Jul 28 2022

I’ve Come Around Full Circle to Use the Term “Instruction”

Instruction as an Umbrella Term

In 1979 I joined what is now called L&D – Learning & Development. Only it was being called T&D – Training & Development back then. It had previously been called Instruction.

Of course, I’m overgeneralizing a bit here, as there has been zero consistency about the language in the “profession” since way back then. I mean the “D” in ISD and ID stood for “Development” and was just then changed to mean “Design.” By some and then most if not all decades later.

And the professional organization I joined (the now ISPI Chapter in Detroit) in September was MSIT – the Michigan Society of Instructional Technology – as IT – Instructional Technology was our name until MIS – Management Information Systems changed its name to IT for Information Technology, and we got bumped.

Instruction

A few years back, I began the slip down the slippery slope of semantical shifts back to Instruction – as my career-long focus on Performance-Based Job Aids and Training … then later with other variations finally landing on … Performance-Based Performance Support and Learning Experiences.

As a label, “Instruction” covers both as Performance Support needs to be instructional as does a Learning Experience – at least in an Enterprise Learning Context – what used to be called Corporate Training.

And, as I often said/written – it’s not all about Learning – it’s all about Performance – via any means – even via Job Aids/Performance Support where “learning” may or may not be necessary – or even a goal.

If it is worthy of Formalizing the Informal – does the Performance Context demand a Memorized Performance Response, or does it allow for a Referenced Performance Response?

The Name Game Continues

I recently put out yet another book. This one is on KMS – Knowledge Management Systems with a Performance orientation/spin: Performance Enablement & Guidance Systems – pronounced as PEGS – as the ampersand is silent. ;)