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126 8 Designing Learning Activities and Instructional Systems
4. Describe a typical instructional flow for a small unit of instruction such as a
single lesson, including the knowledge and learning objects involved along with
activity, sample feedback, and assessment.
5. Explain what you will do when you do a learning activity design if you con-
sidering cognitive load theory?
6. Talk about what you will do when you design a multimedia learning resource by
considering Mayer’s cognitive theory?
7. Explain the process of designing a course by applying the ADDIE model.

8.1 Introduction

In this chapter, the focus will be first on some general principles of learning
activities design and then on principles to consider when designing instructional
systems.
The first part of this chapter focuses on planning and implementing learning
activities in accordance with Bloom’s(1956) revised taxonomy (Anderson &
Krathwohl, 2001), Sweller’s(1988) cognitive load theory, and also Mayer’s(2003)
principles of multimedia learning, with the goal of developing a basic skill for the
reader to design learning activities.
Instructional Design (Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is the practice of
creating instructional experiences to support the development and acquisition of
knowledge and skill (Merrill et al., 1996). There are many instructional design
models, and many are variants of the generic ADDIE (a model, which refers to
analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation). Instructional
design is historically and traditionally rooted in cognitive and behavioral psy-
chology, and constructivism (learning theory) also has influenced thinking in the
field (Mayer, 1992). The second part of this chapter includes a discussion of big D
(i.e., design and development considered from a life-cycle perspective; the
larger-scale instructional systems development found in ADDIE).

8.2 Learning Activity Design

8.2.1 Learning Activity

Learning activity is a particular kind of human activity whose primary objective is
the development of knowledge, skills, and competencies. It is produced by the
society in the process of history through special learning actions taken upon
learning objects consistent with their substance and structure (Davydov, 1988;
Hedegaard & Lompscher, 1999). A learning activity is an interaction between a