Instructional Design Research Articles

(Re)designing an International Marketing course: Engaging a diverse classroom in real-client projects

The world is changing. Educators in business administration, including marketing, face the challenge of providing relevant education. Students, as a primary stakeholder, are interested in competencies that make them (competitive) employable. The organizations (employers) are reducing their willingness to train new employees on the job and demand their immediate contribution to organizational goals. Society increasingly emphasizes that higher education must go beyond education and research into the third mission of direct contribution to community development and economic development. This article discusses the (re)designing of an international marketing course based on experimental learning and instructional design. The course is integrated into the local business community and uses, as an asset, a diverse student population to respond to challenges local businesses face in pursuing entrepreneurial internationalization. The effects of the course (re)design are measured through the course evaluations during the last three-year period. The goal of the article is to contribute to collegial discussion on engagement with the business community to increase relevance of education, as well as share ideas for systematic course design and delivery.

Investigating students’ programming behaviors, interaction qualities and perceptions through prompt-based learning in ChatGPT

ChatGPT has proven to facilitate computer programming tasks through the strategic use of prompts, which effectively steer the interaction with the language model towards eliciting relevant information. However, the impact of specifically designed prompts on programming learning outcomes has not been rigorously examined through empirical research. This study adopted a quasi-experimental framework to investigate the differential effects of prompt-based learning (PbL) versus unprompted learning (UL) conditions on the programming behaviors, interaction qualities, and perceptions of college students. The study sample consisted of 30 college students who were randomly assigned to two groups. A mixed-methods approach was employed to gather multi-faceted data. Results revealed notable distinctions between the two learning conditions. First, the PbL group students frequently engaged in coding with Python and employed debugging strategies to verify their work, whereas their UL counterparts typically transferred Python code from PyCharm into ChatGPT and posed new questions within ChatGPT. Second, PbL participants were inclined to formulate more complex queries independently, prompted by the guiding questions, and consequently received more precise feedback from ChatGPT compared to the UL group. UL students tended to participate in more superficial-level interactions with ChatGPT, yet they also obtained accurate feedback. Third, there were noticeable differences in perception observed before and after the ChatGPT implementation, UL group reported a more favorable perception in the perceived ease of use in the pre-test, while the PbL group experienced an improvement in their mean scores for perceived usefulness, ease of use, behavioral intention to utilize, and a significant difference regarding the attitude towards utilizing ChatGPT. Specifically, the use of structured output and delimiters enhanced learners’ understanding of problem-solving steps and made learning more efficient with ChatGPT. Drawing on these outcomes, the study offers recommendations for the incorporation of ChatGPT into future instructional designs, highlighting the structured prompting benefits in enhancing programming learning experience.

A Study on How to Cultivate Musical Transitions Using A. Copland’s Theory of Students of Liberal Arts Music Education at University

This study adopted literature analysis and hermeneutic research methods, utilizing Aaron Copland's theory of film music to explore strategies for promoting musical transfer among students in college-level general music education. Music courses in liberal arts education at the university level typically focus on enhancing students' appreciation and understanding of music. however, given the nature of such courses, there may be limitations in applying musical concepts to real-life situations unless a specific instructional design is considered. To address this issue, this study developed a preliminary educational model through a literature review, and subsequently refined and finalized the model by incorporating revisions identified during the actual process of designing lessons using film music. The findings indicate that the educational model employing film music has the potential to enhance students' musical comprehension and appreciation skills and serves as an effective tool for facilitating the transfer of musical concepts across various contexts. These results suggest that the integration of film music into liberal arts music education is an effective approach for expanding students' musical thinking and experiences, thus presenting a new direction for music education.

Bringing embodied approaches to on-campus research methods teaching for large STEM cohorts: design, challenges, learning

In the post-pandemic world, Learning Development researchers have posited a ‘new hybrid era of teaching’, in which lessons from lockdown in best practice for online and remote teaching play a key role in increasing the inclusivity of higher education (Kantcheva and Bickle, 2023). At the same time, as many students have returned to campus, research has begun to interrogate the role that campus spaces and in-person interaction play in teaching and learning in this new era (Hrach, 2021; Cox et al., 2022). Whether through explicit pedagogical design or implicitly, courses with practical elements, particularly in many scientific disciplines, tend to favour principles of embodied learning through ‘learning-by-doing’. Courses incorporate hands-on interaction with laboratory equipment and social constructivist approaches through student co-creation (Deshmukh, 2021), the centrality of which to students’ professional training was made even more apparent during the move to remote learning. However, these same principles have not underscored the pedagogical approach to research methods education on the undergraduate Engineering degree programmes at the University of Manchester, which has typically been taught more didactically in recent years. This lecture-format approach has been used partially due to challenges of practicality, with the course unit being delivered to a large cohort that can reach 500 students in a typical year. With these principles in mind, this academic year, the Library Teaching, Learning and Students team has collaborated with academic leads across Engineering disciplines to deliver embedded research methods workshops that incorporate elements of an embodied, social constructivist approach, playing to the unique strengths of in-person group learning. This presentation charted the process of Learning Developers and academic staff co-designing these workshops, highlighting challenges encountered, and outlining learning from the process to take forward into future collaborations with disciplines with large cohorts.

Desolvation Effect Triggered by TiS2‐TiO2 Heterostructure for Ultrahigh‐Rate Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

AbstractAqueous Zn ion batteries (AZIBs) represent a promising candidate for the next‐generation energy storage and conversion systems due to their high safety and cost‐effectiveness. However, sluggish kinetics arising from interface desolvation processes pose challenges in achieving high‐power density and long cycle life for AZIBs. Here, it is discovered for the first time that heterostructures utilize built‐in electric field forces to promote the desolvation process at the electrode‐electrolyte interface. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and structural characterization demonstrate that heterogeneous structures simultaneously accelerate the desolvation process and enhance ion diffusion, resulting in the outstanding rate performance (160.9 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1) of TiS2‐TiO2 heterostructures, far exceeding that of a conventional TiS2 electrode with 14.2% capacity retention. Meanwhile, the insertion/extraction of the desolvated charge carriers reduced the volume change of TiS2‐TiO2 material during the charging/discharging processes, enabling the long‐lasting cycling stability (108.6 mA h g−1 after 2000 cycles at 0.5 A g−1). This study provides instructive electrode design strategies for the construction of fast‐charging electrochemical energy storage systems.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into undergraduate education

The incorporation of AI as a tool in educating undergraduates is a promising concept held with a great potential of positively influencing the learning process, learners’ experiences and institutional management systems. At the same time, it lifts essential moral issues that ought to be adequately addressed into new stages. The aim of this paper is to review literature on the subject of ethics in the application of AI in the context of an undergraduate degree program. Algorithmic choices for instructional design are another relevant ethical concern along with privacy and data protection, practitioners’ responsibilities, and the requisite levels of transparency, as well as the depersonalized and mechanized nature of learning management systems. The analysis reveals how the use of AI technology might deepen the social and economic inequities the students have described and how difficult it is to keep the students’ trust in cases when AI technology is not transparent. Also, the paper raises concerns related to several ethical issues and their consequences to students, teachers, and institutions on how strong ethical principles and policies to apply AI in the educational sectors. It is established that the use of AI in the delivery of undergraduate education has the potential of enhancing the effectiveness of learning(). Nonetheless, it is recommended that the integration of AI in the classroom must be done with reference to several ethical concerns so as to prevent further negative ramifications of the technology.

A Systematic Review of Blended Learning in Higher Education: Second Language Acquisition through the Community of Inquiry Framework

This study examined the application of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework in blended learning environments for second language acquisition in higher education. A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA protocol, analyzing 25 peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2023 from Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases. The review investigated CoI implementation characteristics, the interplay of CoI elements, research methodologies, challenges, and best practices. Findings revealed a predominance of studies on undergraduate English learners, with mixed-methods approaches being most common. The integration of social, cognitive, and teaching presence significantly enhanced language acquisition and student engagement. Key challenges included technological integration, maintaining online engagement, effective instructional design, and addressing varying language proficiency levels. Best practices emphasized the strategic use of mobile applications, fostering online communities, enhancing teaching presence, and implementing personalized learning approaches. Gaps identified in the research included a predominant focus on English language studies, limited exploration at the graduate level, and a scarcity of longitudinal investigations examining long-term outcomes of CoI-informed blended learning. This review provided valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in blended language learning, offering a foundation for future research and implementation strategies. However, the study was limited by its focus on peer-reviewed articles from specific databases.

Development and Validation of an Educational Intervention Using a Mobile Social Networking for People With Diabetes: A Brazilian Experience

Introduction Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease with high morbidity and mortality rate and increasing prevalence, which leading to a significant decrease in quality of life. Objective To develop and validate a intervention program of non-pharmacological interventions for self-care and a healthy lifestyles using a mobile social networking for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes assisted by a Primary Health Care service. Method Applied technological research with mixed methodology. The method chosen for the development of the set of interventions was the Contextualized Instructional Design (DIC), and the validation was carried out by the Delphi Method. Results In the developed program, patients received information through posts in a WhatsApp® group called “Routine in Day.” In this virtual environment, the content was transmitted and discussed through text messages, videos, audios and images about Diabetes Mellitus, healthy eating, physical activity, correct use of medications, sleeping habits, mental health, drug control and guidance on the reduction of chronic complications based on scientific evidence. With regard to validation, after two rounds of the Delphi method, the Content Validity Index was above the standard in the literature. Conclusion: The current intervention proposal proved to be a useful and accessible tool, with the objective of contributing to the control of Diabetes Mellitus, in addition to facilitating communication between the team and patients.

The Pathways of Ideological and Political Education Integrated Throughout Business English Curriculum from the Perspective of Fostering Virtue

Fostering Virtue is the Fundamental Task of Education. Based on this fundamental task, universities should improve the teaching design of every course in various disciplines, integrating ideological and political education into them. This article explores the basic pathways for implementing ideological and political education in Business English courses from the perspective of fostering virtue. These pathways include establishing and dividing course groups for ideological and political education, exploring ideological and political elements to find corresponding material for integration, and innovating teaching methods to strengthen the effect of moral education. This article provides new ideas for integrating ideological and political education into Business English courses in universities.

Interactive teaching design of mobile English based on deep learning

Interactive teaching design of mobile English based on deep learning

A narrative inquiry of an undergraduate student in TEFL in developing her identity as an engaged reader

PurposeThis retrospective narrative inquiry explored an undergraduate student’s lived experience in negotiating her identity as an engaged reader of English as a foreign language.Design/methodology/approachNarrative inquiry was employed to gain a deeper and better understanding of the participant’s engagement in reading courses. Olif (pseudonym, female) was recruited due to her significant learning achievements and willingness to share her experiences. To collect the data, we conducted several online interviews with her. To triangulate our findings, we also asked her to share her learning artifacts from the reading courses.FindingsThe thematic analysis revealed two major findings. First, her reading engagement is driven by both personal and academic motivation. Furthermore, her involvement in collaborative reading tasks fosters a deeper comprehension of texts and enhances creativity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has two major limitations. First, it interviewed only one student and was conducted over a relatively short period. Second, it examined the participant’s experience across three different reading courses, which potentially lacks deeper insights into how each course uniquely contributes to learning engagement.Originality/valueThe study concludes that promoting personalized and collaborative reading tasks enables undergraduate students to develop their identity as engaged readers. Despite focusing on a single participant, this study offers a unique perspective on how the participant’s voice can potentially impact teachers’ pedagogical design in reading classrooms.

The use ADDIE model to improve the competence of the higher education task force in obtaining competitive funding for the independent campus program

PurposeThis research aims to improve the competence of the task force of vocational higher education study programs in preparing a proposal for the Vocational Higher Education Strengthening Program-Private University (VHESP-PU) of the Independent Campus Program.Design/methodology/approachThis type of research is R&D by applying the ADDIE model procedures. The research subjects were 30 lecturers assigned as study program task forces from 15 private universities in North Sumatra. The techniques to collect data are tests and questionnaires. Data analysis techniques use quantitative descriptive statistics.FindingsThe application of the ADDIE Model was proven effective in achieving training objectives based on the mean comparison analysis between the pre-test and post-test, showing an increase. The maximum score achieved by participants also increased by 9.52% from 84 to 92. Participants' evaluation of the implementation of the training was also dominant in the “Good” and “Very Good” categories. The training learning achievements that participants have obtained will help prepare higher-quality VHESP-PU proposals for each fiscal year to optimize training sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThe fact that only 15 universities participated in the training underscores the urgent need for ongoing training using the ADDIE model. This will ensure that more participants from private universities in North Sumatra can benefit from this practical approach to proposal preparation.Practical implicationsUsing the ADDIE model to prepare VHESP-PU proposals is an innovative approach that can inspire similar applications in other fields. This research demonstrates that the ADDIE model, usually associated with instructional design, curriculum or learning materials, can also effectively prepare funding proposals using a competition scheme.Originality/valueThe use of the ADDIE model in preparing VHESP-PU proposals is an innovation because ADDIE is usually more related to developing instructional design, curriculum or learning materials rather than funding proposals using a competition scheme.

Utilizing Language-Generating Artificial Intelligence (LGAI) in Educational Planning: A Case Study

The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT in education, while promising, remains underexplored. This study investigates the use of language-generating AI (LGAI) within K-12 instructional planning through a case study of a middle school science teacher using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. Findings reveal that effective use of LGAI involves detailed contextual input, iterative dialogue, and selective adoption of AI-generated suggestions. The teacher’s engagement with LGAI not only enhanced lesson planning efficiency but also supported adaptive teaching methods and personalized learning experiences. This integration led to improved confidence and strategic decision-making in instructional planning. The study highlights the potential of LGAI to transform educational practices and underscores the importance of professional development to equip educators with the skills necessary to harness AI technologies effectively. These insights contribute to understanding how GenAI can augment instructional design, offering a framework for integrating technological innovations into pedagogy.

Optimizing cognitive load and learning adaptability with adaptive microlearning for in-service personnel

Adaptive microlearning has emerged as a crucial approach for enhancing the working skills of in-service personnel. This study introduces the design and development of an innovative adaptive microlearning (AML) system and investigates its effectiveness compared to a conventional microlearning (CML) system. The main distinguishing feature of an AML system from a CML system is its adaptive features that tailor the learning experience to individual needs, including personalized content delivery, real-time feedback, and adaptive learning paths. A quasi-experimental study involving 111 in-service personnel (NAML = 56, NCML = 55) was conducted. ANCOVA results confirmed that the AML system significantly reduced unnecessary cognitive load due to inappropriate instructional design (mean difference of -20.02, p < 0.05) and significantly improved learning adaptability (mean difference of 40.72, p < 0.05). These findings highlight the potential of adaptive microlearning systems to overcome barriers to effective learning, thereby supporting lifelong learning and professional development in various working contexts.

Does AI Help? A Review of How AIGC Affects Design Education

With the rising advancement of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) tools such as Midjourney, ChatGPT, Meta and Luma, the design industry is undergoing a new shift. Thus, the great influence of the AIGC application has taken place in the design education area, followed by the question, “How does AIGC integration impact design education”? This study aims to uncover the latest progress and identify the research gap in the design pedagogy area, despite the lack of research on how AIGC integration affects design education in contrast to the explosive growth of ChatGPT research. This study explored impactful and most up-to-date articles for systematic analysis. It reveals that AIGC can enhance students’ design efficiency by empowering ideation, prototyping and personalization. However, further study is called for developing strategies for seamlessly integrating AIGC into design curricula and pedagogical practice and the educational ethics and parity issues during the AIGC integration in design education.

Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Contemporary Environmental Art Design Teaching Strategies

This article explores the importance and implementation strategies of comprehensive educational reform in ideological and political theory courses in universities. The article point south at comprehensive education reform is not only an inevitable requirement to adapt to the development needs of the new era, but also a key to improving the quality of ideological and political education, promoting the development of the teacher team, and building a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics. Faced with challenges such as globalization and informatization, ideological and political courses need to update their teaching content, introduce current hot topics, strengthen practical teaching, adopt diversified teaching methods, and fully utilize modern information technology. At the same time, it emphasizes the student-centered teaching philosophy and focuses on cultivating student’s-learning ability and critical thinking. These efforts aim to make ideological and political courses more relevant to the times and students, and contribute to the cultivation of socialist builders and successors with comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.

Empowering Continuing Medical Education (CME) in India: leveraging Kern’s instructional design model

IntroductionContinuing Medical Education (CME) is vital for healthcare professionals to remain current with advancements and maintain their competence. In India, CME remains in its early stages, lacking a systematic approach. There is a pressing need for a comprehensive framework that addresses needs assessment, program development, accreditation, and credit allocation. Specifically, there is a gap in delivering targeted CME that meets the needs of different medical professionals at appropriate times. The aim of this study is to employ Kern’s six steps of curriculum design to plan and evaluate a faculty development program focused on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for MD (Doctor of Medicine) Biochemistry professionals.MethodsThis study utilized Kern’s six-step approach to design a training program on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) tailored for MD Biochemistry professionals. Approval was obtained from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee. Following problem identification, a targeted needs assessment was conducted through expert consultations. The goal of the program was established, focusing on the development and delivery of an interactive online CME program. The program was developed, implemented and evaluated using surveys and feedback questionnaires.ResultsA comprehensive literature review revealed a notable gap in EPA-related works for MD Biochemistry program. Expert consultations highlighted significant training needs and barriers, such as limited resources and professional commitments. Consequently, the program’s primary objective was to raise awareness and sensitize participants to EPA development. A 4-h online CME was designed, featuring expert-led sessions and collaborative group activities. The program attracted 152 participants and utilized interactive elements, such as polls and chats, to foster engagement. Group activities allowed participants to apply concepts in EPA validation. Pre- and post-program surveys demonstrated significant improvements in participants’ knowledge and confidence. Feedback highlighted the practical relevance of the content and the interactive, hands-on nature of the sessions.ConclusionKern’s six-step approach provided a structured and effective framework for developing the CME program, addressing identified needs and barriers, and enhancing faculty development in MD Biochemistry. This study underscores the importance of a systematic approach in CME to improve program effectiveness.Trial registrationNot applicable.

The Impact of OER’s Continuous Improvement Cycles on Students’ Performance: A Longitudinal Analysis of the RISE Framework

Open educational resources (OER) have been praised for revolutionizing education. However, practitioners and instructors battle keeping OER updated and measuring their impact on students’ performance. Few studies have analyzed the improvement of OER over time in relation to achievement. This longitudinal study uses learning analytics through the open-source Resource Inspection, Selection, and Enhancement (RISE) analysis framework to assess the impact of continuous improvement cycles on students’ outcomes. Panel data (i.e., performance and use) from 190 learning objectives of OER of an introductory sociology course were analyzed using a hierarchical linear model. Results show that more visits to an OER do not improve student achievement, but continuous improvement cycles of targeted OER do. Iterative implementation of the RISE analysis for resource improvement in combination with practitioners’ expertise is key for students’ learning. Given that the RISE classification accounted for 65% of the growth of students’ performance, suggesting a moderate to large effect, we speculate that the RISE analysis could be generalized to other contexts and result in greater student gain. Institutions and practitioners can improve the OER’s impact by introducing learning analytics as a decision-making tool for instructional designers. Yet, user-friendly implementation of learning analytics in a “click-and-go” application is necessary for generalizability and escalation of continuous improvement cycles of OER and tangible improvement of learning outcomes. Finally, in this article, we identify the need for efficient applications of learning analytics that focus more on “learning” and less on analytics.

Peer facilitation and teacher‐less pedagogy: A case study of a tertiary EFL listening course

AbstractThe benefits of peer facilitation on the development of students' skills in various fields have been widely discussed. However, we know very little about how teachers could draw on peer facilitation to improve pedagogical designs. This study aimed to investigate the influence of peer facilitation carried out in a tertiary EFL (English as a Foreign Language) listening course on students and teacher's pedagogical improvement. This qualitative case study collected data from four main sources: students' (n = 20) presentation slides; student feedback survey (n = 17) conducted at the end of the 4‐month listening project; teacher's reflective journal; teacher's observation notes. Two researchers adopted the approach of thematic analysis, following the six steps in the process of data analysis. On students' part, results indicate that pre‐facilitation training and teacher‐student communication in the preparation stage helped students improve linguistic, social and affective, cognitive and metacognitive skills. Learner autonomy was reflected in a good showcase of student personalities in peer facilitation and an awareness of demonstrating positionality when selecting materials and designing exercises for listening. On the teacher's part, by providing training for student peer facilitation, monitoring the preparation, observing the presentation, and giving feedback on the facilitation, the teacher gained a profound understanding of student needs, aspirations, and techniques adopted in their facilitation, which in turn helped the teacher improve pedagogical designs.

Enhancing instructional design learning: a comparative study of scaffolding by a 5E instructional model-informed artificial intelligence chatbot and a human teacher

ABSTRACT To address the limitations of general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) tools, we developed a task-oriented AI chatbot based on the 5E (i.e. “engage”, “explore”, “explain”, “elaborate” and “evaluate”) model to scaffold students’ instructional design process. We examined the impact of integrating the 5E instructional model-informed AI chatbot on students’ learning performance and perceptions. The results indicated that the AI chatbot, when combined with human teacher scaffolding, significantly improved the students’ instructional design performance relative to receiving human teacher scaffolding only. The chatbot provided valuable suggestions on instructional design frameworks, class activities and teaching topics during the “explore” phase. In the “evaluate” phase, the chatbot offered immediate feedback on the students’ design plans and proposed alternative instructional frameworks regarding areas for improvement. However, the students expressed concerns about the chatbot’s evaluation quality, noting that it needed to be better aligned with the course assessment rubric. We recommend using AI chatbots for instructional design conceptualisation, although we emphasise the critical role of human teachers in evaluating final design work and providing timely support.