Dr. Merrill and Instructional Design

Who is Dr. Merrill?

Dr. M. David Merrill is a researcher who worked to establish some of the foundational principles of Instructional Design and Technology. He has been in this field for decades, before home computers were even commonplace. He has seen the technology behind instructional design practices shift dramatically over time, but his core principles remain the gold standard for quality instructional experiences.

5 Design Principles

Dr. Merrill’s research resulted in the development of five key principles that he affirms are fundamental to the learning process. His research and philosophies led to our modern-day understanding of the field of instructional design - which Merrill describes as “creating blueprints for effective, efficient, and engaging instruction.” His principles are aligned with constructivist theories, and focus on task-orientated approaches and analytical thinking.

#1 Learners are engaged in solving real-world problems

Much of Merrill’s philosophy hinges on connecting course content to the lives or future lives of the learners. Rather than creating busywork or endless multiple choice quizzes, his principles focus on how a learner could authentically apply the new knowledge they are gaining into their lives. This might include simulations or the use of scenario questions to contextualize the work into it’s practical application.

#2 Existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge.

Merrill’s principles see learner’s prior knowledge as a strength, and the key place to build upon. He values scaffolding information - by identifying where learners are at before moving forward, and providing any missing foundational knowledge first.  Once this groundwork is laid, an instructor can then use that existing knowledge as a jumping off point to new information.

#3 New knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.

The demonstration of knowledge is similar to what many people think of when they consider instruction. This is the “show me” space in learning new information. It is important that instructors consider their desired learning outcomes when considering methods for demonstration, and ensure that their demonstrations reflect those outcomes. An interdisciplinary lens can be useful at this step, and is an opportunity to show multiple representations of concepts, perspectives, and ideas to learners. This could also be a space to integrate relevant multimedia - video, audio, graphics, and more, but an instructor must be mindful that these additions adequately support the learning.

#4 New knowledge is applied by the learner.

If the previous principle was about showing, this principle is all about doing. Creating opportunities for your learners to practice new skills, receive feedback, and develop their mastery is key to authentic learning. After demonstrating a skill or lesson, it is time for learners to try it out for themselves. This may require a lot of coaching and support in the beginning, but ideally the instructor can later step back and allow the learner to work independently. To ensure that their skill development is not situationally specific, it can be even more beneficial to provide a variety of opportunities for learners to apply their newly acquired skill in different contexts.

#5 New knowledge is integrated into the learner’s world.

Once a learner has had the opportunity to master a new skill or set of knowledge on their own, they will likely be motivated by seeing their own progress. This confidence can help lead students to then share their knowledge with others, or begin directly applying what they’ve learned into their own lives. This last step really helps to synthesize the information for the learner, and help it to stick.

All of these principles work together to create effective learning experiences that are more successful for both the instructor and the learner. Leading to more positive outcomes, and more learning for all!

References

How to apply Merrill's instructional design principles. Discover Learning Designs. (2021, June 8). Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://discoverlearning.com.au/2021/06/how-to-apply-merrills-instructional-design-principles/

Merrill, M. D. (2002). First principles of instructional design. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50 , 43-59.

Merrill, M. D., Barclay, M., & van Schaak, A. (2008). Prescriptive principles for instructional design. Handbook of research on educational communications and technology  (3rd ed., pp. 173-184). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Merrill, M. D. (2021). First Principles of Instruction Revisited. International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching, 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26248-8_56-1

YouTube. (2008). Merrill on Instructional Design. YouTube. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_TKaO2-jXA.