An Ecological Approach to Instructional Design

Abstract

The confluence of collaborative and social technologies, with the phenomenon of digital natives, creates new opportunities for learning environments, which, in turn, demand innovative instructional design strategies. An ecological approach to instructional design can yield rich learning environments that provide learners with authentic experiences. These learning experiences can be challenging, engaging, and effective, and provide students with deep appreciation of underlying processes, principles, and relationships. It’s a learner-centered design that features collaboration, authentic experiences, and complex environments. Designing for these complex systems requires thinking outside the boxes of traditional approaches. The ecological approach requires identifying the key contextual factors and interactions that are central to understanding and performing complex intellectual tasks. This non-linear process involves selecting appropriate technologies and social interactions, appropriate levels of scaffolding and support, and giving learners increasing levels of responsibility for their own successful outcomes.