Instructional Design Research Articles

Effectiveness of Meaningful Instructional Design in Improving Students' Mathematical Skills

Effectiveness of Meaningful Instructional Design in Improving Students' Mathematical Skills

Artificial Intelligence as a Pedagogical Tool for Architectural Design Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing art and design, with tools like ChatGPT, DALL.E, and Midjourney transforming the way designers create visual content from written descriptions. Since its launch, AI-powered systems have sparked widespread interest and expanded production practices in design and artistic creativity. This transition has ushered in a new era of co-authorship, in which human designers and AI systems collaborate to reshape the boundaries of design. The introduction of language-based diffusion models has enabled a harmonic integration of language and visual elements, resulting in creative design paradigms. However, this incorporation of AI raises serious concerns about the cultural and social relevance of AI-generated designs, which may become estranged from human contexts if heavily dependent on algorithms. The representation of architectural knowledge is also evolving, as AI allows for a return to textual and mathematical tools, rather than traditional visual representation methods. This transition creates substantial challenges and possibilities for architectural education, particularly in design studios. The integration of AI into design curricula has the potential to reshape architectural education, necessitating that educators adapt to technology advances. This study investigates these developments, providing insights into the evolving landscape of design pedagogy in the age of AI and contributing to the continuing debate about the role of AI in design and architecture.

Gamifying Learning with AI: A Pathway to 21st-Century Skills

ABSTRACT This systematic review examines how gamification and artificial intelligence (AI) can converge to foster essential 21st-century skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in education. The review followed the main PRISMA statement guidelines, resulting in 175 articles for qualitative content analysis and bibliometric network visualization using VOSviewer. Key findings emerged: 1) Priority skills included creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. 2) Gamification enhances motivation, engagement, and skill acquisition via game elements. 3) AI personalizes learning experiences, provides feedback, and adapts gamified content. 4) Social interactions in virtual gamified environments promote collaboration. Gamification taps into motivational aspects of games, while AI enables personalized, adaptive learning experiences. Together, they offer innovative strategies for transforming education into an engaging, personalized process for developing vital competencies. This review provides valuable insights for teachers, instructional designers, and policymakers seeking to prepare students for future challenges through leveraging gamification and AI in fostering 21st-century skills.

Task sequencing on oral performance in Portuguese as a foreign language

This empirical study examined Robinson’s (2010, 2015, 2022) Simplify, Stabilise/ Automatise/ Restructure, Complexify (SSARC) instructional design model of task sequencing. Thirty-four university learners of Portuguese as a foreign language participated in the research. The analysis employed a monologic narrative task and two independent variables: “± here-and-now” and “± planning time”. Measures of syntactic complexity, lexical diversity, accuracy, and fluency were selected to analyse the learners’ output. A between-subjects design was adopted. Participants were divided into two groups: (i) sequencing group, in which the students (n=15) performed three tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity (simple task – complex task – more complex task); (ii) individual performance group (n=19), in which the students performed only one task (simple task, complex task, or more complex task). The inferential statistical tests showed gains in fluency and syntactic complexity (coordination index) regarding the complex task in the sequencing group, and increased accuracy and fluency for the more complex task, as compared to individual group performance. The SSARC model was considered to have pedagogical merit, which can help teachers design task-based syllabuses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to fully test the SSARC model applied to oral task sequencing in Portuguese as a foreign language.

Getting it just right – developing and piloting a speech pathology education package about facilitation in community aphasia groups

ABSTRACT Background Community aphasia groups (CAGs) can contribute significantly to the long-term psychosocial wellbeing of people living with aphasia. However, they may also contribute to negative outcomes for group members if they are not skilfully facilitated. CAG facilitation is complex and challenging, and many speech pathologists (SPs) report low knowledge, skills and confidence to facilitate. Despite this, limited facilitation training and education is available. It is likely that high-quality facilitation training for SPs may contribute to increasing the number, sustainability and quality of CAGs available in the community. However, no research has investigated the development or impact of such training. Drawing on CAG, group theory and instructional design literature, we designed and developed an evidence-based education package for SPs. The package aims to improve SPs’ self-rated competence to facilitate CAGs themselves, and their skills, knowledge and attitudes to train other CAG facilitators. Aims To investigate the acceptability of the first iteration of the education package, and the feasibility of the research design. Methods & procedures We conducted a mixed-methods phase I acceptability and feasibility pilot study. Acceptability was evaluated using quantitative satisfaction survey data analysed with descriptive statistics, and qualitative focus group data analysed using Framework Analysis. Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment rates, completion rates, and suitability of the outcome measure planned for use in a phase II study. SPs (n = 9) from a range of workplace settings and CAG experience levels participated in the pilot. Outcomes & results The education package demonstrated very high acceptability, with a mean survey score of 4.33/5 or higher for all satisfaction domains. Focus group responses reinforced this finding, expanded on factors that contributed to learner satisfaction, and provided a range of suggestions for modification. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: the learning experience was a positive one; multi-modal delivery enhanced the learning experience; implementation questions were front of mind for learners; and cohesion between Part 1 and Part 2 of the package could be improved. The study design and outcome measures were found to be feasible. Conclusions This phase I pilot demonstrated high acceptability and feasibility for our CAG facilitation education package and provided suggestions for further improvement. Findings support progression to a planned phase II trial of the education package investigating preliminary efficacy. It is our hope that the development and future dissemination of CAG facilitation education will contribute to the proliferation of confident, competent facilitators and high-quality CAGs available to people with aphasia.

Re-examining cognitive load measures in real-worldlearning: Evidence from both subjective and neurophysiological data.

Cognitive load theory is widely used in educational research and instructional design, which relies heavily on conceptual constructs and measurement instruments of cognitive load. Due to its implicit nature, cognitive load is usually measured by other related instruments, such as commonly-used self-report scales of mental effort or task difficulty. However, these concepts are different in nature, as they emphasize distinct perspectives on cognitive processing. In addition, real-world learning is more complex than simplified experimental conditions. Simply assuming that these variables will change in a monotonic way with workload may be misleading. This study aims to examine whether these measures are consistent with each other, and to discover the neurophysiological basis underlying the potential discrepancy. The study collected data in both a real-world (Study 1, 22 high school students in 13 math classes) and a laboratory setting (Study 2, 30 students in 6 lab-based math tasks). In addition to self-report measures, the study also collected multimodal neurophysiological data, such as electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and photoplethysmography (PPG). The results show that although the difficulty level can be perceived with difficulty ratings, it does not lead to the corresponding level of mental effort. Only within an appropriate level of load, can we observe a positive correlation between self-report difficulty and mental effort. Neurophysiological evidence also supports the conceptual discrepancies and group differences, indicating distinct neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these 'similar' constructs. These findings also emphasize the need for combining these concepts to better evaluate students' cognitive load.

Addressing Language and Ableism in Information Technology: A Call to Action for Academic Librarians

This column explores the pervasive influence of information technologies in academic libraries and underscores the critical role of librarians and professional staff in navigating and thriving within this technology-rich environment. As libraries increasingly integrate advanced technologies such as AI, digital asset management systems, and online communication platforms, addressing ableism and ensuring accessibility becomes paramount. The paper highlights key areas where ableism can manifest, including Zoom meetings, information technology, digital asset management systems, community of practice documents, instructional design, collection development, library programming and events, reference and research services, scholarly communications, information literacy, and artificial intelligence. For each area, practical strategies are provided to decrease ableism and promote inclusivity. By fostering an environment that prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity, librarians can better connect users to information resources and ensure that all individuals, regardless of ability, can fully engage with and benefit from library services. This column aims to equip librarians with actionable insights and tools to create more equitable and just academic libraries.

Development of Tissue Culture Textbook Based on Project Based-Learning to Improve Science Process Skills of Biology Department Students Universitas Negeri Medan

The research on the development of this textbook was carried out based on the results of the analysis of student needs, namely that there are no teaching materials that can improve students' science process skills in the Tissue Culture course at the Department of Biology, State University of Medan. This textbook is compiled based on the learning syntax of Project-Based Learning (PjBL). This study aims to develop a Project-Based Learning-based tissue culture textbook to improve students' science process skills. This research method uses the Research and Development (R&D) with Thiagarajan's 4D (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate). The population of this study was students of the Biology Department of Universitas Negeri Medan with a sample of 47 people who were given a PjBL-based tissue culture textbook. The results showed that (1) the textbooks have been tested for feasibility by material experts (87,73) (2) instructional design experts (92) with a very feasible category, (3) the response of tissue culture lecturers (92) and (4) students based on individual tests (95.1), small group tests (93,75), and limited group tests (90.02) with a very good category and (5) the results of the calculation of N-Gain for science process skills were obtained at 0.66 which is in the medium category.

Pelatihan Pemanfaatan Artificial Intelligence Based Platform Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Interaktif bagi Guru Pesentren

This community service activity aims to enhance the quality of teaching for teachers at Ma’had Al Furqon Al Islami Gresik through training on utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based platforms in the development of interactive learning media. The rapid advancement of technology, particularly AI, offers innovative opportunities to create engaging and effective educational content. However, the lack of digital skills among many teachers often poses a barrier to its implementation. The program includes workshops and hands-on sessions focused on using AI-based tools to support learning in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). Through a service-learning approach, teachers are provided with step-by-step guidance to integrate AI tools into their instructional design. The results of the activity indicate a significant improvement (31.15 points) in teachers' ability to understand the material presented, as evidenced by pre- and post-training evaluations. Participants also reported increased confidence in adopting technology to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This initiative demonstrates the potential of AI in bridging the gap between traditional teaching methods and modern educational needs, paving the way for more dynamic and student-centered learning environments.

Evaluating and Enhancing University Teachers' Smart Teaching Competencies: A Survey-Based Analysis

The smart teaching competence of university teachers is key to improving teaching quality and efficiency during the digital transformation of education. Based on the industry standards of the Ministry of Education's "Teacher Digital Literacy," the survey questions are designed and formulated from five dimensions: understanding and attitude towards smart teaching, application of smart teaching environment, development of smart teaching resources, design and implementation of smart teaching, and evaluation of smart teaching. A questionnaire was conducted on Wen Juan Wang, 146 valid questionnaires were effectively collected. through an online survey platform, and 146 valid questionnaires were effectively collected. The analysis of the survey data shows that university teachers can correctly understand the concept and role of smart teaching, design and implement smart teaching based on the school's talent cultivation goals, course characteristics, and smart teaching environment, and have certain capabilities in developing smart teaching resources and collecting and analyzing data. Some teachers also have relatively low capabilities in smart teaching concepts and teaching design, operation and use of smart environments, development of smart teaching resources, and data collection and analysis. In response to these issues, the following suggestions are proposed: strengthen the construction of smart teaching environments, formulate policies to establish incentives for smart teaching, strengthen training in teachers' smart teaching competencies, and enhance inter-school and school-enterprise cooperation to build and share smart teaching resources.

Research on Teaching Reform of Civil Engineering Construction Course

In light of the long-standing and prominent issues in the teaching of the Civil Engineering Construction course, such as the simplistic teaching method, the severe disconnection between theoretical teaching and practical teaching, the lack of learning initiative and participation among students, the insufficiency of online teaching resources, and the insufficient manifestation of curriculum characteristics, based on the student-centered concept, through innovative teaching design, the restructuring of course content, and integrated teaching approaches, a new teaching model of “Three Rings and Six Integration” is constructed. That is, through the teaching design of “before class, during class, and after class”, the integration of teaching materials and subject frontiers, theory and virtual reality, offline and online resources, evaluation and teaching activities, teaching and scientific research, and ideology and politics and knowledge transfer is achieved. In combination with the teaching content of the course, inquiry-based teaching is carried out, and the teaching evaluation method of the course is innovated.

Relevancia y etnomatemática en la educación de niños indígenas del Cauca, Colombia

(analytical)The low academic performance in mathematics of indigenous students is the focus of the study describedin this article. The authors examine the relevance of educational interactions between 11 ethno-educators and 249 primary school students in the indigenous community of Pueblo Nuevo (Cauca, Colombia). The goal of this research was to identify the relationship between classroom activities and students’ lives. The study used a mixed descriptive-exploratory approach that was mediated by observations and surveys, revealing that ethno-educational practices, to a small extent, draw on the interests of children and the cultural richness of the Nasa people. The authors conclude thattaking into account the voices of the children in curriculum planning, enhancing certain cultural practices and improving instructional design can improve the quality of mathematics education for children in rural and ethnic communities. Keywords: Rural education; indigenous peoples; mathematics education; educational relevance.

RESEARCH ON PRIMARY SCHOOL SCIENCE EXPERIMENT TEACHING BASED ON LITERACY GOALS

Primary school science experiments are crucial methods and pathways for achieving literacy goals. They play a significant role in cultivating primary school students' interest and thinking in science, enhancing their understanding of scientific concepts, and mastering scientific laws. However, the current state of primary school science experiment teaching is far from satisfactory. Students find it challenging to "learn by doing" and "think while learning" during science experiments. Primary school science teachers should focus on cultivating students' scientific literacy as their primary goal. This involves clarifying the connotation and characteristics of experiments, making comprehensive plans for experiment teaching, selecting appropriate teaching content, innovating experimental teaching designs, and implementing diverse evaluation methods. These measures are essential to achieving the literacy goals of primary school science experiment teaching. KEYWORDS: Literacy Goals, Primary School Science, Experimental Teaching, Science Teachers

Navigating the Journey

This case study observes the development of the teaching capacity for electronic learning (e-learning) initiatives at a Saudi University, focusing on the progression a novice to an advanced level. This study employed a purposeful sampling approach, selecting an instructor who redesigned and taught an e-course, along with an instructional designer, who supported this. Data collection methods included semistructured interviews and documents. The findings highlight the critical role that strong leadership plays in establishing a clear vision and strategic plans for the implementation of e-learning. This leadership was present in the provision of essential infrastructure, opportunities for educational development, and incentives. However, this study also identified significant challenges, including a culture that is deeply rooted in traditional teaching methods, heavy teaching workloads, and a lack of recognition and reward for e-learning efforts. This study contributes to the understanding of e-learning capacity development in higher education, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context.

The fundamentals of eye tracking part 1: The link between theory and research question

Eye tracking technology has become increasingly prevalent in scientific research, offering unique insights into oculomotor and cognitive processes. The present article explores the relationship between scientific theory, the research question, and the use of eye-tracking technology. It aims to guide readers in determining if eye tracking is suitable for their studies and how to formulate relevant research questions. Examples from research on oculomotor control, reading, scene perception, task execution, visual expertise, and instructional design are used to illustrate the connection between theory and eye-tracking data. These examples may serve as inspiration to researchers new to eye tracking. In summarizing the examples, three important considerations emerge: (1) whether the study focuses on describing eye movements or uses them as a proxy for e.g., perceptual, or cognitive processes, (2) the logical chain from theory to predictions, and (3) whether the study is of an observational or idea-testing nature. We provide a generic scheme and a set of specific questions that may help researchers formulate and explicate their research question using eye tracking.

Development of an instructional system design as a guideline for Nursepreneur mastery learning policy: Elevating healthcare through design thinking and InnoTVET approach

Development of an instructional system design as a guideline for Nursepreneur mastery learning policy: Elevating healthcare through design thinking and InnoTVET approach

The use and effect of cognitive scaffoldings on facilitating collaborative discussion-supported writing

ABSTRACT Collaborative discussion-supported writing (CDSW) provides opportunities for students to develop arguments and counterarguments through peer communications with a goal to promote a high-quality argumentative essay. Cognitive scaffoldings can be used to facilitate students’ collaborative discussions. However, there is a lack of investigation on the utilisation of cognitive scaffoldings to facilitate CDSW, which limits valuable insights for the instructional design of cognitive scaffolding. This research designed collaborative discussions to support argumentative essay writing at a Chinese senior high school, with three cognitive scaffoldings (i.e. minimal, idea-centred and idea-centred, argumentation-oriented scaffoldings). Results revealed the best effect of the idea-centred, argumentation-oriented scaffolding on collaborative learning processes and performances, compared to the minimal and idea-centred scaffoldings. Based on the results, this research proposes that knowledge construction elements, engagement levels and additional supports should be considered in instructional design of cognitive scaffoldings to improve collaborative learning.

Teaching Procedural Skills: Integrating Educational Theory Into Practice.

Teaching procedural skills is an essential part of health professions education, yet formal training is often lacking from traditional curricula. A workshop on teaching procedural skills was developed as part of a clinician educator track at a large health professions university. Participants included medical residents and fellows (postgraduate years 2-6) from various training programs. The 90-minute, interactive training integrated Gagne's model of instructional design with evidence-based teaching practices. Workshop outcomes were evaluated with pre- and postworkshop surveys. Learner reactions (Kirkpatrick level 1) were assessed via course evaluation. Learning and behavior (Kirkpatrick level 2) were evaluated via attitudinal and knowledge-based questions. Data were collected from three cohorts of participants (2022-2024). Responses were analyzed by paired t test. Residents and fellows from 11 different disciplines participated in the workshops. The survey response rate was 30 out of 35 (86%). Course evaluations were positive for all six questions (mean scores: 4.8-5.0 on a 5-point Likert scale [1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree]). Postworkshop scores improved significantly for all five attitudinal questions, including "I can apply instructional design theory when teaching procedural skills" (pre: 2.2 vs. post: 4.3 on a 5-point scale, p < .01). The number of participants correctly answering the knowledge-based questions also increased following the workshop. A workshop focused on evidence-based teaching of procedural skills was well reviewed and improved participants' attitudes and knowledge. Strengths of the workshop include its appeal to a broad range of medical trainees, integration of educational theory, and interactive design.

Smart Buff Manager: A Co-Designed Mobile Application for Enhancing Buffalo Farm Management in Thailand

This study focuses on the co-design and development of a smartphone application, the "Smart Buff Manager," especially for smallholder buffalo farmers in Thailand. The application aims to meet the needs of buffalo farmers by providing an effective and user-friendly tool for record-keeping and farm management. We employed the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) instructional design method to ensure the application addressed the practical needs and preferences of the farmers. The primary features of the app include record-keeping, health monitoring, and breeding management, focusing on various issues faced by smallholder farmers. The user-centered design method provides an intuitive interface that gathers feedback from users, resulting in increased satisfaction and a higher tendency to recommend apps. Implementation of the app significantly improved farm management by enhancing operational efficiency, productivity, and animal welfare. Users of the application reported much greater compliance with vaccination schedules than non-users, potentially improving herd health and long-term production. This case study confirms the potential of mobile technology to improve farm operations and decision-making while also highlighting the essential role of involving end-users in the design process to develop appropriate and effective digital farming systems.

Design and Evaluation of Online Educational Content: AI-Informed Guidelines Based on Machine Learning Analysis of Learners’ Interactions Traces

This study proposes an intelligent educational decision support system that empowers instructional designers to evaluate online educational contents in order to improve their design and effectiveness. The key challenge in developing it lies in automating and objectifying the evaluation process. To address this, the study pursues two main objectives. The first one is to propose a Multicriteria Approach for Learning Experience Analysis (MALEA) on which we have based the evaluation through the learners’ traces. The second objective consists of proposing the Approach for Content Success Prediction (ACSP), which can be used to evaluate educational content before its deployment. ACSP combines logistic regression and MALEA. This combination helps to guard against the possible imprecision of human judgment affecting the decision-making process. A case study is conducted and proves that the system meets the objective sought and thus is retained for online educational content evaluation. Results are promising with high values of precision, accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. Different perspectives are finally proposed.