This developmental study explores the process and outcomes of creating an active learning classroom within a higher education setting. To support student success, institutions have increasingly redesigned their learning spaces to promote active learning. Early initiatives often aimed to facilitate collaborative learning and reduce reliance on…

As higher education institutions increasingly expand their online course offerings, the role of instructional designers in enhancing instructional quality and effectiveness becomes critical. This study surveyed practicing instructional designers to explore the specific tasks they perform performed in higher education and identifies factors that…

The purpose of this article is to investigate how to use a strengths-based lens that is highly contextualized, in an ecology (i.e., online graduate course) that shows the value of the socio-emotional interactions or climate. I used an autoethnographic approach to problematize myself so that I could ask contemplative questions as a result of…

This article outlines the redesign of an undergraduate digital learning theories course, integrating scenario-based learning (SBL) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The article incorporates scenario-based instruction using Articulate Rise 360, focusing on real-world challenges to enhance learner engagement and applicability. This…

Merrill's first principles of instruction (FPI) are considered as fundamental principles for improving instructional effectiveness regardless of context, approach, or audience. However, very little research explores in detail the process of implementing FPI in course design. In this case study, we provide specific descriptions of how we applied…

Dissertation guiding principles and purposefully designed research curriculum guide the conceptualization and structure of dissertations in the EdD in Educational Technology at a large university in the US. An analysis of 69 dissertations completed by the first five cohorts over ten years was conducted to determine the theories, frameworks, and…

This article focuses on the practical implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in an online computer science course, articulating the collaborative efforts between the instructional designer (the first author) and the faculty member to redesign the course using UDL principles. Specific instances of redesigned learning modules and…

We provide a design case using applied trauma-informed frameworks to guide the design and usage adoption of an online support and mentorship platform for African applied science PhD scholars. In the Rsif context, scholars traverse countries, systems, and cultures to obtain their PhDs. The project objective was to create an online system to support…

We have explored designers having empathy for the audience of focus, designers using empathy as a means to an end, and designers using empathy to deliver a meaningful design deliverable. Our research has evolved from studying how designers reflect on their own design context and the audience's given circumstance to designers acting on moments of…

Instructional design problems are one of the most complicated and ill-structured types of problems due to the dynamic nature of design problems and decision-making processes. Formulating instructional design solutions thereby requires teachers to possess adequate decision-making knowledge and skills and apply them to instructional design. This…

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate how instructional designers perceive and experience conflict in their collaborative work with faculty across higher education settings. Prior research studies have captured instructional designers' perspectives on building and maintaining successful collaborations with faculty but…

The Purdue Repository for Online Teaching and Learning (PoRTAL) was developed as an Open Educational Resource (OER) for graduate students and faculty in higher education settings to enhance their online teaching skills and strategies. The PoRTAL team used a design-based research approach (DBR; Wang & Hannafin, "Educational Technology…

This needs assessment identified the competencies, subcompetencies, and tasks to include in the preservice instructor course of the U.S. Air Force's Special Warfare Training Wing. Using the Borich needs assessment model, this study solicited the perceptions of current instructors on the importance of and their preparedness to execute…

Research on how university faculty design courses has been limited and marked by modest detail on faculty design processes. Addressing this gap, seven faculty members supported by an educational developer at a teaching-intensive university used collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to explain how university faculty engage in reflective, iterative…

Teachers' decisions for instructional design and technology integration influence their teaching practices and student learning performances. Technology-integrated learning environments have been widely leveraged due to the recent global health crisis and student learning needs (Polly et al., "TechTrends," 65(3), 240-242 2021). Teachers…