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Current trends in task analysis

The integration of task analysis and instructional design

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Journal of instructional development

Summary

Perhaps the most important trend in task analysis today is the substantive and temporal integration of task analysis with instructional design. Task analysis and instructional design are being integratedsubstantively by using designactivities (such as sequencing and synthesis) as a basis for selecting different types of task analysis, and by using specificstrategies (such as a procedurally-based simple-to-complex sequence) as another basis for selecting different task analysis methodologies. The area of synthesis is one that deserves to receive considerable attention in the near future. Also, as new instructional strategies are developed to utilize the capabilities of new delivery systems (such as new strategies for sequencing and synthesis), new task analysis methodologies will be needed to provide the information necessary to design those strategies into the instruction.

Finally, task analysis and instructional design are being integratedtemporally by interspersing different task and content analysis methodologies with different kinds of design activities in the instructional development process. It appears that both substantive and temporal integration of analysis and design are very helpful for producing quality courseware.

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Reigeluth, C.M. Current trends in task analysis. Journal of Instructional Development 6, 24–30 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02906215

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