The Intersection of AI and Instructional Design: Enhancing Learning Experiences

There’s no denying that artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful and exciting tool. And it’s already impacting our daily lives, from Google Maps and virtual assistants like Siri to personalised Facebook feeds. Instructional design is no exception. AI has the potential to add real value to the design process. Designers already use AI technologies to create personalised, adaptative, engaging eLearning that’s more responsive to learners’ needs and preferences. These are exciting times for instructional design. However, while there are plenty of opportunities, it’s fair to say there are also challenges to consider. 

This post is the first in a series exploring AI’s impact on instructional design. Today’s post discusses the potential for AI to transform instructional design. We look at how AI tools add value. And we also highlight the things to watch out for. Finally, we explore the AI tools every instructional designer needs.  

Let’s get started with a definition of instructional design.

Instructional design is the process of creating and developing learning materials and programmes. These can be delivered virtually or physically. However, nowadays, most instructional designers focus on designing digital content. In fact, the global eLearning market is predicted to reach US$1 trillion by 2026. 

Regardless of the delivery medium, instructional design is all about achieving the best learning outcomes. Learning experiences take centre stage. And content is tailored to meet learners’ specific needs, preferences and goals. Instructional designers use models and frameworks to guide their practice, including ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy and Mayer’s Principles. 

It’s a dynamic and constantly changing discipline. New technology and tools come on stream all the time. AI is the latest development and will likely have the most profound impact of all. 

Instructional designers juggle several balls all at once. Creating engaging content that meets learning objectives and participants’ needs demands a broad skill set. Instructional designers are problem-solvers, critical thinkers and talented creatives all rolled into one.

Here we highlight a few of the current challenges instructional designers face daily. Later, we explore how AI tools can add value by addressing these challenges and more.

• Learning diversity: Learners are not a homogenous group. They have different backgrounds, learning needs, and preferences. Designing instructional materials that accommodate the increasingly complex needs of diverse learners is an ongoing challenge.

• Accessibility: Ensuring that instructional materials are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities, is another issue. Learners with visual or hearing disabilities or cognitive conditions such as dyslexia may struggle to engage with poorly adapted digital content. While initiatives like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines have helped instructional designers, getting this right is a priority. 

• Content development efficiency: Balancing creativity and quality with time and budget restraints is also challenging for instructional design. Designers want to streamline the process without compromising quality. 

• Working with subject matter experts (SMEs): When it comes to eLearning, instructional designers are the creative powerhouses. It’s SMEs who have the skills, knowledge and credibility within a specific field. Instructional designers must collaborate with SMEs to ensure that content hits the mark. However, often their availability or commitment level can impact the design process. 

• Keeping learners engaged: It’s estimated that the average person’s attention span has shrunk by nearly two minutes over the last 20 years. Keeping learners motivated and engaged in a world full of distractions is critical.  

AI can potentially revolutionise instructional design. From content creation to implementation and evaluation, AI transforms the design process, making it more efficient and effective. It plays a significant role in addressing the challenges we identified earlier. And it simplifies and streamlines the instructional designer’s task of creating engaging and learner-centred content. 

Here are some of the headline impacts:  

• Personalisation at scale: Creating personalised learner journeys is the holy grail for instructional design. And AI can help you get there faster and more effectively. Use AI algorithms to analyse vast amounts of data about learners, including preferences, needs and performance. These learning analytics help designers create personalised learning pathways to optimise engagement and knowledge retention. And it makes sense; learners are more likely to be motivated by content that really resonates with them as individuals. 

• Accessibility support: AI helps develop inclusive content accessible to all learners. AI tools identify and remedy potential accessibility issues automatically. Building learner trust is crucial if you want your eLearning to be effective, and accessibility is a vital aspect. 

• Data-driven decision-making: AI’s ability to analyse large datasets related to learner performance and behaviour has another crucial impact. These AI-generated insights help identify patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the instructional design. It simplifies the task of reviewing, evaluating and revising the content so it continues to meet learning objectives. 

• Automating content creation: AI algorithms can suggest relevant learning resources and materials to designers based on learner analytics. And AI can also assist in generating instructional content, including quizzes, assessments, and interactive elements. This reduces the burden on instructional designers and helps develop content more efficiently. Instead, designers can focus on what they do best – creating and innovating. 

AI undoubtedly brings significant benefits to instructional design. However, it has some drawbacks. Ultimately, instructional designers must strike a careful balance between AI-driven automation and human oversight.

Here are the top watchouts in AI integration you need to know. 

• Ethical considerations: AI-powered systems often collect and analyse learner data to personalise learning experiences. However, this raises privacy concerns and requires careful handling of sensitive information. Instructional designers should take steps to safeguard personal data and prevent unauthorised access or misuse. You can build learner trust and confidence by encrypting data and making it anonymous. Secure data storage is also critical. 

• Guard against bias: AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on. If the training data contains biases, the AI system may perpetuate and amplify these, leading to unfair or unequal learning outcomes. However, the good news is that instructional designers can take action to minimise the potential. Ensure data sets are representative and inclusive. And regularly monitor AI tools so that red flags are identified and addressed early. 

So, what are the must-have AI tools for Instructional Designers in 2023? Here’s our take on the essentials your toolkit needs:

This AI tool allows computers to understand, interpret and generate human language. Put simply, it means computers can hold human-like conversations with people. Instructional designers use NLP in chatbots and virtual assistants to answer queries, provide feedback and support learners. It’s a great time saver and means learners can access the help they need 24/7. 

NLP tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT can also help to improve the clarity and readability of learning content. Overly complex sentences, vague phrases and jargon are highlighted, and simpler alternatives are suggested. 

You can also use these platforms to generate questions, assessments and quizzes based on learning content. NLP can even analyse learners’ written responses and provide automated feedback or grading on assignments. Not only does this save instructors’ time, but it also provides learners with instant feedback, enhancing their experience.

Examples here include the likes of Smart Sparrow, EdApp and RapL. These platforms are all driven by machine learning. 

Data analytics and algorithms continuously analyse learner behaviour, performance, and preferences. And content and learning pathways are then adjusted to suit each learner’s needs based on their strengths and weaknesses. Machine learning can also dynamically tweak the content difficulty and introduce new topics based on the learner’s performance and understanding.

By targeting learners’ areas of weakness, these platforms streamline the learning process, reducing the time spent on irrelevant content. Learning experiences are vastly improved. Furthermore, instructional designers can make data-informed decisions saving time and resources for a more effective process. 

When it comes to the design and analysis phase, instructional designers have a wide choice of AI-driven tools. Platforms like Canva use AI to suggest visual design templates and layouts, including infographics, presentations, and more. Miro is a fantastic collaborative visual planning tool. Designers use it to collaborate with SMEs and collect and analyse feedback. Otter.ai is a transcription and note-taking platform that converts spoken content, such as lectures, interviews and brainstorming sessions, into written text. And in today’s global learning environment, DeepL is a must-have. Designers can use DeepL to translate learning content into multiple languages. 

Streamline the design process and create enhanced learning experiences with the following AI tools. Flipboard and Feedly use AI algorithms to curate content based on users’ preferences. Instructional designers can also use these tools to stay updated on the latest trends to inform their instructional design. DALL-E is another must-have and creates custom visual content from text descriptions. Designers use these diagrams and illustrations to complement their content. ID Assist is another fantastic time-saver and helps designers with content mapping, creating assessments and aligning learning objectives. 

AI is here to stay, and instructional designers should embrace the opportunity. Use it to enhance your expertise and creativity. By harnessing AI, instructional designers can transform the learning landscape. AI will help you create more personalised, engaging, and compelling learning experiences. And that’s the ultimate goal for every instructional design professional.

Knowing what you’re doing is critical if you want to get ahead of AI in instructional design. The Digital Learning Institute’s Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design includes a new module on AI. Explore how to use all the latest AI-powered instructional design tools and software in our globally recognised and industry-approved qualification. Take your AI instructional design skills to the next level. Find out more today.