Instructional Design Research Articles

Conceptual framework design for STEM-integrated project-based learning (PjBL-STEM) for elementary schools

PurposeThe STEM-integrated project-based learning (PjBL) model represents a contemporary pedagogical innovation designed to optimize instructional methodologies in primary education. The study has three primary objectives: first, to develop a conceptual framework for STEM-integrated PjBL tailored for elementary school educators; second, to assess the framework’s validity within elementary education contexts and third, to evaluate the efficacy of STEM-integrated PjBL in cultivating essential 21st-century competencies – namely, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication – that are indispensable for success in modern educational and professional environments.Design/methodology/approachThe development of the PjBL-STEM conceptual framework was systematically guided through the ADDIE instructional design model (analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation). Empirical validation of the framework was conducted via a controlled field study involving 30 certified elementary school teachers and 26 fourth-grade students in Kediri Regency, East Java, with observational oversight provided by school administrators. Data obtained from this research were analyzed using quantitative descriptive statistical techniques to assess both pedagogical efficacy and implementation parameters.FindingsThe framework design exhibits high validity, as evidenced by a mean score exceeding 85%. It is anticipated to serve as a valuable resource for educators, enhancing teacher performance and professionalism while also facilitating the assessment of improvements in student response quality, concept understanding and academic achievement, particularly within elementary education contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThe data collection period was confined to three months, which may not capture long-term changes or sustained impacts. Furthermore, the sample size of 26 students limits the generalizability of the findings. Future research should expand the sample size and scope to enhance the validity and applicability of the results. The study was also geographically restricted to Kediri Regency; broader research involving larger populations or different regions would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the model’s effectiveness. Additionally, further studies should include more schools or subjects beyond science to test the practicality and adaptability of the PjBL-STEM model across diverse educational contexts. This would offer a more nuanced perspective on its potential to transform elementary education.Originality/valueThe development of the STEM-integrated project-based learning (PjBL-STEM) conceptual framework is structured around a four-phase design: (1) information search and analysis, (2) designing collaborative learning and brainstorming, (3) presenting the project and (4) reflection and follow-up.

Tracing distinct learning trajectories in introductory programming course: a sequence analysis of score, engagement, and code metrics for novice computer science vs. math cohorts

BackgroundWith the increasing interdisciplinarity between computer science (CS) and other fields, a growing number of non-CS students are embracing programming. However, there is a gap in research concerning differences in programming learning between CS and non-CS students. Previous studies predominantly relied on outcome-based assessments, focusing on summative evaluations and surveys while providing little insight into the real learning process and differences therein. This study aims to provide a process-oriented comparison of programming learning between two novice student groups, CS and Math, under uniform instructional conditions, focusing on their semester-long scores, engagement, and code metrics.ResultsOur research involves 75 novice students enrolled in a compulsory introductory programming course designed for a mixed class, comprising 35 Math and 40 CS. Through Latent Class Analysis and Self-Organizing Maps, we identify distinct learning states throughout the semester and employ sequence mining to explore the differences in learning trajectories and state transitions between the two cohorts. Our results reveal that the association between engagement and scores diverges across different majors as the course progresses, deviating from the widely discussed positive correlation. In the semester-long code metrics analysis of students exhibiting over-engineering state, the two cohorts display opposing trends. Moreover, CS students demonstrate significant alignment between formative and summative scores, whereas Math peers exhibit phenomena of cold-start and learning avoidance.ConclusionsThis study underscores the importance of understanding distinct learning trajectories to improve instructional design for diverse learner groups. Our findings indicate that CS students follow increasingly efficient learning patterns with decreasing code complexity over time, while Math students need strategies to overcome phenomena of cold-start and learning avoidance. Code metrics can provide valuable insights into students’ programming performance and patterns. The research also highlights the importance of active engagement and fostering computational thinking in the early stages. Based on these insights, we propose recommendations for instructional design to better support students in introductory programming courses. This study also makes a methodological contribution to the process-oriented research in programming education.

Brazilian Northern students’ foreign language preferences in Enem

This research article explores the foreign language (L2) choice of test-takers from a school in Pará, Northern Brazil, for the Enem exam, a government-administered entrance exam widely accepted by Brazilian universities. The study aims to investigate the reasons behind the students' choice of English or Spanish as their L2. A questionnaire survey was used to gather data, evaluating respondents' answers regarding their L2 choice and motivations. The findings revealed a significant preference for English, with the number of students choosing to answer questions in English exceeding those who chose Spanish by over 50%. The study also identified the main motivators for this choice, including students' contact with English-language media such as music, movies, games, series, and the internet. These results provide insight into the language learning preferences and motivations of Brazilian students, shedding light on the factors that influence their L2 choice for the Enem exam. The study's findings have implications for language teaching and learning in Brazil, highlighting the importance of considering students' interests and exposure to language in the design of language curricula and instruction.

First impressions matter: teaching approaches to introduce accounting in secondary education

ABSTRACT Introductory courses are known to significantly influence students’ perceptions of a discipline. However, little is known about how accounting is introduced to novice students in secondary education. This study investigates the pedagogical approaches teachers adopt when introducing accounting for the first time. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 19 secondary school teachers, the findings reveal four distinct approaches: (1) Theory, in which accounting was initially introduced in a theoretical way, by addressing the different elements of the balance sheet; (2) Storytelling, presenting accounting through the narrative of a fictitious company; (3) Finance, emphasizing equity and liabilities before addressing the broader financial statements; and (4) Law, highlighting the legal framework and societal value of accounting. The analysis explores associations between teacher characteristics and their chosen approach. These insights contribute to the understanding of how accounting is framed in early education and offer avenues for future research on effective instructional design in technical domains.

Designing gamified branching scenarios on a technological platform to enhance clinical reasoning in dental education

Abstract Simulation and gamification offer valuable pedagogical approaches, providing safe environments for dental students to practice complex professional skills. Developing clinical reasoning is crucial as students perform irreversible procedures early in their training. Traditional methods may offer limited opportunities to experience decision consequences without risking patient harm. Simulation based learning in a branching scenario (BrSc) format, that incorporates gamification and productive failure (Kapur, 2008), bridges the gap between preclinical theory and clinical practice, addressing the need for engaging, relevant learning experiences (ASE Strategy). This project aligns with the University's ASE Strategy, 'A curriculum defined by quality and relevance' through innovative, inquiry-based learning and authentic assessment, and 'Environments and systems that enable innovation' by leveraging digital technologies. This presentation details the design, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of a gamified BrSc developed to support clinical reasoning and understanding decision consequences for second-year dental and oral health students managing atypical dental pain. Informed by a validated serious gaming model (Argueta-Muñoz, 2023) and based on an authentic patient case, the BrSc was designed as an interactive narrative where student choices determine progression through multiple pathways. Key gamified features included 17 strategically placed 'learning points' representing common clinical errors, branching pathways with unique information and a dashboard for tracking progress. The design supported productive failure, allowing students to navigate suboptimal pathways discovering learning points which provided tailored feedback prompting them to revisit decisions. A Design-Based Research (DBR) approach guided the project, emphasising iterative design and evaluation in a real-world classroom setting. A survey platform (Qualtrics) was selected for development due to its branching logic capabilities, built-in reporting for learning analytics, and low technical barrier to entry. Evaluation data included learning analytics automatically captured by the platform (tracking pathway choices, attempts, time, learning points unlocked), direct classroom observations of student engagement and interaction patterns (individual vs. collaborative), and qualitative feedback from students. Preliminary results from implementation with 149 students (775 attempts) indicate the gamified BrSc fostered high engagement. The gamified 'learning point' tracking appeared effective; classroom observations showed students, particularly when working collaboratively after an initial individual attempt, actively discussed pathways and were motivated to explore different options, including incorrect paths, to 'unlock' all points. Learning analytics provided valuable insights for educators, visualising common decision pathways via Sankey diagrams and identifying specific points of difficulty, informing potential teaching interventions (ASE Strategy: Use of analytics to support the student experience). Student feedback directly informed iterative improvements, such as adding skip functionality for previously completed sections. The tool facilitated peer learning and discussion, contributing to 'A community in which This work demonstrates how survey platforms can be effectively repurposed to create sophisticated, gamified BrSc for complex skill development. It offers insights into specific gamification design choices and their observed effects on student engagement and learning behaviour. It highlights the utility of learning analytics for informing educational practice and curriculum refinement, supporting evidence-based teaching (ASE Strategy: Valuing excellence in education). A brief demonstration of the branching scenario's gamified elements, discussion of the design decisions and challenges, and posing a reflective question: "How might the principles of gamified feedback and pathway exploration be adapted using technologies within your own teaching context to enhance student learning through simulation?" References Argueta-Muñoz FD, Olvera-Cortés HE, Durán-Cárdenas C, Hernández-Gutiérrez L, Gutierrez-Barreto SE. Instructional design and its usability for branching model as an educational strategy. Cureus [Internet]. 2023 May 18 [cited 2023 Sep 5];15(5). Available from: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=18f651fd-54f2-316d-8038-e6d44d4b1e4c Kapur M. Productive failure. Cogn Instr [Internet]. 2008 Jul 1 [cited 2023 Sep 4];26(3):379–425. Available from: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=80f6be87-d06d-3d8b-9aa7-f03a246ed424 White, M., Dal Santo, K., Copley, J., Mustchin, C., and Jones, B. (2024). Designing branching scenarios to support clinical reasoning in dental education. In Cochrane, T., Narayan, V., Bone, E., Deneen, C., Saligari, M., Tregloan, K., Vanderburg, R. (Eds.), Navigating the Terrain: Emerging frontiers in learning spaces, pedagogies, and technologies. Proceedings ASCILITE 2024. Melbourne (pp. 415-419). https://doi.org/10.14742/apubs.2024.1150

Welcome to ‘The Island'

Imagine stepping into a tropical paradise where public health crises unfold in real-time and you must gain the skills and knowledge to address them. Welcome to 'The Island' - not your typical vacation spot, but a novel educational simulation transforming how we teach public health and epidemiology. Throughout a full-semester subject, students assume the role of 'Interns' at the fictional Island Department of Health. In this immersive environment, they tackle real-world public health challenges through a series of weekly evolving scenarios. This approach was adapted from a similar simulated island concept originally developed to teach statistics (Bulmer M & Haladyn K, 2011). To develop the subject, a constructive alignment approach was utilised, incorporating a flipped classroom model. Each week follows the same structure: Epidemiological scenario: The Secretary of the Department of Health (Subject Coordinator) introduces the weekly problem via a video recording. Online stepped modules: Students engage with weekly online modules presented by 'Experts in the Field'. The modules include written material, quizzes, and short videos, with the design approach based on the four-component instructional design (4C/ID) model (Frerejean et al., 2019). Collaborative problem solving in-class: Students work in collaborative peer groups during the weekly in-class session to tackle the epidemiological scenario posed at the start of the week. Within these groups, students take turns as the 'Chief Health Officer' and in this role organise the small collaborative group and report to the larger class. This approach encourages leadership skills and peer learning. Final review: The week concludes with a Final Review. This takes the form of a question-and-answer session with the Secretary of the Department of Health, allowing students to consolidate their learning and clarify any remaining questions. This structure aligns with cognitive load and social learning theories, fostering student connection through extensive peer interaction (Bandura, 2001; Sweller et al., 2019). Over three years, the subject has consistently received high student satisfaction scores, particularly for engagement and peer interaction. Students value the simulated approach, the clear structure, and opportunities for collaborative problem-solving. Additionally, staff value the opportunity to be creative within the simulation and engage in real-world scenarios with students. The simulation runs as a standard subject without additional costs, demonstrating its potential as a scalable, low-cost educational tool. This case study contributes to scholarship by showcasing a large-scale, low-tech simulation that could be adapted to various disciplines. 'The Island' offers a unique and immersive learning experience that challenges students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, enhancing their understanding of public health and epidemiological concepts. References. Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1 Bulmer, M., & Haladyn, J. (2011). Life on an island: A simulated population to support student projects in statistics. Technology Innovations in Statistics Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.5070/T551000187 Frerejean, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., Kirschner, P. A., Roex, A., Aertgeerts, B., & Marcellis, M. (2019). Designing instruction for complex learning: 4C/ID in higher education. European Journal of Education, 54(4), 513-524. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12363 Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31(2), 261-292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5

Bridging Realities

The University of Melbourne's commitment to the ASE Strategy themes - Arts and Culture, Digital Sensibility, Curriculum of Quality and Relevance, Community in which students strive, Valuing excellence in education, and Environments and systems that enable innovation - serves as the foundation for our presentation. Our project aligns with these themes by extending learning into virtual spaces, fostering community through development of mental skills for performance, and nurturing innovation in educational practices. This initiative is grounded in research-based learning experiences (Cochrane et al., 2023; Osborne, Glasser & Loveridge, 2022) and aims to democratise access to performance venues and expert support, potentially reaching students from diverse backgrounds. Performance anxiety is a prevalent issue among musicians in training. Our project utilises simulation training to facilitate the acquisition and rehearsal of performance routines for anxiety management. By creating semi-immersive simulations that replicate pre-performance and concert stage environments, complete with audience projections, we provide musicians with an authentic transitional space between imaginal and in-vivo exposure. This approach enables musicians to adapt to real-life stressors within a safe setting, both physically and psychologically. In Phase 1, students (consenting n=7) learned and practiced a centering pre-performance routine to regulate anxiety. They then performed a 2-minute piece from memory in a virtual concert hall using the software OvationVR, complemented by live in-situ performance coaching. We measured heart rate, subjective units of distress, and confidence levels throughout the exposure task. Phase 2 involves the development of a bespoke virtual music simulation, co-designed with students through a user-centered methodology. Phase 1 findings indicate that the virtual environment's avatar realism effectively elicited cognitive and affective responses associated with performance anxiety, such as the sensation of being judged. The centering routine's efficacy was demonstrated by decreased anxiety and increased confidence levels (subjective ratings out of 100) between two virtual performances before a simulated audience within a semester: Time 1 (weeks 4-5) anxiety M=40.5 (SD=24.4); confidence M=66.3 (SD=14.1); Time 2 (weeks 11-12) anxiety M=34.2 (SD=20.6); confidence M=77.0 (SD=6.6). Phase 2 is currently underway. Our project contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning by offering insights into immersive reality applications for managing performance-related stress. The principles derived from our work can inform interventions across disciplines that involve high-stress scenarios, supporting the development of a design framework to enhance performance in higher education. To engage the audience, we propose an interactive demonstration where a volunteer experiences our VR educational intervention in real-time. Assisted by our team, the participant will be invited to wear the VR headset and undergo a virtual coaching session. The audience will witness the intervention via projection, and the volunteer will share their experience, fostering a reflective conversation on the impact of immersive simulations in education. References Cochrane, T., Galvin, K., Buskes, G., Lam, L., Rajagopal, V., Glasser, S., Osborne, M. S., Loveridge, B., Davey, C., John, S., Townsin, L. & Moss, T. (2023). Design-Based Research: Enhancing pedagogical design. In T. Cochrane, V. Narayan, C. Brown, K. MacCallum, E. Bone, C. Deneen, R. Vanderburg, & B. Hurren (Eds.), People, partnerships and pedagogies. Proceedings ASCILITE 2023. Christchurch (pp. 351-356). https://doi.org/10.14742/apubs.2023.489 Osborne, M. S., Glasser, S., & Loveridge, B. (2022). ‘It’s not so scary anymore. It’s actually exhilarating’: A proof-of-concept study using virtual reality technology for music performance training under pressure. In S. Wilson, N. Arthars, D. Wardak, P. Yeoman, E. Kalman, & D. Y. T. Liu (Eds.), Reconnecting relationships through technology. Proceedings of the 39th International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education, ASCILITE 2022 in Sydney: e22116. https://doi.org/10.14742/apubs.2022.116

Integrating Literature and Environmental Education Through Slam Poetry in School Practice

ABSTRACT This study examines students’ perspectives on their creative and learning experiences from composing slam poetry within an interdisciplinary framework combining literature and environmental education. Conducted in two public secondary schools in Athens, Greece, the study involved 190 students (ages 15–16), with 86 creating their own slam poems. The instructional design, grounded in multiliteracies pedagogy, emphasized the development of various literacies through diverse educational activities and resources. Data were collected via questionnaires and focus group discussions and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings show that students valued slam poetry for fostering creative freedom, literary expression, and environmental awareness. They linked their poems to local environmental issues, emphasizing human responsibility and the need for change. While most students believed their poems had a moderate impact on raising others’ awareness, the process primarily empowered them to voice their own concerns and explore emotions. Key facilitators of the learning process included peer discussions, multimodal resources, and teacher guidance, which enhanced students’ ability to create their slam poems. Students appreciated the freedom of expression and the interdisciplinary approach, recognizing creative writing as a tool for developing both poetic and environmental literacy, as well as fostering personal growth.

Exploring the impact of formative and summative assessment approaches in virtual reality emergency response learning

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects of formative and summative assessment approaches on learning achievement, motivation, and immersion in emergency response training within immersive virtual reality (VR). Participants were divided into two groups: the formative assessment in VR (FAVR) group, which received instant feedback during learning, and the summative assessment in VR (SAVR) group, which received feedback at the end. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study found that FAVR students achieved significantly higher learning outcomes, attributed to real-time feedback that helped them correct mistakes and refine understanding. In contrast, SAVR students reported higher motivation, likely due to an uninterrupted learning flow, and rated the VR system’s usability more positively. Notably, FAVR students expressed stronger emotional engagement with the experience. These findings highlight how assessment timing shapes different aspects of immersive learning and underscore the importance of aligning assessment strategies with learner needs. The study offers practical implications for educators and instructional designers seeking to enhance VR-based training, especially in high-stakes environments.

Ms Radiance: a community-led social media mHealth pilot for transgender women

Background Transgender women in Malaysia face marginalization and experience barriers to accessing healthcare. Formative research conducted by the research team has identified low utilization of dental services, alongside gaps in knowledge and a perceived low risk of STI transmission through oral sexual practices. Tailored educational interventions that address the specific needs of transgender women in Malaysia are essential for bridging these gaps. Methods A focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) advisors, and the use of a social media-based mHealth educational intervention to create awareness was discussed. The ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) instructional design was employed alongside the transgender community involvement in designing and developing the “Ms. Radiance” intervention. PPIE was crucial for presenting the educational material as artistic bilingual posts, stories, and reels that were peer-reviewed and culturally sensitive. The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention were assessed among transgender women (n = 30) through a three-week pilot launch on Instagram. An online pretest/post-test questionnaire was utilized to evaluate the intervention’s impact on condom use for oral sex, oral hygiene practices, and dental service utilization. Results The themes derived from the FGD were Content of the Educational Intervention, Social media as a mode of delivery, Community engagement and Sustainability of the intervention. Ms. Radiance demonstrated feasibility, achieving 100% retention and a 93% post-intervention completion rate. It was considered acceptable, as shown by positive post-intervention feedback, with 79% of participants indicating they would recommend the intervention to others. Conclusion A first-of-its-kind intervention for transgender women in Malaysia was designed and developed with PPIE and pilot-tested. The pilot’s feedback will help improve the intervention for a scaled-up version of the study.

From Industry to Education

Operator Training Simulators (OTS) are commonplace in the chemical engineering industry but often underutilized in universities (Patle et al., 2019). Like a ‘flight simulator’ for engineers, they are ‘digital twins’ of real plants, that can run many safety scenarios. In tertiary education OTS offer scalable, active learning environments and authentic assessment, particularly when integrated with Generative AI (GenAI). Our pedagogical design is scaffolded through UTAUT2 (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology), offering immersive, industry-aligned, practice-based engineering educational design (Honig et al., 2025), something that is often difficult to do in conventional classroom teaching (Honig et al., 2024). Within the ASE core themes, this presentation on OTS integration will focus on technology-enhanced learning and authentic assessment. It will draw on learnings from the integration of GenAI into the OTS software: while most people think of interacting with GenAI through text-interfaces (like ChatGPT) here students can interact through the game-interface itself (for example opening a valve or if an alarm trips, the GPT ‘knows’ and can automatically respond). In response to remote learning challenges presented during COVID-19 lockdowns (Honig et al., 2022), a modified industry-grade OTS (TSC Simulation) was embedded into undergraduate subjects. The simulator, originally designed for professional operator training, was adapted to educational needs by including assessment-focused scenarios and then augmented with a GPT-powered AI teaching assistant. Over four years, it has been used in both second- and third-year core Chemical Engineering subjects, providing students with a unique opportunity to interact with digital twins, analyze process safety incidents, and apply critical thinking in real-time problem-solving. Using a Design-Based Research framework, the initiative evolved through iterative cycles of student use, feedback, and redesign. Mixed methods evaluation involved pre- and post-use surveys grounded in the UTAUT framework, performance data from quizzes and assignments, and qualitative student feedback. The integration of GenAI was evaluated for usability, performance expectancy, and impact on learning outcomes. Students’ comprehension of safety concepts was compared across user groups—with and without chatbot access—using assessments and reflective discussions. Across cohorts, the OTS was rated highly for its realism and performance benefits, with a Likert average of 4.32 (out of 5) on performance expectancy. The GenAI chatbot, acting as a plant supervisor, facilitated guided root-cause analyses and reflection. Within a limited sample size, students with access to the AI assistant indicated higher quiz performance (67%) than those without (59%). However, effort expectancy for the OTS rated lower, highlighting the complexity of adapting industry-grade software to educational contexts. Improvements were made by redesigning activities to fall within students’ Zones of Proximal Development, particularly when supported with new GPT-based adaptive learning assistants, utilizing an agent structure. This initiative offers a replicable model for incorporating industry technologies and GenAI into curriculum-aligned, scalable assessment formats. It demonstrates how immersive learning tools can address gaps in traditional practicals, support student autonomy, and align with ASE’s call for flexible, digitally enhanced, and inclusive educational experiences. We will share initial learnings. Significant broader outcomes have also emerged from the work: as well integrating GPTs into simulators as AI-assistants for education, GPTs can similarly be integrated into real plants as AI-engineers for process control. The presentation will outline opportunities for GenAI integration into tertiary education, with a specific focus on integration into simulation based learning itself (as opposed to interaction through a chat interface). The presentation will have an interactive component allowing participants to build a customized chatbot through a purpose built interface for the conference presentation. References Honig, C., Rios, S., & Desu, A. (2025). Generative AI in engineering education: understanding acceptance and use of new GPT teaching tools within a UTAUT framework. Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, 1-13. Honig, C. D., Desu, A., & Franklin, J. (2024). GenAI in the classroom: Customized GPT roleplay for process safety education. Education for Chemical Engineers, 49, 55-66. Honig, C. D., Sutton, C. C., & Bacal, D. M. (2022). Off-campus but hands-on: Mail out practicals with synchronous online activities during COVID-19. Education for Chemical Engineers, 39, 84-93. Patle, D. S., Manca, D., Nazir, S., & Sharma, S. (2019). Operator training simulators in virtual reality environment for process operators: a review. Virtual Reality, 23, 293-311.

Quality Criteria for Online Courses Development

The rapid growth of online education has brought to the forefront the critical need for designing high-quality online courses that effectively engage learners and facilitate their success in the digital realm. This study explored the key components and practical guidelines for designing high-quality online courses. Qualitative research was conducted through a comprehensive literature review to determine a set of quality guidelines and analysis of existing online courses to assess the application of these guidelines. The study underscored the significance of robust and comprehensive course components in fostering student engagement and learning. It placed particular emphasis on the careful selection and organization of course materials, interactive elements, assessments, and multimedia resources, all of which play a vital role in creating a rich and immersive learning experience. Moreover, in light of the growing number of instructors transitioning to online teaching, the study has provided practical tips and guidelines for instructors. These insights may serve as valuable resources for educators seeking to enhance their instructional design skills and create engaging online learning environments that promote active participation and knowledge retention.

Assessing ChatGPT’s Reliability in Endodontics: Implications for AI-Enhanced Clinical Learning

The integration of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT is transforming education the health sciences. This study evaluated the applicability of ChatGPT-4 and ChatGPT-4o in endodontics, focusing on their reliability and repeatability in responding to practitioner-level questions. Thirty closed-clinical questions, based on international guidelines, were each submitted thirty times to both models, generating a total of 1800 responses. These responses were evaluated by endodontic experts using a 3-point Likert scale. ChatGPT-4 achieved a reliability score of 52.67%, while ChatGPT-4o slightly outperformed it with 55.22%. Notably, ChatGPT-4o demonstrated greater response consistency, showing superior repeatability metrics such as Gwet’s AC1 and percentage agreement. While both models show promise in supporting learning, ChatGPT-4o may provide more consistent and pedagogically coherent feedback, particularly in contexts where response dependability is essential. From an educational standpoint, the findings support ChatGPT’s potential as a complementary tool for guided study or formative assessment in dentistry. However, due to moderate reliability, unsupervised use in specialized or clinically relevant contexts is not recommended. These insights are valuable for educators and instructional designers seeking to integrate AI into digital pedagogy. Further research should examine the performance of LLMs across diverse disciplines and formats to better define their role in AI-enhanced education.

Advancing higher education on sustainable land use: designing socioscientific inquiry-based learning units on oil palm cultivation

Land-use change driven by the global oil palm boom has widespread environmental and socioeconomic consequences. Recent scientific research offers strategies to mitigate negative effects of oil palm cultivation. This Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy article presents a design-based research (DBR) approach to increase students’ knowledge and interest in interdisciplinary scientific research for sustainable oil palm cultivation. The land-use research addressed in this DBR is based on the international Collaborative Research Centre 990 “Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems” (EFForTS). It focused on sustainable land-use change in Indonesia. Through a collaborative design process, researchers and educators from Indonesian and German universities designed two educational units on oil palm cultivation as a socioscientific issue for Indonesian higher education, specifically for science teacher education and forestry study programs. We systematically analyzed curricular needs, objects of recent scientific research, teaching and learning frameworks, and evaluation approaches to determine design principles. A pre-post-follow-up evaluation (N = 943) showed that the units, when integrated into curricular courses, increased and sustained students’ self-reported knowledge and interest, with improvements from pilot to implementation cycles. The formative and summative evaluations indicated positive ratings for instructional design quality, while also identifying areas for future improvement. Our DBR focused on Indonesian higher education, but the evaluation and reflection findings suggest that our approach can be adapted to a wide range of educational contexts and environmental socioscientific issues, also beyond Indonesia. Our DBR serves as a transferable approach for making scientific research topics, methods, and findings accessible and interesting to students, thereby contributing to the preparation of future change agents for sustainable land use at both local and global scales.

Enhancing Mathematical Representation Skills through the MID Model: Does Cognitive Style Matter?

The ability to represent mathematical ideas is a fundamental component of mathematical understanding and communication. However, many students still struggle to express mathematical concepts in varied forms such as visual, symbolic, or verbal representations. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Meaningful Instructional Design (MID) learning model in improving students’ mathematical representation skills, while also considering the role of students’ cognitive styles. A quasi-experimental research design was implemented involving two groups: an experimental group taught using the MID model and a control group taught using conventional expository methods. The participants were selected using a cluster random sampling technique from a population of junior high school students. Data were collected through a validated mathematical representation test and a cognitive style questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed using two-way ANOVA with a 5% level of significance, following prerequisite tests for normality and homogeneity using SPSS version 25 and Microsoft Excel. The results showed that students who learned through the MID model exhibited significantly higher mathematical representation skills than those taught using the expository model. Furthermore, students’ cognitive styles also had a significant main effect on their representation abilities. Despite these main effects, the interaction between the learning model and cognitive style was not statistically significant. These findings indicate that the MID model is a robust instructional approach that can enhance students’ mathematical representation skills across different cognitive style profiles. The study highlights the importance of adopting meaningful learning frameworks that prioritize concept-building and student engagement, regardless of learners’ individual differences.

Enhancing digital competency in EFL teacher education: Investigating graduate-level student teacher’s design and implementation of digital materials

In modern educational technology, the digital competencies necessary for effective English language instruction remain relatively unexplored. This research addresses this knowledge gap by examining a graduate-level course designed to prepare prospective EFL student teachers with the essential skills to create digital teaching resources. Grounded in the SAMR framework, this investigation aims to introduce a new pedagogical design reflecting the progression of digital evolution. The primary goal is to determine the overall effectiveness of this structured approach in enhancing graduate students’ digital proficiency and instructional capabilities. By utilizing the SAMR model, the study hopes to establish a standard for assessing technology integration in pedagogical training, thereby improving the digital skills of upcoming EFL instructors across diverse technological platforms. The research narrative is presented across two interconnected academic settings: a graduate module emphasizing practical expertise in developing digital assets and a parallel online undergraduate English module for implementing these digital materials. The findings highlighted both the transformative potential of digital tools and the challenges in their adoption, emphasizing the necessity for training that integrates both technical aspects and pedagogical principles. This study provided strategic insights for curriculum developers in teacher education and offered guidance for future English instruction.

Exploration of High School English Teaching Model Based on Project based Learning

This paper aims to explore and practice a high school English teaching model based on project-based learning. First, the introduction section outlines the purpose and background of the study. Next, by analyzing the significance of project-based learning in high school English education, including stimulating students 'interest in learning, fostering their problem-solving skills, and en-hancing their overall competence, it elaborates on the advantages of pro-ject-based learning. Then, it proposes a high school English teaching design based on project-based learning, which includes context introduction, group collaboration, teacher guidance, consolidation and deepening, and summary evaluation. These design elements help students actively participate in the learning process and improve learning outcomes. Finally, the conclusion sum-marizes the entire study and looks forward to future research directions. In summary, a high school English teaching model based on project-based learning can effectively enhance students' interest in learning, problem-solving skills, and overall competence, making it highly valuable and practical in education.

Effects of Cognitive‐, Social‐, and Group‐Awareness Tools on Learners' Cognitive Load in Computer‐Mediated Writing Classes

ABSTRACTBackgroundComputer‐mediated writing classes have experienced a significant increase in popularity in recent years, serving as an effective modality for enhancing writing skills within an online framework.ObjectivesThis study seeks to bridge the gap in the literature by investigating the effectiveness of cognitive, social, and group‐awareness tools in reducing cognitive load in this context.MethodsThis investigation employed a pretest‐posttest randomised experimental design to scrutinise the influence of awareness tools (cognitive, social, and group) on cognitive load management and computer‐mediated writing performance among 144 EFL learners. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were utilised to process the data.ResultsThe outcomes demonstrated no statistically significant disparities in computer‐mediated writing performance scores between the experimental and control groups during the pretest phase. However, in the posttest phase, the control group displayed markedly higher scores in comparison to the experimental groups that were exposed to cognitive, social, and group awareness tools. Importantly, the social and group awareness tools positively impacted writing performance scores.ConclusionsThe results suggest that incorporating social and group‐awareness tools into computer‐mediated writing activities may contribute to elevated writing performance among EFL learners. Consequently, teachers and instructional designers should contemplate implementing group activities and collaboration tools within computer‐mediated writing tasks to cultivate the social and collaborative aspects of writing.

Hybrid International Comparative Group Work on Digitalization in Adult Education and Learning

This study aimed to analyse the experiences of two moderators and two participants in an International Comparative Group Work on Digitalization in Adult Education and Learning, which was organised through a hybrid mode of delivery, to provide intercultural perspectives that can inform the understanding of instructional designers and adult educators, as well as other practitioners involved in the digitalization of adult education. Hybrid learning and intercultural learning theory informed the conceptual framework of this study. This is a qualitative research study, which used collaborative autoethnography as the methodology for the overall inquiry. The researchers used their autobiographical stories to analyse their lived experiences throughout their journey interacting in the international comparative group work. The results show that design features related to the planning and implementation of the hybrid international comparative group work on digitalization in adult education and learning enabled the moderators and the participants to experience intercultural learning.

The Effectiveness of Dictation-Based Supplementary Materials for Improving English Orthography Skill in Junior High School EFL Learners

This study investigated the effectiveness of dictation-based supplementary materials in improving the English orthographic skills, specifically listening and rewriting, of seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Telaga Biru, Indonesia. Utilizing the ADDIE instructional design framework, materials were tailored to meet the unique needs of EFL learners with limited English exposure. A mixed-methods approach was employed: a pre-test and post-test measured quantitative improvements in students’ orthographic performance, while questionnaires provided qualitative insight into students’ engagement and perceptions. The findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ ability to accurately transcribe spoken English into written form after using the developed materials, highlighting dictation as an effective strategy for foundational literacy development. These results underscore the pedagogical value of integrating dictation strategies in EFL classrooms facing foundational literacy challenges. Keywords: dictation, orthographic skills, EFL, listening and rewriting, ADDIE, supplementary materials