Direct Instruction Revisited: A Key Model for Instructional Technology

Rooted in behavioral theory, particularly the radical or selectivist behaviorism of B.F. Skinner (1953, 1954, 1966, 1968, 1974), the direct instruction (DI) approach to teaching is now well into its third decade of influencing curriculum, instruction, and research. It is also in its third decade of controversy. Our purpose is to present the DI model with the notion that the designer can and should use the model effectively based on appropriate assessment of the learners, content, context, and task at hand. To accomplish our goal, we begin with a general discussion of the basic DI framework, followed by a summary of the major DI models that have been used in live instructional contexts. We then shift to a review of how DI has been used in technology-based learning environments. Finally, we conclude with a look into the future of DI. Rooted in behavioral theory, particularly what Skinner labeled the radical or selectionist behaviorism (see, e.g., Skinner, 1953, 1966), the direct instruction (DI) of Siegfried Engelmann (Bereiter & Engelmann, 1966) is now well into its third decade of influencing curriculum, instruction, and research. It is also in its third decade of controversy (c.f., Gersten, Baker, Pugach, Scanlon, & Chard, 2001).