Instructional theory is a branch of research that focuses on studying and understanding how people learn in order to improve the effectiveness of classroom instruction. It is frequently applied to younger students and to a variety of educational models and teaching pedagogies. In terms of instructional models and structures, there are two general schools of thought and inquiry: cognitive models and behavioral models. The goal of instructional theory is to figure out how to teach information in a way that is effective. Despite the importance of student comprehension, most theories focus on how information can be taught rather than how it is learned.
While it’s easy to mix up instructional theory with teaching pedagogies, it’s not the same thing. Instructional theory isn’t a method of teaching or a school of thought about how lessons should be taught. It is usually more concerned with understanding the teaching process and how one person’s instructions can be more fully learned and understood by those who hear them. Teaching pedagogies are frequently derived from and developed on the basis of various types of instructional theory, but they are not mutually exclusive.
Understanding the two most common approaches to instructional theory is one of the best ways to grasp the subject. The process of teaching and learning is typically viewed as taking place primarily within the student’s mind in cognitive models of instruction. This makes any kind of scientific observation or critique of such theories difficult to carry out, which can be seen as a flaw in this instructional theory. While there is some work that can be done to establish observable cognitive development, these studies are frequently more difficult to carry out than others.
Behavioral models, on the other hand, are usually simple to observe and verify using standard scientific methods. The process of teaching and learning is usually viewed as an adjustment to behavior that can be observed in an instructional theory that uses behavioral patterns. Because what happens in the student’s mind is unknown, it can be overlooked in favor of what can be observed and documented.
Each model has spawned a variety of pedagogies, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. However, one of the distinguishing features of a good instructional theory is that it focuses primarily on the role of the teacher. While the student is important, these theories frequently focus on the most effective ways for teachers to convey information. The idea of a teacher as a facilitator for the learning process has emerged as a result of advancements in such theories.