ABSTRACT
This chapter presents alternative approaches, individually and collectively, in the context of earlier instructional theory development and emergent contemporary trends. Of course, selection and use of instructional theories does not necessarily involve the same issues and prospects found in the selection and use of therapy theories. However, research findings and guidelines about selections among instructional theories are not as extensive as the work concerning therapy and counseling theories. Considering the close affiliation between some of these “failed” innovations and instructional theory, it is worth noting some of the processes by which theories seem to have been selected in education and training during the past century. The chapter provides numerous examples of inquiry techniques through which instructors can aid students to develop and test hypotheses (or rules) about factors influencing focal length. These examples take into account some of the problems one encounters when using inquiry instructional techniques.
