M. David Merrill

M. David Merrill in 2009

M. David Merrill (Marriner David Merrill)[1] is an education researcher specializing in instructional design and technology.

Personal life

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Merrill was born on March 27, 1937. After completing high school, he was involved in missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. He is married to Kathleen Merrill and together they have nine children and 39 grandchildren. He currently lives in Utah.[2]

Education and career

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In 1961, Merrill earned a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education from Brigham Young University. He earned an MA and a Ph.D from the University of Illinois in 1964.

Merrill has been a faculty member at numerous universities during his extensive academic career:[2]

Research

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Merrill's research has helped lead to the development of three important theories that underpin the discipline of Instructional Design and Technology today: The Component Display Theory, Instructional Transaction Theory and the First Principles of Instruction.

Component Display Theory

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The Component Display Theory (CDT) classifies learning into two dimensions: content and performance.[4] Merrill developed a performance/content matrix which can be used to ascertain the levels of performance that is required for an area of content.[5] The dimension of content consist of four areas: facts, procedures, concepts and principles; while the performance dimension consists of remembering, using and finding.[4] The component display theory can be used to design instruction for any level of the cognitive domain and it provides a basis for lesson design in computer-based learning systems.[4] In 1994, Merrill revised the original component display theory and the focus shifted towards a more macro perspective. The emphasis shifted from lesson towards general course structure and from forms to instructional transactions.[6]

First Principles of Instruction

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The First Principles of Instruction is an instructional theory that takes into consideration many instructional theories and models.[7] It includes as set of inter-related principles – task/problem-centered, activation, demonstration, application and integration.[8] These principles can help instructional designers develop instructional materials that can enhance the instructional and learning process. It is a task-centered instructional theory and as such emphasis is placed on the use of real-world problems or tasks in the instructional process.

  • In task/problem-centered: learners learn when the instruction is centered on real-world problems or tasks and this progresses from simple to complex.[8]
  • In activation: learners learn when they are required to recall previous knowledge, recall a structure for organizing that knowledge or are given a structure for organizing new knowledge.[8]
  • Demonstration: learners learn new skills and knowledge when such skills or knowledge is demonstrated to them in a context of a real-world problem or task.[8]
  • Application: learners learn when they actually perform a real-world task.[8]
  • Integration: learners learn when they integrate new knowledge into their everyday life.[8]

Instructional Transactional Theory

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This theory was developed by Merrill along with Li and Jones and it was regarded as a second generation Instructional Design Theory.[9] This theory was designed in an attempt to extend Gagne’s condition of learning and Merrill’s component display theory to form a design which had the capacity for automated instruction.[9] Hence, it can be described as computer-based instructional design. Instructional transactions are algorithms, patterns of learning interactions which have been designed to enable the learner to acquire certain kind of knowledge or skills.[9] The instructional transactional theory has three components- Descriptive theory of knowledge, Descriptive theory of strategy and Prescriptive theory of instructional design.[10]

Publications

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M. D. Merrill has published many books, edited many chapters in books, written numerous Journal articles etc. Below is a list of some of his publications[2]

  • Mendenhall, A., Buhanan, C.W., Suhaka, M., Mills, G., Gibson, G.V., & Merrill, M.D. (2006). "A taskcentered approach to entrepreneurship." TechTrends 50(4): 84-89.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2001). "Toward a theoretical tool for instructional design." Instructional Science, 29(4- 5), 291-310.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2002). "A pebble-in-the-pond model for instructional design." Performance Improvement, 41(7), 39-44.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2002). "First principles of instruction." Educational Technology Research and Development, 50(3), 43-59.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2006). "Levels of instructional strategy." Educational Technology 46(4): 5-10.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2006). Hypothesized performance on complex tasks as a function of scaled instructional strategies. Handling Complexity in Learning Environments: Theory and Research. J. Enen and R. E. Clark. Amsterdam, Elsevier: 265-281.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2007). "A task-centered instructional strategy." Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 33-50
  • Merrill, M. D. (2007). "First principles of instruction: a synthesis." In Reiser, R.A. and Dempsey, J.V. (Eds) Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology, 2nd Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Merrill/Prentice Hall. 2: 62-71.
  • Merrill, M. David (2008). "Converting e3 learning to e3 learning: an alternative instructional design method". In S. Carliner & P. Shank (Eds.), The E-Learning Handbook: Past Promises, Present Challenges (pp. 359–400). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2008). "Reflections on a four-decade search for effective, efficient and engaging instruction." In M. W. Allen (Ed.), Michael Allen’s e-Learning Annual Volume 1 (2008) (pp. 141– 167). San Francisco: Wiley/Pfieffer
  • Merrill, M. D. (2008). "Why basic principles of instruction must be present in the learning landscape, whatever form it takes, for learning to be effective, efficient and engaging." In J. Visser & M. VisserValfrey (Eds.), Learners in a Changing Learning Landscape: Reflections from a Dialogue on New Roles and Expectations (pp. 267–275): Springer.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2009). "Finding e3 (effective, efficient and engaging) Instruction." Educational Technology, 49(3), 15-26.
  • Merrill, M. D. (2009). "First Principles of Instruction." In C. M. Reigeluth & A. Carr-Chellman (Eds.), Instructional Design Theories and Models III. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
  • Merrill, M. D., & Gilbert, C. G. (2008). "Effective peer interaction in a problem-centered instructional strategy." Distance Education, 29(2), 199-207.
  • Merrill, M. D., Barclay, M., & Van Schaack, A. (2008). "Prescriptive principles for instructional design." In J. M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. J. G. van Merrienboer & M. P. Driscol (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (3rd ed., pp. 173–184). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Taylor and Francis Group.

References

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  1. ^ "40657547".
  2. ^ a b c "Merrill, M. D. (Resume)". Archived from the original on 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  3. ^ I Will Lead You Along: The Life of Henry B. Eyring. Robert I. Eaton and Henry J. Eyring. Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2013. p. 199.
  4. ^ a b c Merrill, M.D. (1983). "Component Display Theory". In Reigeluth, C. (ed.). Instructional Design Theories in Action. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Associations.
  5. ^ Clark, D.R. (2010). "Merrill's Component Display Theory". Retrieved 20 Feb 2015.
  6. ^ Merrill, M. D. (1994). Instructional Design Theory. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications.
  7. ^ Merrill, M. D. (2002). "First principles of instruction". Educational Technology Research and Development. 50 (3): 43–59. doi:10.1007/BF02505024. S2CID 18175995.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Merrill, M. D. (2009). "First Principles of Instruction". In Reigeluth, C. M.; Carr-Chellman, A. (eds.). Instructional Design Theories and Models, Building a Common Knowledge Base. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
  9. ^ a b c Merrill, M. D. (1996). "Instructional Transactional Theory: An Instructional Design Model based on Knowledge Objects". Educational Technology. 36 (3). Department of Instructional Technology, Utah State University: 30–37.
  10. ^ Merrill, M. D. (1996). Instructional Transactional Theory: An Instructional Design Model based on Knowledge Objects. Department of Instructional Technology, Utah State University, Educational Technology 36(3), 30-37.