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 study was to benchmark the workload of online instructional designers as third-space professionals at 4-year, public institutions. Interview data regarding design team composition, courseload, responsibilities, and decision-making processes was gathered from managers of online learning units offering a "white-glove"…

Higher education in the 21st century is changing from the traditional residential program where the student sits in the classroom and is guided through their learning process to one that is online where the student receives their learning away from the classroom. The change from these traditional programs to online programs has increased the age…

The work of instructional design in community college settings is woefully understudied. This study documents that work in three community colleges in the southeastern United States while placing it in the theoretical context of neoliberalism, and in line with that theoretical context, takes a post-structuralist stance in its methodological…

The focus of this study is on enhancing cultural competency and increasing an ethnorelative worldview perspective among instructional designers through an innovative approach that integrates global professionals and reciprocal learning. The study is grounded in the context of Arizona State University's mission to create inclusive learning…

Research has illustrated the role visual design plays in effective communication and instruction. However, more research has yet to investigate how online course designers (i.e., anyone who designs online courses) add visual appeal to online courses. This study explored the visual design process in online course development. It examines how…

This design case explores the development of tools to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in course design and teaching at a predominantly white institution. We designed a suite of tools for instructional designers and faculty to review online courses, helping to ensure quality course design and meaningful learning experiences…

Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the design process is a growing area of research interest. Three years after its public launch in 2022, AI has already established itself as the most disruptive tool revolutionizing how designers conceptualize, iterate and innovate. As AI technologies continue to evolve, it is pertinent that design…

This design case presents my experiences, successes, and challenges, in the design and delivery of a six-week special topics course on culturally inclusive instructional design. The course was delivered synchronously with a diverse group of 15 individuals enrolled in the instructional design and technology degree program. The focus of the course…

Due to COVID-19, all classes in schools have been converted to distance learning using online platforms. However, various problems were raised when converting face-to-face classes to online distance learning. In particular, the difficulties were more pronounced for practical design courses because they include practical experience. In this…

This article addresses student challenges posed by the need for distance learning in architectural design courses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shiraz, Iran, in order to ascertain the student perception of a virtual learning experience. It also outlines the methods of managing an affordable education agenda to design online courses in Iran as a…

There is growing demand in our society to cultivate creativity and foster innovation. Design thinking has been successfully practiced as an educational framework for supporting innovation in educational and work contexts. However, research on design thinking education that facilitates the acquisition of knowledge related to design process and…

COVID-19 has forced many universities to adopt online teaching. However, the design discipline attaches great importance to on-site operation and face-to-face design discussions, causing teachers to face major challenges in the implementation of distance teaching. The purpose of this study is to investigate the suitability and teaching strategies…

Throughout the development of online courses within higher education, subject matter expert (SME) faculty often rely on an instructional designer's (IDs) expertise and leadership to produce high-quality learning experiences for their students. Although IDs guide the creation of online courses and programs, instructional design is a profession that…

Despite popular myths related to the design and development of an online course, the endeavor is rather complicated. Universal Course Shell Templates (UCSTs) can alleviate teachers' workload, support teachers in taking pedagogically sound decisions, and assist students in their engagement with the course. The study begins with a review of the…