Instructional Design/Program Development

Explaining Instructional Design

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Nancy Herrera, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Talent Development program.

Instructional design is defined as creating a plan that can sustain prolonged learning. The first step is to create a needs assessment. One way to determine this is by using Bloom’s Taxonomy. The instructional designer creates the plan or program. Then they will use the appropriate adult learning theory to create the right training solution. An example of one is Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy. A widely used instructional design models is ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Instructional designers are also responsible for assuring program success using evaluation and measurement of results.

This article came from a reliable source. ATD is respected as a credible source for talent development. The information can be resourceful when trying to start or learn the best way to create a training plan. I recommend this article to students, instructors, and stakeholders. This article did a good job of explaining various adult learning theories and instructional design models. The article would be stronger if the layout was more of a step-by-step format. Other ways it can improve is to include a high-level example of an instructional design and more information on determining a successful instructional design.

Reference: Association for Talent Development. (n.d.). What is Instructional Design? ATD. https://www.td.org/talent-development-glossary-terms/what-is-instructional-design

Three Simple Ways to Strengthen Instructional Design

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Carla Reed, graduate student at University of St. Francis, MS Talent Development program.

In a recent article, Furnival (2025) suggests three simple ways to strengthen instructional design: spark curiosity with engaging scenarios—like solving real‑world problems, role‑playing as investigators or consultants, or working through realistic case studies—collaborate with colleagues to enrich ideas and stay focused on clear learning goals. Together, these approaches help make learning purposeful and engaging.

The article appears credible, published by Edutopia, a widely respected education outlet, and authored by an educator with over 20 years of classroom and library experience. Its ideas are easy to apply, which makes it genuinely useful for teachers looking to refresh their lessons without getting bogged down in theory. Instructional designers, new educators, and anyone involved in professional development might appreciate its straightforward approach. While it doesn’t dive into evidence‑based methods, it offers clear, workable strategies that can help educators rethink how they plan learning experiences.

Reference Furnival, S. (2025, October). Fresh Approaches to Instructional Design: An educator with 20-plus years of experience on crafting creative and energizing lessons. Edutopia. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/rethinking-instructional-design-tips-teachers/

The Design and Effectiveness of Online Collaborative Work

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Tania Pacheco, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Talent Development program.

Online learning has become a commonplace method of instruction due, in part, with the onset of the pandemic. This article examines how online collaborative learning is designed for the higher education environment and how specific design choices influence its effectiveness. Using a survey of online learners, the study invited students to share their experiences with the design of online group work in relation to group size, formation methods, collaboration type, and duration, along with their relationship to teaching and social presence. Results showed that collaborative work predominately occurs within small, randomly assigned groups focused on discussions, assignments, or peer reviews for varying lengths of time. While many students perceived online collaborative work as beneficial for learning and engagement, others reported neutral or mixed experiences due to coordination and participation challenges. Higher levels of social and teaching presence were associated with allowing students to self-select their groups and incorporating peer review activities. Overall, the study emphasizes that online learners value being able to provide input into the process of collaborative work in their online courses and that this purposeful, learner-centered design is critical for effective online collaborative work.

This article is an excellent resource for trainers, higher education instructors, and instructional designers that are responsible for creating online learning environments and wish to foster a positive e-learning experience. Effective instructional methods in online education differ from methods that are effective in other learning environments due to the lack of personal connection and face-to-face interaction. The study’s findings suggest that an instructor’s level of understanding of their student’s needs and how the instructional strategy being used relates to various learners’ requirements, enabling them to develop more effective learning experiences. Using the results of the study as a structural framework for integrating collaborative activities in an online environment would serve as a beneficial tool to inspire active participant engagement and to generate consistent feedback for future improvements to the learning experience.

Reference:

Oyarzun, B., Kim, S., Maxwell, D. et al. (2025). The design and effectiveness of online collaborative work. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-025-09472-2

COI Framework Shift to Self-Organized Discovery

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Rachel Dobrich Ruffetti, a graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, working towards the Talent Development Certificate.

The article, “A Distributed Perspective to the Community-of-Inquiry Framework for Distance Education” by Piera Biccard (2025), revises the original Community-of-Inquiry (COI) framework by strengthening its underlying structure. The original framework includes teaching, social, and cognitive presence, which support well-organized online discussions, meaningful connections among online learners, and critical thinking in digital environments. Biccard emphasizes the importance of incorporating learners more directly into this model. The author advocates for a distributed approach to learning, where responsibility is shared across people, content, and tools through intentional technology integration. Students should transition from passive recipients to active contributors, bringing their unique skills and knowledge to the developing learning community. Technological tools play a critical role in this shift, fostering self-organized discovery and deeper engagement in online settings.  

This peer-reviewed study offers valuable insight for course designers and instructors aiming to enhance online learning environments. Biccard (2025) effectively integrates literature and research to expand the original COI model, illustrating how digital tools can promote learner autonomy, collaboration, and engagement. By emphasizing distributed teaching and learner agency, the article shifts technology from a supplemental to a core feature of intentional design. Instructors can leverage the interaction among participants, content, and tools to cultivate meaningful teaching, social, and cognitive presences. This resource will help educators create robust, student-centered learning experiences that encourage students to interact, share knowledge, and listen to other perspectives.

Reference  

Biccard, P. (2025). A distributed perspective to the community-of-inquiry framework for distance education. Open Learning, 40(2), 136–151. https://research-ebsco-com.ezproxy.stfrancis.edu/linkprocessor/plink?id=938137ea-9c73-35c0-a977-a1c602b4d145  

Power of AI for Teachers

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This post is provided to you by guest blogger, Adam Gurke, graduate student at University of St. Francis, Learning and Development Manager certificate student.

The article discusses how AI needs to be used in classrooms for teachers and students to prepare students for careers in the future. AI in classrooms is increasing for students, but also teachers. Currently, there are many AI tools geared towards teachers to support students and their learning. “If we want our students to be ready for their future careers, we must start teaching them about AI” (Poth, 2025). This source provides different AI tools for schools to use with their students such as SchoolAI, MagicSchool AI, and Eduaide to name a few. 

This source can be utilized by educators and school districts to learn about the various options for AI in education. AI helps teachers with elearning and lesson planning for teachers. This source provides examples for using AI in the classroom and the benefits for AI for students and teachers. This source also provides information for meeting the needs of all learners including language language learners.

References

Poth, R. D. (2025, June 10). AI resources for teachers. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/ai-resources-teachers?utm_source

Building Better eLearning: Management and Support Strategies That Work

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Stephanie Lawrence, graduate student at the University of St. Francis, MS in Talent Development program.

In the article, Supporting e-learning in the workplace: A framework for practice, Chyung and Kickul (2023) lay out a comprehensive plan for managing eLearning in the workplace. They explain how successful programs go beyond just delivering content, they require thoughtful planning, leadership support, and tools that keep learners engaged and supported. Their framework stresses learner-centered design, hands-on help when needed, and ongoing evaluation to make sure training stays relevant and effective over time. Continuous improvement is critical for aligning training with business goals.

This article does a great job making connections between strategy and what actually helps people learn. Chyung and Kickul (2023) combine research with real-world examples, enabling application. One thing that could improve the article is a bit more focus on change management, especially when teams are new to eLearning. The shift from traditional learning to eLearning can be difficult for some audiences. Still, this article is valuable for talent development professionals and training teams who are working on larger digital learning efforts.

Categories: Instructional Design, Adult Education, E-learning

Reference:

Chyung, S. Y., & Kickul, J. (2023). Supporting e-learning in the workplace: A framework for practice. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 36(2), 137–153. https://doi.org/10.1002/piq.21486

Top eLearning trends for 2026

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Nancy Herrera, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Talent Development program.

eLearning is essential in education and professional environments. In a recent article, Sharma (2025) outlines eLearning trends for 2026. They include intelligent technology, security, and collaboration. The first discusses using AI for personalization while increasing engagement. It is used by most enterprises and so is microlearning. Microlearning is credited for its short yet effective impact. Blockchain and crypto tokenization are providing security and credential verification. A holistic approach to marketing can build trust by building a balance between profits ethical obligations. Communal learning programs boost engagement. Learning in the flow of work is common practice in most corporations.

The website where the article was published is a self-proclaimed leading source for industry specific training and development content. Sharma is a managing partner of Tecuy Media and leads LinksFrog. He is a reliable source as he is considered a Level 5 Legend. The information can be useful when wanting to keep updated with any current technologies. Educators, Human Resources professionals, Talent Development representatives and enterprises would be interested in this information. In these roles knowing what technologies can be the most relevant, useful, and efficient is key.

Reference:

Sharma, O. (2025, September 20). Top eLearning trends in 2026: How new innovations are shaping education. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/top-elearning-trends-how-new-innovations-are-shaping-education

Measuring What Matters

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Stephanie Lawrence, graduate student at the University of St. Francis, MS in Talent Development program.


In the article, Reimagining assessment in online learning: A framework for student success, Ng and Hussain (2022) discuss how digital learning environments necessitate a change in assessment practices to effectively evaluate student outcomes. The authors present a case against traditional assessment models; they are lacking in the virtual setting. They also introduce a student- centered framework that places importance on formative feedback, reflective practice, and authentic assessment tasks. The article provides evidence showing that when assessments are aligned with learning goals and actively engage students, they achieve deeper learning and improve course completion rates.


This article offers a timely and practical approach to improving assessments in eLearning. Since COVID- 19, online learning has greatly expanded. Ng and Hussain (2022) are able to take theory and connect it with real- world application. One limitation is that the authors’ research focuses mainly on higher education. K-12 and corporate eLearning environments will require adjustments. However, the article’s emphasis on continuous feedback and authentic learning are critical aspects of the learning process across contexts.

Categories: Assessment & Evaluation, E-learning, Instructional Design/Program Development, Online Learning

Reference:
Ng, D., & Hussain, I. (2022). Reimagining assessment in online learning: A framework for student success. Online Learning Journal, 26(1), 45–63. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v26i1.2982

Creating Effective E-learning Programs by Analyzing Current Data

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Creating Effective E-learning Programs by Analyzing Current Data

This post is provided by guest blogger, Gerald Edwards Jr., graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development program.

As more organizations turn to e-leaning as the preferred educational and training modality, the need to accurately measure participant outcomes is imperative. The success of e-learning programs is dependent on the ability of decision makers to gauge success and failure in order to change and improve the implementation of emerging technologies and delivery systems. There are currently limited metrics on e-learning outcomes. This is due to the lack of congruity across assessment criteria, measuring standards, and digital learning content. Assessment of e-learning programs is needed to accurately determine the effectiveness of e-learning environments in order to assess the most effective e-leaning teaching tools and methods.

The article “impact of online learning on student’s performance and engagement: a systematic review” by Akpen, Asaolu, Atobatele, Okagbue, and Sampson (2024), evaluates the current research on the effects of e-learning on student outcomes. The research review examines 18 in-depth studies using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). An analysis showed varied academic outcomes from learning in the online environment. Some studies showed improved student performance due to the flexibility and accessibility of the e-learning environment. While other studies highlighted the challenges of the e-learning environment including isolation and lack of interactions with instructors and peers. The effectiveness of e-learning was also shown to be affected by things like the quality of the digital tools, the accessibility and reliability of the internet connections, and participant’s motivation to stay engaged in e-leaning programs. Recognizing and addressing these issues can improve the overall e-learning experience, thereby positively affecting the student outcomes. This information is useful program designers, trainers, and educators responsible for the e-learning experience and informational content.

Categories: Assessment & Evaluation, Instructional Design/Program Development, Online Learning

Reference:

Akpen, C.N., Asaolu, S., Atobatele, S., Okagbue, H., & Sampson, S. (2024). Impact of online learning on student’s performance and engagement: a systematic review. Discover Education, 3.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00253-0

Designing E-Learning

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Stephanie DeFrancesco, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Talent Development Program. 

As e-learning becomes more popular, educators are realizing that it is important to be able to prepare more in-depth programs and be able to create a class that is precise and successful to help the student learn using instructional design. In the recent blog by an E-Learning Specialist, they dive into the skills that teachers should be able to obtain to create a successful e-learning class. Such as achievable objectives, organized materials, up to date technology skills and creativity. Also discussed is the ADDIE model, which is used in many different instructional design processes for e-learning. 

I recommend this blog for anyone who has to create or design an e-learning platform for students to use. The summary of the skills the instructor should use with explanation are extremely helpful to be able to plan a e-learning class. I also believe that the different phases of ADDIE would be helpful to follow when designing models and objectives. Instructional design is one of the most important parts of e-learning, and the blog breaks down how to create and utilize e-learning in education. 

Category: Instructional Design/ E-Learning

The importance of instructional design for e-learning education: CAE. CAE Computer Aided E-learning. (2023, November 28). https://www.cae.net/why-is-instructional-design-important-for-e-learning-education/