ISD From the Ground Up: A No-Nonsense Approach to Instructional Design

by Chuck Hodell

Instructional design is a system that is dynamic enough to work with any set of variables regardless of the particulars. This book provides both novice and experienced instructional designers a series of tools to reference as they practice their profession. Accompanying digital materials are available (via download).

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Professional Development, Education

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 2000

Reviews

[Caitlyn Veenstra]

This book was a textbook for my Intro ISD class. The book is an easy read and talks about the ISD process one step at a time. I didn't enjoy it more as I lost interest in the subject.

[Rachel]

Gave it away before I could finish entirely, but a really great introduction to this world.

[Rob]

It works well for the intended audience (new instructional designers). It's focused on being practical and simple, and it's much more comprehensible than some texts. But be warned that it does sometimes differ from standard practice in the field (as much as you can claim there is a standard practice). For example, while it discusses the ADDIE model, it redefines the steps, essentially turning into the ADIE model. Other things are portrayed as being more widely accepted than they really are, such as his method for forming objectives. That may be a byproduct of the books simplicity.

While the book is simple, it sometimes feels like it was written as a classroom text rather than as a book for real practitioners. For example, his section on quality control raises some good points, but the tool itself appears to work better for grading classroom assignments than for helping you create an effective course in the field.

If you're an experienced instructional designer, this book is not intended for you. It probably won't help you much. If you're a new instructional designer, it's a good start. But treat it as advice coming from a mentor rather than as an industry standard--it's just one person's viewpoint of the process.

[Jeannette]

Flip this book over and you'll find my endorsement on the back cover.