Ruth Colvin Clark

Fifth edition that distills contemporary research on how people learn online into practical design guidance. Covers visual–verbal integration, signaling, modality and redundancy decisions, managing cognitive load, engagement for generative processing, examples and practice, collaborative online learning, as well as newer topics including instructional video, learning games, and immersive virtual reality. Provides actionable checklists and examples for both synchronous and asynchronous e-learning so designers can evaluate and create effective digital instruction.

Practice‑oriented synthesis of research that links learning psychology to concrete training choices. New edition reviews evidence on feedback, worked examples, animations, and game‑based learning; emphasizes low‑cost, high‑impact methods. Offers design tips for explaining visuals, using examples and practice, optimizing feedback and motivation, and aligning methods to content and objectives in workforce training programs.

Reviews 25 years of research on e‑learning, organized into four themes: media comparison, value‑added techniques, interaction effects, and unique digital affordances (e.g., games, agents). Summarizes advances, boundary conditions (e.g., limits on modality effects), and implications for instructional design that support human cognitive processes in digital courses.

Defines scenario‑based e‑learning (SBeL) as guided, problem‑centered instruction that accelerates expertise by engaging learners in realistic roles and decisions. Explains when SBeL is appropriate, how to design trigger events, case data, scaffolds, and feedback; how to manage complexity; and how to evaluate outcomes. Provides templates, examples across industries, and guidance on making the business case for SBeL.

Summarizes research‑based guidelines for planning and evaluating instructional visuals across media. Presents a visual design model and shows how to tie graphics to facts, concepts, processes, procedures, and principles while directing attention, leveraging prior knowledge, minimizing extraneous load, and promoting transfer. Includes examples and considers technical constraints such as bandwidth and display size.

Classic ISD handbook that classifies technical content (facts, concepts, processes, procedures, principles) and shows how to select and implement methods and practice for each. Provides a systematic process for defining content and outcomes, designing practice and assessments, and adapting instruction for print and e‑learning to improve efficiency and effectiveness of training.

Synthesizes cognitive psychology and instructional design to offer methods for developing robust expertise. Explains working and long‑term memory, attention, motivation, and transfer; provides principles for managing cognitive load, activating prior knowledge, building mental models, designing problem‑centered instruction, and supporting self‑regulation. Includes updated research and practical examples for workplace learning.

Research‑grounded guide to leveraging live online platforms for instruction. Details features that matter (audio, visuals, text, pacing, practice, and social learning), how to match methods to content types, and how to design interactions, manage cognitive load, and package sessions. Includes techniques for adapting problem‑based learning to virtual classrooms and converting classroom courses to synchronous formats.

Introduces cognitive load theory for training contexts and provides guidelines to create efficient learning environments—reducing extraneous load, sequencing content to manage essential load, and fostering schema acquisition. Covers effective use of graphics, text, and audio; eliminating seductive details; worked examples; tailoring instruction to learner expertise; and integrating guidelines into classroom and e‑learning designs.