Instructional design in multi-channel learning system

The Multi-channel learning environment is nebulous and incidental configuration where channels reinforce as well as contradict each other. The Multi-channel learning system is a deliberate, planned configuration to create the sync and synergize the power of various media to achieve optimal learning. This articles examines instructional design for the classroom, for self instructional materials, media—and MCLS. Introduction There is a logical development from learning to instruction; instructional design optimizes learning outcome. Hence, learning theories have a significant bearing on instructional design. While learning theories are the backbone, instructional design is the articulate or manifest, rather applied form of the theory and its main goal is to optimize learning by using the known theories of learning. The statement, “whereas physicians engineer health, and architects engineer space, instructional designers engineer human performance...” (van Patten, 1989) succinctly focuses on the role and critical importance of instructional design. Strain (1994) states that a wide divergence of views exists among the researchers in instructional design regarding the relative contribution of various schools of psychology and claims that instructional design has grown out of the systems approach with its roots firmly in behaviourist psychology, that has dominated instructional design for the past three decades. Kember (1991) supports this contention. Systemic as well as systematic changes are two inter-twined components of instructional design (Park et al., 2000). However, Hannafin and Reiber (1989) point out that instructional design developed in the 1980s by Gagne, Merrill, Reigeluth and Scandura is largely due to the cognitive learning theories. Of course, the emphasis has been on how 05_Muk 10/10/2001 1:52 pm Page 543 (Black plate)