Abstract
As educators have quickly adopted remote learning amid the Covid-19 pandemic, they have faced challenges of engagement, assessment, integrating 21st century skills, mastering new technology tools, and adapting face-to-face learning experiences for the online classroom, among others. Professional development in instructional design and the input of instructional designers could support educators in all of these areas.English language teachers are now called upon to fundamentally change the learning experience for two reasons. First, to integrate 21st century skills (Trilling and Fadel, 2009) into curricula and assessments, and second, in response to the pandemic, to create online learning experiences.For years, educators have discussed the importance of 21st century skills learning experiences, but few institutions have successfully done so. Part of the challenge is that creating a lesson that gives learners a chance to develop skills such as leadership, digital literacy, and global citizenship is a more complicated endeavour than the traditional English lesson. Furthermore, assessing the extent to which a person has developed an intangible skill such as creativity is a particular challenge.Furthermore, there often isnât a straightforward translation from a face-to-face lesson or activity to an online one. Thereâs no formula, no simple conversion method. This means a complete reconsideration of the learning experience, and that requires input, ideas, and inspiration.This paper will examine how instructional design can be a catalyst for the development of more dynamic, engaging learning experiences that will better prepare students for academic and professional life.Keywords: professional development; instructional design; 21st century skills; remote teaching; commentaryPart of the Special Issue Technology enhanced learning in the MENA region <https://doi.org/10.21428/8c225f6e.1fd869f8>
Highlights
In my experience as a learning consultant to Middle East educators and education leaders, the most pressing questions they have asked, both during 2020 emergency remote teaching (ERT) and even before, focused on engagement, assessment, 21st century skills, and instructional technology.In my daily work, I talk to education leaders and instructors in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, and other countries in the region
Conversations take place in meetings with individuals, program leaders, and groups of faculty from the same institution as well as large groups of faculty from multiple institutions. These conversations often center on resources, training for teachers on how to use course resources, and professional development to improve the standard of instruction
The instructor-instructional designer collaboration can mean that synchronous and asynchronous learning modes are optimized for achievement learning outcomes
Summary
In my experience as a learning consultant to Middle East educators and education leaders, the most pressing questions they have asked, both during 2020 emergency remote teaching (ERT) and even before, focused on engagement, assessment, 21st century skills, and instructional technology. Instructional design skills can be the catalyst that helps educators overcome challenges in assessment, 21st century skills integration, engagement, and appropriate use of technology. Traditional, objective multiple-choice or short-answer language tests do not provide data on whether, or to what extent, students are developing the skills of productivity, leadership, creativity, digital literacy, and other 21st century skills. For this reason, and perhaps many others, it is necessary to rethink assessment. Instructional design expertise can support the process of creating the prompt, setting up a process of submitting the work, grading the work, and using the technology needed to carry out those steps
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