Instructional design is a design discipline that bridges science and arts-based practices. It has a long history of borrowing from various fields of design. Experience Design (XD) is a relatively new field that holds relevance for instructional design because, as a multidisciplinary approach, XD focuses on creating meaningful user experiences and…

In this article, we argue that a key diversity issue to be tackled in the classroom is disparity: Some students are more privileged than others, and their inputs are more valued than others'. Therefore, as educators, we need to devise new ways to rebalance benefits and deficits in our classrooms. Complementing critical work on privilege in…

This exploratory piece is intended to set the stage for an ongoing conversation about Open Educational Resources (OER). The current OER landscape has hundreds of repositories and thousands of curated guides and lists for finding OER--few of which "talk" to each other behind the scenes, resulting in separate and often redundant resources…

Immersive extended reality (XR) technologies, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality, and mixed reality, are transforming the landscape of education and training through experiences that promote skill acquisition and enhance memory retention. These technologies have notably improved decision making and situational awareness in public…

In this theoretical paper, we advocate for educational researchers to embrace co-design as a means of fostering sustainable solutions in educational settings. While co-design has been increasingly recognized for its collaborative potential, we suggest that its effectiveness can be further enhanced by drawing from three complementary perspectives:…

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming higher education. It has already challenged the validity of traditional assessment methods and revealed concerns about the authenticity and reliability of conventional approaches. This opinion piece proposes an expanded theoretical framework for contextual learning, incorporating practical, situational,…

With the growing interest in the field of instructional design and technology to engage with issues of equity, discrimination, and racism, the field needs to tap into disciplines that have been doing this work to be equipped for this work. This paper discusses the need for the field of instructional design and technology to engage with the…

In this paper, we aim to provide readers with three critical concepts that can maximize inclusivity of learner experience (LX) and user experience (UX) design: accessibility, usability, and universal design for learning (UDL). Although recent K-12 and postsecondary education have experienced rapid change in its student population with the growing…

Universities across the globe are transforming or upgrading their campus infrastructure to prepare students for the work in the 21st century. Such campus transformations can be important in various ways. For example, universities can introduce innovative learning spaces that support recruitment and enrollment policies on campus. Even though the…

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…

This article examines the design structure and interface of online courses and explains how program-wide design standards can benefit the learner, educator, and organization as a whole. Standards in program design can help support learner success, and these examples serve as a guide when designing, updating, or improving online adult and…

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…

The goal of this article is to propose a framework for understanding the nature of "how people construct problems" by interacting with situations and subsequently to offer implications for instructional design and future research. We propose that people must interactively frame the components of a situation in order to establish the…

This design case is about Emotional Design Theory in application to the design of pandemic face masks. As we know designers rely strongly on theoretical knowledge in making design moves. To understand how students may learn to apply theory, research was conducted to test the effectiveness of an assessment called Design CUE (Conceptual…

This article argues for exploring, connecting, and applying utopian imagination, speculative design, and planetary thinking as a way forward for higher education to reimagine and move towards more hopeful planetary futures. It examines hopepunk and solarpunk perspectives on possible futures to propose a design agenda for rewidening and rewilding…