Despite the efforts of instructional design (ID) to solve real-life problems, it remains challenging to adapt and be flexible in such situations. In particular, problems that require simultaneous knowledge of multiple domains and contexts are more challenging to solve because real-life problems do not reconstruct the learned experience. This is…

Social constructivism emphasises the role of meaningful interactions as a vehicle for learning. Meaningful interactions engage learners cognitively and socially with others to construct knowledge. Such interactions, however, require an environment specially designed to facilitate and guide learners' cognitive and social processes towards the…

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate the impact of instructional design elements on cognitive load for adult neurodiverse learners in online learning environments. For the utility of this study, cognitive load will be generally defined as the working memory and mental resources needed to perform a task. This study is…

Understanding and supporting pre-service teachers' creativity in collaborative instructional design has gained increasing attention. To design novel and effective learning experiences or activities for students, they need to build empathy with students, that is, understanding students' learning needs. This study aimed to (1) explore the patterns…

This study examined how an online instructional module that included an unplugged robot design activity integrated computational thinking (CT), assistive technology (AT), and universal design principles into a preservice teacher education class. The research focused on how this module shaped understanding, attitudes, and comfort levels about…

To explain successful subject matter learning with digital tools, the specification of mediating cognitive processes is crucial for any empirical investigation. We introduce a cognitive process framework for the mechanisms of learning with digital tools (CoDiL) that combines core ideas from the psychology of instruction…

The goal of this qualitative study was to answer the question: How do educators make sense of learning in virtual reality? This study utilized multimedia learning theory and cognitive load theory to explore how educators understand virtual reality in education. Pre- and post-interviews as well as a VR experience were conducted with 13 educators…

When faced with challenging thinking tasks accompanied by a feeling of uncertainty, people often prefer to opt out (e.g., replying "I don't know", seeking advice) over giving low-confidence responses. In professions with high-stakes decisions (e.g., judges, medical practitioners), opting out is generally seen as preferable to making…

The decision to move away from lecture-led instruction in the college classroom is not simple. Planning for and managing a more interactive classroom brings unique challenges and opportunities. A biomechanics instructor and an instructional designer from Utica University compared teacher-led instruction to brain-based instruction and share their…

There are numerous reasons why students with disabilities struggle in school. A key reason is professionals in the field may not pay enough attention to students' overwhelmed cognitive capacity. Cognitive load theory explains that all humans have limited capacity at any given time to use their auditory, visual, and tactile inputs (independently or…

With many distractions competing for students' attention, student engagement and knowledge retention are more important than ever. "Where Learning Happens" explores the types of attention--sustained, selective, divided, and effective--in depth and provides research-suggested strategies to maximize student attention and engagement. By…

Several studies in multimedia learning have examined the effect of emotional design. Recent findings from cognitive psychology provide opportunities for educators to use more direct ways of manipulating emotion to enhance learning. These studies have shown that emotionally arousing words and pictures are remembered better than neutral ones.…

Teachers' knowledge of students' mathematical thinking is a growing area of research in mathematics education. The literature has reported plentiful evidence of the interplays between teachers' mathematical knowledge and their knowledge of students' mathematical thinking. The present study builds on this body of work to explain how such interplays…

Children and young people live in a world that is constantly changing. In order to master their lives successfully, they will need many skills and competences. These include mathematical competences, which they should build up from primary school age. This article deals with the question of how mathematics lessons should be designed in order to…

This study aims to investigate the effects of competition through a digital leaderboard in gamified online discussions on learners' behavioral and cognitive engagement in learning. Twenty-three graduate students pursuing master's degree in instructional technology in a public university in Indonesia were involved in a five-week quasi-experiment (N…