Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Design in Educational Technology pp 223–247Cite as

Improving Instructional Design Processes Through Leadership-Thinking and Modeling

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

This chapter draws attention to the criticality of leadership characteristics, specified for instructional design (ID), to meet a growing demand for improvement in the processes that underpin academic course designs. The study highlights leadership-thinking for instructional designers in practice or as a way of approaching the design process to envision and strategize for learning. Inferred is that leadership—whether personal or positional—is needed in order to negotiate what has become a complex framework of modern education. To formulate implications for the ID process and practice, themes were drawn from the literature on organizational and educational leadership, including recent ID research. Subsequently, seven characteristics of an instructional design leader were developed into a model—7Ps of leadership for ID: practicing with prescience (vision), engaging in preventive or proactive thinking (strategy), making provision for the unexpected and unknown, communicating with a collaborative and caring personality, leading a project with productivity, possessing psychological and emotional toughness for making difficult decisions, and consistently acting on personal convictions, including ethical and moral purposes. The model is posited as a potential candidate for inclusion in postgraduate educational technology programs as a means of enhancing students’ skillsets with leadership characteristics. Future research is suggested for validating the model, and a call is extended for exploring the issue of leadership’s influence on the ID process and practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1992). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arum, R., & Roksa, J. (2011). Academically adrift: Limited learning on college campuses. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashbaugh, M. L. (2011). Online pedagogical quality questioned: Probing instructional designers’ perceptions of leadership competencies critical to practice. Retrieved from http://gradworks.umi.com/34/60/3460621.html

  • Ashbaugh, M. L. (2013). I-Design 2.0 strategies for Web 2.0 adoption: Appropriate use of emerging technologies in online courses. In P. Blessinger & C. Wenkel (Eds.), Increasing student engagement and retention in e-learning environments: Web 2.0 and blended learning technologies (Vol. 7, pp. 17–56). Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/S2044-9968(2013)000006G004.

  • Ashbaugh, M. L, & Piña, A. A. (2012, July). Design-thinking for engineering quality instructional design processes through leadership competencies and modeling. Presented at the 2012 Annual Research Symposium of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology, Louisville, KY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaudoin, M. F. (2007). Distance education leadership: An appraisal of research and practice. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed., pp. 391–402). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boisjoly, R. P., Curtis, E. F., & Mellican, E. (2004). Roger Boisjoly and the challenger disaster: The ethical dimensions. In T. E. Beauchamp & N. E. Bowie (Eds.), Ethical theory and business (7th ed., pp. 123–135). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, K., Schwier, R., & Kenny, R. (2009). The critical, relational practice of instructional design in higher education: An emerging model of change agency. Educational Technology Research and Development, 57(5), 645–663. doi:10.1007/s11423-007-9061-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. J., Wu, J., Yang, S. C., & Tsou, H-Y. (2008). Importance of diversified leadership roles in improving team effectiveness in a virtual collaboration learning environment. Educational Technology & Society, 11(1), 304–321. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals, http://www.educause.edu/eq

  • Collins, J. A. (1993). Failure of materials in mechanical design: Analysis, prediction, prevention (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Covey, S. R. (1992). Principle-centered leadership: Strategies for personal and professional effectiveness. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Covey, S. R. (2004). The seven habits of highly effective people (15 anniversaryth ed.). New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dede, C., & Bjerede, M. (2010). Mobile wireless devices that empower engagement, learning, and assessment. Presented at the ISTE Annual Conference & Exposition, June 27–30, 2010, Denver, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dooley, K., Lindner, J., Telg, R., Irani, T., Moore, L., & Lundy, L. (2007). Roadmap to measuring distance education instructional design competency. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 8(2), 151–159. Retrieved from http://www.infoagepub.com/index.php?id=89&i=4

    Google Scholar 

  • Drucker, P. (1981). Why management consultants? Retrieved from http://anoovaconsulting.biz/drucker.pdf

  • Durdu, P., Yalabik, N., & Cagiltay, K. (2009). A distributed online curriculum and courseware development model. Educational Technology & Society, 12(1), 230–248. Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info

  • Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullan, M., & Scott, G. (2009). Turnaround leadership for higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallos, J. V. (2008). Business leadership: A Jossey-Bass reader (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelo, O., Braakmann, D., & Benetka, G. (2008). Quantitative and qualitative research: Beyond the debate. Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(3), 266–290. doi:10.1007/s12124-008-9078-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gero, J. S. (2010). Design computing and cognition’10. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gressick, J., & Derry, S. J. (2010). Distributed leadership in online groups. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 5(2), 211–236. doi:10.1007/s11412-010-9086-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, B. (2010). Nonmaleficence and the preparation of classroom teachers in instructional design. Journal of Elementary and Secondary Education, 1(11), 1–16. Retrieved from http://www.theelearninginstitute.org/journal_pdf/JESE%20-%20Nonmaleficence%20and%20the%20Preparation%20of%20Classroom%20Teachers%20in%20Instructional%20Design.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, A., & Wellins, R. S. (2008). Global leadership forecast 2008|2009: Overcoming the shortfalls in developing leaders. Retrieved from http://www.ddiworld.com/pdf/globalleadershipforecast2008-2009_globalreport_ddi.pdf

  • Iacocca, L. (2007). Where have all the leaders gone? New York: Scribners.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (IBSTPI). (2000). Instructional design competencies report. International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.ibstpi.org/downloads/InstructionalDesignCompetencies.pdf

  • Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski, J. (2012). Source: The inner path of knowledge creation. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonassen, D. H. (2011). Learning to solve problems: A handbook for designing problem solving learning environments. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, R. (1955). Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business Review, 33(1), 33–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, R. F., Zhang, Z., Schwier, R. A., & Campbell, K. (2005). A review of what instructional designers do: Questions answered and questions not asked. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 31(1). Retrieved from http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/147/140

  • Kepner, C. H., & Tregoe, B. B. (1997). The new rational manager: An updated edition for a new world. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Research Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter? Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48–60. Retrieved from http://journals.aomonline.org/amp

  • Klein, J. D., Spector, J. M., Grabowski, B., & de la Teja, I. (2004). Instructor competencies: Standards for face-to-face, online and blended settings. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotter, J. P. (2008). What leaders really do. In J. V. Gallos (Ed.), Business leadership: A Jossey-Bass reader (2nd ed., pp. 5–15). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowch, E. (2009). New capabilities for cyber charter school leadership: An emerging imperative for integrating educational technology and educational leadership knowledge. TechTrends, 53(4), 41–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larson, M. B., & Lockee, B. B. (2009). Preparing instructional designers for different career environments: A case study. Educational Technology Research and Development, 57, 1–24. doi:10.1007/s11423-006-9031-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, B. (2006). How designers think: The design process demystified (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Architectural Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, H. (2007). The ethics of instructional technology: Issues and coping strategies experienced by professional technologists in design and training situations in higher education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55, 411–437. doi:10.1007/s11423-006-9029-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maryland Online. (2010). Quality Matters rubric standards 2008–2010 edition with assigned point values (QM™ 2010). Retrieved from http://qminstitute.org/home/Public%20Library/About%20QM/RubricStandards2008-2010.pdf

  • Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The irrefutable of laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow you (Rev., 10 anniversaryth ed.). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, M., & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A systems view (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naidu, S. (2007). Instructional designs for optimal learning. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (2nd ed., pp. 247–258). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nimon, S. (2007). Generation Y and higher education: The other Y2K. Journal of Institutional Research, 13(1), 24–41. Retrieved from http://www.aair.org.au/2006Papers/Nimon.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Paulsen, N., Maldonado, D., Callan, V. J., & Ayoko, O. (2009). Charismatic leadership, change and innovation in an R&D organization. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 22(5), 511–523. doi:10.1108/09534810910983479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piña, A. A., Sadowski, K. P., Scheidenhelm, C. L., & Heydenburg, P. R. (2008). SLATE: A community of practice for supporting learning and technology in education. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 5(7).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pisapia, J. (2009). The strategic leader: New tactics for a globalizing world. Charlotte, NC: Information Age.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power, D. (2012). Why innovation needs design thinkers. Harvard Division of Continuing Education. Retrieved from http://www.dce.harvard.edu/professional/blog/why-innovation-needs-design-thinking-5-29-12.jsp;jsessionid=HPOHOGNECCCL

  • Reeves, T. C., Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2004). A development research agenda for online collaborative learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(4), 53–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reigeluth, C. M., Watson, W. R., Watson, S. L., Dutta, P., Zengguan, C., & Powell, N. (2008). Roles for technology in the information-age paradigm of education: Learning management systems. Educational Technology, 48(6), 32–40. Retrieved from http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/123456789/194511/1/LMS.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimers, F. M. (2009). Leading for global competency. Educational Leadership: Teaching for the 21st Century, 67(1). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/Leading_for_Global_Competency.aspx

  • Richey, R. C., Fields, D. C., Foxon, M. (with Roberts, R. C., Spannaus, T., & Spector, J. M.). (2001). Instructional design competencies: The standards (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Eric Clearinghouse on Information and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richey, R. C., & Klein, J. D. (2007). Design and development research. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossett, A., & Papaila, D. (2005). Instructional design is not peanuts. In J. M. Spector, C. Ohrazda, A. van Schaack, & D. A. Wiley (Eds.), Innovations in instructional technology: Essays in honor of David Merrill (pp. 91–110). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothwell, W. J., & Kazanas, H. C. (2008). Mastering the instructional design process: A systematic approach. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sackney, L., & Mergel, B. (2007). Contemporary learning theories, instructional design and leadership. In J. M. Burger, C. Webber, & P. Klinck (Eds.), Intelligent Leadership (Vol. 11, pp. 67–98). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4020-6022-9_5

  • Schön, D. A. (1984). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. USA: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuller, C. F. (1986). Some historical perspectives on the instructional technology field. Journal of Instructional Development, 8(3), 3–6. Retrieved from http://www.aect.org/Publications/JID_Collection/H3_V8_N3/3_Schuller.PDF

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, G., Coates, H., & Anderson, M. (2008). Learning leaders in times of change: Academic leadership capabilities for Australian higher education. [Report]. University of Western Sydney and Australian Council for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senge, P. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sergiovanni, T. (2003). A cognitive approach to leadership. In B. Davies & J. West-Burham (Eds.), Handbook of educational leadership and management (pp. 12–16). New York: Pearson/Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, K. (2012). Leadership through instructional design in higher education. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12 (3). Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall153/shaw153.html

  • Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

  • Siemens, G. (2008). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educators and designers. Presentation at ITFORUM for Discussion, January 27, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.ingedewaard.net/papers/connectivism/2008_siemens_Learning_Knowing_in_Networks_changingRolesForEducatorsAndDesigners.pdf

  • Sims, R. (2011). Reappraising design practice. In D. Holt, S. Segrave, & J. Cybulski (Eds.), Professional education using e-simulations: Benefits of blended learning design. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, R. C., & Koszalka, T. A. (2008). Competencies for the new-age instructional designer. In J. M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. van Merriënboer, & M. P. Driscoll (Eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed.). New York: Earlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (1999). Instructional design (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonnenfeld, J., & Ward, A. (2007). Firing back: How great leaders rebound after career disasters. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spannaus, T., & Spector, J. M. (2001). The ID competencies: Discussion and analysis. In R. C. Richey, D. C. Fields, & M. Foxon (Eds.), Instructional design competencies: The standards (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Eric Clearinghouse on Information and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector, J. M. (2009). Reflections: Reconsidering the notion of distance in distance education. Distance Education, 30(1), 157–161. doi:10.1080/01587910902846004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer, Q., & Evans, R. (1997). Heads, you win!: How the best companies think—and how you can use their examples to develop critical thinking within your own organization. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taura, T., & Nagai, Y. (2010). Design creativity. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tichy, N. M., & Ulrich, D. O. (1984/2008). The leadership challenge—a call for the transformational leader. In J. Steven Ott, S. J. Parkes, & R. B. Simpson (Eds.), Classical readings of organizational behavior. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wakefield, J., Warren, S., & Mills, L. (2012). Traits, skills, & competencies aligned with workplace demands: What today’s instructional designers need to master. In P. Resta (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2012 (pp. 3126–3132). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/40070

  • Williams van Rooij, S. (2011). Instructional design and project management: Complementary or divergent? Educational Technology Research & Development, 59, 139–158. doi:10.1007/s11423-010-9176-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, B. G. (2005). Foundations for instructional design: Reclaiming the conversation. In J. M. Spector, C. Ohrazda, A. Van Schaack, & D. A. Wiley (Eds.), Innovations in instructional technology: Essays in honor of M. David Merrill (pp. 237–252). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89–126. doi:10.1177/0149206370308913.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zenger, J. H., & Folkman, J. (2009). The extraordinary leader: Turning good managers into great leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the People/MLA Instructional Designers, 442 Gardner Street, Castle Rock, CO, 80104, USA

    Marcia L. Ashbaugh Ph.D.

  2. Sullivan University, 2100 Gardiner Lane #220, Louisville, KY, 40205, USA

    Anthony A. Piña Ed.D.

Authors
  1. Marcia L. Ashbaugh Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anthony A. Piña Ed.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony A. Piña Ed.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Design, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

    Brad Hokanson

  2. Provo, Utah, USA

    Andrew Gibbons

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ashbaugh, M.L., Piña, A.A. (2014). Improving Instructional Design Processes Through Leadership-Thinking and Modeling. In: Hokanson, B., Gibbons, A. (eds) Design in Educational Technology. Educational Communications and Technology: Issues and Innovations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00927-8_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation