Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) – Design & Development Division
Professor Emeritus in the Instructional Psychology and Technology program at The University of Oklahoma, Tillman J. (“Tim”) Ragan was a prominent instructional design scholar and co‑author (with Patricia L. Smith) of the widely used textbook Instructional Design (1993/1999/2004). He earned his Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from Syracuse University in 1970 and published books, journal articles, and ERIC papers on instructional strategy design, visual literacy, computer‑based learning, and implementation fidelity for instructional technologies. He served in leadership roles in AECT divisions and as a vice‑president of the International Visual Literacy Association. Ragan passed away on March 7, 2010.
A systematic, theory‑based instructional design process emphasizing analysis of context, learner, and task; selection of learning strategies tailored to distinct types of learning (e.g., declarative, concepts, procedures, principles, problem solving, cognitive strategies, attitudes, psychomotor); and iterative implementation, management, and evaluation. Popularized through the Smith & Ragan textbook and associated companion resources.
Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR&D) • Journal
One way to better understand the difficult instructional issues associated with the integration of computer technology in classrooms is to analyze the implementation of computer technology. This study developed and validated a measure for examining the quality of implementation of an Integrated Learning System (ILS). The measure was used to analyze ILS implementation, identify differences in operational patterns among teachers, and determine practices that indicated implementation fidelity; it distinguished high‑fidelity implementers and highlighted practices that characterize them.
Journal of Visual Literacy • Journal
AEDS Journal • Journal
As many newcomers to instructional software development possess programming and subject‑matter expertise but limited design background, this article reviews key instructional design research and theory and relates it to the design of computer‑based instructional materials. It offers macro‑ and micro‑level design guidelines to help software developers make effective design decisions when creating computer‑based learning.
John Wiley & Sons • Book
A well‑documented, theory‑based treatment that focuses on instructional design’s application to K–12 and industry. The book emphasizes foundational principles and provides extensive procedural guidance across analysis, strategy design (including detailed strategies for different types of learning), assessment, implementation, management, and evaluation. An extended example demonstrates application of the concepts in a full course design.
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Convention – Selected Research and Development Presentations • Conference
This paper explores a conditions‑based approach to developing micro‑level organizational strategies for instruction. It argues that qualitative differences in cognitive processing across learning tasks should guide whether instruction supplies processing or scaffolds learners to generate it. Addressing critiques that conditions‑based models are inherently “supplantive,” the authors present revised, “expanded events of instruction” that allow both supplantive and generative interpretations. Strategy recommendations are summarized for declarative knowledge, concepts, procedures, relational rules, problem solving, attitudes, and psychomotor skills.
Educational Technology Publications • Book