Our Purpose

The purpose of this database is to provide quantitative data about various trends in the field, so as to provide users with empirical evidence about these trends, particularly with regard to: (a) the extent to which trends are actually being employed in various settings (e.g., K–12, higher education, and business and industry) and (b) the attitudes expressed by various groups about the benefits and challenges of the various trends. In addition to accessing this information, users can add content to the database.

Our History

The Trends in Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) Database started in 2013. At that time, the project was an effort by a team of three to collect published data on the extent to which various trends and innovations in the instructional design and technology field were employed.

In late 2015, team member Weinan Zhao designed and developed a prototype of a database to store and easily access the ever-growing collection of data. A second (and current) version of the database was released in mid-2020.

Since early 2016, we have used a database to store, organize, and retrieve a great deal of data, and we have added a variety of new features to the current database so as to facilitate its use. Our team has also grown to undertake an increasing number of project-related tasks. We hope that you will find the Trends in IDT Database to be a useful tool and that you will help us in our efforts!