While official definitions and textbooks in the field reflect a conception of design in which little has changed in decades, there has been a growing awareness since the early 1990s that broader conceptions of design could benefit practice in instructional design. Preparations of instructional designers in college programs traditionally include the use of instructional design models and processes incorporating project work. Approaches based on studio design are recently emerging in some programs. Research on design practice and the effectiveness of design pedagogies in the field are called for.