Instructional Design: Making Training Fun and Engaging

Whether it is within an educational, corporate, nonprofit, or government setting, the level of performance of the individuals that make up an organization largely depends on the quality of the training they receive. An employee who does not receive the proper training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to do their job will not perform well. Not only can this result in a less than satisfactory performance evaluation for the employee, but it can also have negative implications for the organization as a whole. There is a well-known expression that says, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” Similarly, a student in school may have knowledge gaps that impede them from developing proficiency in a subject matter. For both the employee and the student described here, a well-designed learning experience can help them develop the knowledge and skills required to succeed.

An effective learning experience is one where the learner is actively engaged. Creating this type of learning experience calls for an approach that includes the identification and analysis of the learner’s needs as well as the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the instructional materials that will be used in the provided trainings. Together, these components make up a process known as instructional design, a discipline that involves the application of learning theories, research-based practices, and design principles to create educational materials, training programs, and performance support systems. Lisa Giacumo, associate professor in the Learning Design and Technology Program within the School of Education at George Mason University, recently offered her perspective on instructional design, including her thoughts on how artificial intelligence (AI) is helping to create fun and beneficial learning experiences.

The emergence of artificial intelligence has improved the productivity of instructional designers.

The degree to which an individual will find a learning experience to be engaging depends on the tools that are used to develop and deliver effective training and instructional content. The instructional design toolbox can include eLearning or content authoring platforms, learning management systems, video and recording systems, webinar platforms, and graphics design software. But among the most powerful tools used by instructional designers is AI. The emergence of AI has improved productivity and increased workflows. Not only has AI given instructional designers the ability to generate content at a faster rate than was possible before, but it has allowed for increased collaboration through the dissemination of learning materials to a larger number of individuals for their feedback on the effectiveness of the content produced. This enables instructional designers to more accurately assess how individuals of diverse backgrounds respond to the content they create. Instructional designers are then able to adjust the content so that it better meets the learning objectives and performance improvement goals of a diverse, inclusive user base. In addition, the use of AI allows content creators to assimilate multiple research sources in a much shorter time in developing learning and instructional materials.

The use of artificial intelligence in eLearning tools can create realistic learning experiences.

Technological advancements and the integration of AI into the field of instructional design has led to the development of eLearning tools that can provide a learning experience that mirrors real-life. For example, some AI-infused eLearning tools make it possible to create a virtual “instructor” represented by a human-like avatar. The “text to voice” features built into many of these tools give the avatars the ability to “talk,” making it unnecessary for a real human to do a voice-over reading from a script. Content developers can choose from a wide range of human images and sample voices in creating the virtual “instructor.”

AI-Powered Immersive Learning for First Responders

In other areas, there has been an increased interest in the application of immersive learning using virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality as part of training for firefighters. Such training involves the creation of simulated situations that replicate different emergency scenarios that firefighters could encounter in real life. Proponents of using AI-powered immersive learning in firefighter training programs maintain that it is safer and reduces the risk of injuries and fatalities that firefighters could otherwise face in a real-life training exercise. A recent project funded by a Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant examined the application of immersive learning on firefighter health and safety during on the ground operations. Two reports which emerged from this project concluded that “in most cases, immersive learning is not currently viable as a replacement for live training. However, immersive learning environments are recommended as a very important part of blended learning and should, as technology continues to develop, evolve into a more important role.”

Future Innovations in Learning Experiences

Experts remind us that AI is a relatively new phenomenon which does pose some risk. One of its drawbacks is the possibility of algorithmic bias which could lead to faulty outputs. But with proper guardrails put in place and thoughtful use, AI will lead to exciting future innovations in enhancing creativity, engagement, and quality of learning experiences produced by instructional designers.

To find out more about degree offerings in the Learning Design and Technology Program in the School of Education at George Mason University, please visit the program website.