Types and Benefits of Innovation in Learning Design

Innovation in instructional design generally revolves around three major areas: Technology, Process, and Theory.

Technology - innovations in technology for learning typically yield several benefits:

1. learning enhancement - appropriately used current and emerging technology can significantly increase learning
2. tracking - quality technologies enable us to (a) monitor and measure student learning and progress, (b) manage learning experiences, and (c) manage the processes of creating and evaluating learning more effectively.
3. delivery - technologies enable us to deliver learning experiences quickly and efficiently to broader audiences quickly and at relatively low cost
4. management - technologies allow learners and others to manage their learning more effectively

Process - innovations in instructional design process should yield the following benefits:

1. efficiency to reduce cost and time to produce instruction
2. checkpoints and controls for creating quality instruction
3. empowerment to the instructional design team to be creative and innovative

Theory - innovations in instructional theory, or how to design what the learning experience actually looks like, yield several benefits including (but not limited to):

1. increased efficiency in the student learning experience
2. improvements in meeting the defined learning outcomes and goals
3. increased student motivation in learning
4. increased ability for students to transfer their learning to the real world