussions to underscore how naming practices shape perceptions of the field.
The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) • Journal
Introduces the notion of bounded learning communities—groups that form within structured courses under instructor guidance and a growing resource base. Describes seven features of learning communities, stages of development from trust‑building to wind‑down, the role of teaching presence, and implications for assessment and further research in online environments. citeturn17search0
Educational Technology Research and Development • Journal
Offers an activity‑based perspective on e‑learning environment design, arguing for flexible strategies that balance designed resources with emergent learner activity and co‑determined outcomes. Highlights pressures designers face, the importance of affordances, the evolution of environments over time, and the need for authentic, locally sensitive assessment. citeturn19view0
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) • Journal
The article distinguishes bounded learning communities—those that form within structured courses—from spontaneous communities. It presents strategies to help communities develop within bounded frameworks, especially online environments, discusses seven distinguishing features of learning communities, outlines their developmental arc, and highlights the instructor’s role in cultivating teaching presence and trust.
• Book
Book advancing a constructivist view of learning with technology. Presents ways to use video, hypermedia, online communication, simulations, and other tools as Mindtools for intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning, with classroom strategies, activities, and assessment rubrics.
Instructional Development Paradigms (Educational Technology Publications) • Chapter
Reflects on tensions between objectivist traditions in instructional design and constructivist perspectives. Argues that a constructivist theory of ID is possible and desirable, advocating modest, principle‑based guidance, holistically designed learning experiences, and closer alignment of theory with the complex realities of practice. citeturn18search0
Educational Technology Publications • Book
Edited collection presenting case studies and design principles for constructivist learning environments in varied settings. Chapters address goals for CLE design, case‑based teaching, problem‑based learning, collaboratories, alternative assessment, and authentic multimedia, providing practical exemplars linked to constructivist theory. citeturn16search1
Educational Technology • Journal
Analyzes common metaphors for instruction and argues that the learning‑environment metaphor usefully orients designers toward outcomes and functional components of instruction under constructivist assumptions. Clarifies assumptions behind different metaphors and why a focus on environments merits attention. citeturn17search2
The ASTD Handbook of Instructional Technology (McGraw‑Hill) • Chapter
Surveys cognitive perspectives relevant to instructional design and translates them into practical design heuristics. Discusses implications of information‑processing, schema, and metacognitive views, and emphasizes integrating multiple outcome types within problem‑solving instruction rather than treating content types in isolation. citeturn16search6