An encyclopedic examination of competing paradigms in the areas of instructional design and development at all levels and in a variety of environments. The 46 treatments feature the analysis of experienced scholars and sometimes the authors of the particular theories under discussion which include topics in instructional development in its philosophical mode (constructivism, postmodernism, systems approach), as a cultural vantage point, and in theory and application reviewing the effects of technology on class design, the influences of semiotics, the strategic advantages of constructivist instruction versus linear designs, and modeling for applying design strategies from constructivism and cognitive theory to individualizing instruction with adult learners. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR