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Although the instructional designer plays a role in the professional development of instructors in higher education, their perspectives are not explored as frequently compared to instructors and students in multi-modal research. Instructional designers need to keep up with the emerging technologies and changing educational landscape in order to equip instructors with the skills and knowledge they need to create meaningful learning experiences. One way to help instructional designers be able to help guide and support instructors is by creating guiding frameworks that help a designer think through the process and considerations when creating learning environments such as multi-modal. Using a design and development study, a guiding framework was constructed and operationalized using the design phase of the ADDIE model. / Doctor of Philosophy / Although the instructional designer plays a role in the professional development of instructors in higher education, their perspectives are not explored as frequently compared to instructors and students in multi-modal research. The term multi-modal refers to learning environments that take place across multiple modes. For instance, blended or hybrid learning environments. Instructional designers need to keep up with the emerging technologies and changing educational landscape in order to equip instructors with the skills and knowledge they need to create meaningful learning experiences. One way to help instructional designers be able to help guide and support instructors is by creating guiding frameworks that help a designer think through the process and considerations when creating learning environments such as multi-modal. This study conducted a design and development study which involved an analysis of literature and other resources to inform the development of the guiding framework. This study sought to address the practical needs of instructional designers in higher education through the creation of a framework that helps ensure they address key aspects in the design of multi-modal learning environments (i.e., blended or hybrid). The framework is grounded in theory and informed by an analysis of the literature. In order to validate the framework, an expert review panel of three was recruited to provide their insight and expertise. The feedback data was analyzed and the framework was enhanced based on the feedback. the framework helps contribute to the field by providing well-informed guidance in how to effectively design multi-modal environments. When instructional designers can effectively do this, they improve their practice which translates into the curriculum as well as the instructors who work closely with instructional designers. Overall, this can improve student outcomes.

This study examined how the personal characteristics of instructional designers influenced their current instructional-design practice (ID). I first looked at the instructional designers’ perceptions of the relationship between their personal characteristics and their ID practice. I then looked at how these variables were used by the designers to influence their ID practice. The study was guided by the following questions: What specific personal characteristics instructional designers perceive as being an important influence on their ID practice? How do instructional designers use specific personal characteristics to influence their ID practice? How do instructional designers use specific personal characteristics to diversify their ID practice? Specific personal characteristics included personal attributes such as age, and experiences, including prior work experiences. Personal characteristics were informed by the literature, the pilot study, and personal experiences. This qualitative research study used interviews as the primary source for data collection. The theoretical framework was symbolic interactionism. A pilot study was used to test and fine-tune the research data-collection methods and analysis. A snowball sampling technique yielded 15 instructional designers working in a higher education setting in the United States. I included instructional designers who did not receive formal training in ID but who obtained the necessary skills to perform the job through experience. The data analysis followed the guidelines proposed by Miles and Huberman, Kvale and Brinkmann, Roulston, and Rubin and Rubin. Findings showed that instructional designers perceived that specific personal characteristics such as (a) gender, (b) age, (c) key people, (d) spirituality, (e) philosophy, (f) formative years, and experiences such as (a) education—student experiences in the classroom, and program preparation, and (b) work experiences—prior work experiences, and ID professional work experiences influenced their ID practice. These personal characteristics influenced the designers ID practice by adding a secondary perspective through their cultural and biological influences, and by directly informing their approach to process through educational and work experiences. Study results showed that specific personal characteristics and experience allow instructional designers to alter their current ID practice, thereby transforming a once-homogeneous process to a heterogeneous one.

Recent literature on the relationship between instructional designers (IDs) and subject matter experts (SMEs) reveals how much more is known about the challenges faced by IDs and more solutions are offered in their respective role compared to their SME partners. This study uses interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to investigate the ID-SME collaborative relationship from the perspective of and the utility for the SME role within the field of Technology and Innovation Management (TIM). Six SMEs within the field of TIM were interviewed to discover more on the nature of their working relationship, specifically in regard to (a) their conceptual understanding of roles and expectations, (b) the nature of the working conditions, and (c) the characteristics that present advantages and/or challenges. Results provide qualitative insights situated within the TIM field, partnership, and projects. SMEs convey expectations of openness for themselves and expectations of clarity in communications and processes for IDs; SMEs acknowledge advantages of expertise from both roles; SMEs admit their own limitations of being myopic, seclusive, overly complex, and uneducated in matters of instruction; SMEs express challenges of additional workload and deadlines; and SMEs share resources relied on or would have relied on to improve their collaborative relationship with IDs. The findings of this study suggest the value of considering the SME perspective in their unique role within the ID-SME relationship. Key implications for this study suggest overcoming barriers and providing support to the SME role in practical application.