We know that eLearning is a staple of training and development. The expectations of the learners are higher than ever: They expect a dynamic, interactive, and personalized learning experience. As instructional designers, we are tasked with meeting these expectations by creating engaging and effective learning solutions.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our eLearning design process is a game-changer that can significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of our work.
No matter if you use ADDIE or rapid prototyping, AI has a fit in every aspect of your workflow. By integrating AI, you can ensure a more efficient and effective design process that adapts to the unique needs of your learners. This not only saves time and resources but also significantly enhances the overall learning experience. We will explore the needs analysis and the general design process.
Needs analysis and research: Gathering data efficiently
By incorporating AI into the needs analysis, instructional designers have unprecedented abilities to make data-informed decisions. AI tools can quickly analyze existing data, such as learner performance metrics, surveys, and past feedback, to identify patterns and insights. For example, sentiment analysis algorithms can sift through course evaluations to highlight areas where learners struggle the most or topics that need more in-depth coverage. An ordinal logistics regression can help you predict based on other outcomes. If X, Y, and Z happen in a class students are more satisfied with the training.
By leveraging AI for data analysis, instructional designers can better understand the needs of learners and tailor course content tailored to their needs and preferences. If you use the right prompt, any GPT you have access to can create the data analysis for you.
To effectively implement AI in the needs analysis:
- Define the goals and expectations of the AI tool for the data analysis.
- Determine the types of data you will use. Data can come from many places, including social media and YouTube comments. Data is not limited to end-of-course surveys.
- Write your prompt for the GPT using the magic formula: Role + Context + Expectation + Source + Goal. Yes, your favorite GPT can help you write the prompt.
- Iterate and experiment with the prompt.
Sample Prompt for a Sentiment Analysis
Run a sentiment analysis on any data that has a free response.
Prompt example: "Act as a data analyst. Analyze the responses from the end-of-course survey. The data consists of text-based answers from students regarding their overall experience in the course. Your task is to:
- Classify the sentiment of each response as positive, negative, or neutral.
- Identify key themes or topics mentioned in the responses (e.g., instructor quality, course content, learning experience, etc.).
- Provide a summary of the sentiment distribution across all responses (how many positive, negative, and neutral responses).
- If applicable, highlight any specific comments or trends that suggest areas of strength or opportunities for improvement in the course.
The survey responses contain feedback about various aspects of the course, and I would like you to focus on identifying sentiments and key themes, while avoiding personal or judgmental language in your analysis."
Create a GPT to act as your design assistant
Instructional design is an inherently creative field that requires constant ideation, innovation, and adaptation to meet the needs of diverse learners. Sometimes, however, coming up with fresh ideas and creative solutions can be a challenge, especially when you're working within tight deadlines or tackling complex learning objectives. This is where a GPT-powered design assistant can step in—serving as your AI brainstorming partner to help you bounce ideas, generate inspiration, and stay motivated throughout the design process. (The prompt I used is included at the end of this article.)
Think of GPT as a collaborator that’s available at all hours to help you explore new possibilities and overcome creative blocks. Whether you're designing a single module or an entire curriculum, GPT can serve as a sounding board for your ideas, offer suggestions, and even spark entirely new directions for your course design. Here’s how you can use a GPT-based design assistant as a valuable partner in your instructional design journey.
Testing ideas for course structure and flow
Designing the structure and flow of a course is one of the most important (and sometimes daunting) aspects of instructional design. You need to ensure that content is presented logically, that it flows seamlessly from one topic to the next, and that students are engaged from start to finish.
When you're feeling unsure about how to structure a lesson or module, GPT can help by providing suggestions and organizing the content in different ways. For example, you can ask GPT to help create a module outline based on your course objectives, and it will offer various ways to break down the material. You can also ask it to help you think through transitions between topics or suggest ways to link new content to prior knowledge.
Generating ideas for engaging learning activities
A large part of instructional design involves creating engaging and interactive learning activities that encourage students to actively apply their knowledge. However, coming up with engaging activity ideas on your own can sometimes feel like a struggle. GPT can be a game-changer here, offering a wealth of ideas for activities that you might not have thought of on your own.
For instance, if you’re designing a course on leadership skills and are unsure how to make an activity more dynamic, you can prompt GPT to help brainstorm. It can suggest interactive role-play scenarios, case studies, group discussions, and even gamified learning experiences. You can also ask GPT to refine activity ideas, providing examples and variations to suit different learner needs or course objectives.
Sparking new approaches to content delivery
Sometimes, a traditional lecture or text-based content just won’t cut it for engaging modern learners. But figuring out how to present material in a way that captures attention and promotes active learning can be tough. GPT can offer new approaches to content delivery that align with the learning outcomes you want to achieve.
For example, if you’re struggling with how to present a complex concept in a more accessible way, GPT can suggest different formats. You can ask it to help generate ideas for visual aids, simulations, storytelling approaches, or interactive exercises that could bring the content to life. Whether you're looking to create a more visual learning experience or develop a multimedia approach, GPT can provide inspiration and examples to guide your design choices.
Providing alternative perspectives and feedback
It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’ve been working on a design for hours or days. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to help you see the course or activity in a new light. GPT can act as a virtual sounding board, providing you with alternative approaches or even “playing devil’s advocate” to test whether your design decisions will work in practice.
For instance, if you’ve designed a quiz and are unsure whether it aligns with your course objectives, you can ask GPT to review it for you. It can suggest different question formats, offer alternatives, or point out any areas where the quiz might be confusing or misaligned with the goals. Similarly, if you’re not sure whether your course flow is intuitive enough, GPT can provide feedback on potential bottlenecks or areas that need better transitions.
Exploring new trends and emerging ideas
As an instructional designer, you must stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in education and learning technology. GPT can help by providing inspiration drawn from the most recent research, industry news, or emerging instructional design trends.
If you're designing a course and want to incorporate cutting-edge practices like gamification, microlearning, or social learning, GPT can help you explore how to effectively integrate these approaches. You can ask GPT for ideas on how to incorporate AI into your course, create more immersive experiences, or integrate learner analytics for personalized learning paths. This ongoing exposure to new ideas keeps your courses relevant and forward-thinking.
I used this prompt to create my design assistant
You are a friendly and helpful instructional designer assistant helping instructional designers (IDs) plan and create lessons and professional development courses. Your tone is friendly but professional and you’re concise. First, introduce yourself and ask the designer what course or content they would like to design. Wait for the ID to respond. Do not move on until the ID responds. Ask clarifying questions if needed. Only ask one question at a time and wait for a response from the ID prior to moving forward.
Then, given all of the information, create a custom artifact for the ID. If the ID asked for a course outline to be created utilize a variety of teaching and learning techniques. Include active learning opportunities and formative and summative assessments.
Explain why you made the decisions you made. Ask the ID if they would like to change anything or if they are aware of any misconceptions about the topic the audience might encounter. Wait for a response. If the ID wants to change anything or if they list any misconceptions, work with the ID to make changes. If the ID is happy with the lesson, tell the ID they can come back to this prompt, touch base with you again, and let you know how the lesson went.
Use Bloom's taxonomy when writing learning objectives. Create courses that utilize active learning principles.
When discussing aspects of the course curriculum, use a Socratic approach.
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