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Four-component instructional design (4C/ID) model: a meta-analysis on use and effect

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Abstract

The four-component instructional design model (4C/ID) has been increasingly used in face-to-face and online learning environments. We present a meta-analysis on the use and effect on performance of educational programs developed with the 4C/ID model after more than 20 years of its application and research in different academic areas and technical training. We performed the meta-analysis through the combination of effect sizes from studies using Cohen’s d. The combination of the studies suggests that the use of educational programs developed with 4C/ID has a high impact on performance (d = 0.79 standard deviations), regardless of the academic area, the design of the study and the outcome (knowledge and complex skills). The grade under study was a significant moderator on the effect, showing that the higher-education level is more suitable for application of the 4C/ID model. Our results suggest that the use of the 4C/ID model should be prioritized as an instructional model in college and university learning environments.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT) [ISTAR Projects: UIDB/04466/2020 and UIDP/04466/2020].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR, Lisboa, Portugal

    Joana Martinho Costa

  2. Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Guilhermina Lobato Miranda

  3. Instituto de Educação, UIDEF, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Mário Melo

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  1. Joana Martinho Costa
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  2. Guilhermina Lobato Miranda
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  3. Mário Melo
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Correspondence to Joana Martinho Costa.

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Costa, J.M., Miranda, G.L. & Melo, M. Four-component instructional design (4C/ID) model: a meta-analysis on use and effect. Learning Environ Res 25, 445–463 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-021-09373-y

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