Jill StassieITEC 7430Spring 2013

In his article, ARDDIE in the year 2013: ARDDIE is in, ADDIE is out, senior

instructional and performance transfer designer Ben Rurark discusses the necessity of

adding a research component to the instructional design process, using the ADDIE model

as an example. In this article, he asserts that Learning and Delivery (L & D) must

incorporate Evidence Based Performance (EBP) to truly meet an organization’s

educational needs. His article is written from the perspective of corporate training and

not the K-12 educational system.

Rurark believes that, “a research phase could be the missing link for the design

model of the future” (p. 44). He answers the “why research” question with this

statement, “because for chief learning officers, accountability plays a major role, and

while research can deliver it, technology cannot and never will” (p. 44). While many will

disagree with this statement, Rurark defends this belief throughout the article by

explaining what EBP is and how it can transform instructional design by because it

ensures that everyone is using current, research- based practices. By using the medical

field’s utilization of EBP’s, Rurark provides his own evidence-based examples of how

his ideas look in practice. This lends some validity into the feasibility of his plan.

In order to achieve these new EBD practices, instructional designers must now

assume the role of researcher. Rurark proposes literature reviews as part of the ID model.

He also calls for two more gap analysis to be conducted, each involving how the latest

research can guide instructional design. Essentially, Rurark is proposing that

instructional design must become research-centric. To achieve this goal, there needs to

be a stronger collaboration between universities and corporate entities. He acknowledges

that there is currently a conflict between these research-centric and business-minded

ideas but they can and must be overcome as instructional design moves into the future.

Many times corporations believe that the move to technology based instruction means

they have transformed learning to the next level. Rurark believes that only by instituting

EBPs will L & D be truly propelled into the future. This article was written in 2007 and

sets 2013 as the five- year goal to institute these practices.