Instructional Design and eLearning: A Discussion of Pedagogical Content Knowledge as a Missing Construct

With the increasing use of instructional designers as pedagogical experts for eLearning activities within institutions of higher education, it is important we learn as much as possible about designing and developing effective instructional design across the disciplines. When instructional designers are employed as pedagogical experts but not content experts—and the instructors are content experts but not pedagogical experts—the result is a bifurcation of content and pedagogy. Connections of these two domains should not be neglected. This discussion paper makes the case for why pedagogical content knowledge should: (1) become integrated within the roles and functions of instructional designers; (2) be a requisite component within programmes of instructional design, and; (3) a primary focus of further research.