Instructional Transaction Theory

Instructional transaction theory is an instructional theory developed to identify content that can be input into a computer for the purpose of automating instruction. It was developed during the 1990s by M. David Merrill and his colleagues as an extension of their component display theory (CDT). While developing tools for automating instructional design, Merrill and colleagues noted the need for an automated system to generate instruction or an instructional prototype based on content provided by subject experts. Merrill and his colleagues determined that the presentation strategies in CDT could be refined to meet this need. This entry first discusses the components of instructional decision making in CDT and how they were extended in instructional transaction theory. The entry then discusses several tools based on instructional ...