Pre-K aides work alongside Pre-K teachers in the classroom to help support the teacher and the students in everyday tasks. Pre-K aides, also known as Educational Assistants, Classroom Support or Classroom Aides, help the classroom be productive and efficient. New and incoming Pre-K aides are often unfamiliar with the skills necessary to be an asset to the Pre-K classroom. This project aimed to address this need through instruction for new and incoming Pre-K aides on soft skills needed to succeed in the Pre-K classroom.

The online asynchronous instructional course was evaluated through a usability study (n=3) and an asynchronous learning effectiveness study (n=15). The usability study showed a need to improve the navigation. Learning effectiveness participants were individuals with prior experience with Pre-K students either in or out of the classroom setting. This impacted the learning effectiveness study results as instructional information was already known to them. Although this was the case, a portion of the study showed a 20% increase between the pre and post-test scores. The results and feedback suggest that participants were able to learn from the instruction and gained confidence about Pre-K soft skills and their use in the Pre-K classroom.

This presentation showcases the development of an innovative online learning module focused on disability representation in news media. Drawing from student feedback and empathy research, the module equips undergraduate students with critical analysis skills to evaluate disability coverage, apply ethical reporting guidelines, and recommend improvements for authentic representation. The presentation will demonstrate how evidence-based instructional design principles were applied to create engaging activities using social annotation tools, guided analysis exercises, and practical assessment strategies. Attendees will learn effective approaches for teaching media literacy within disability studies coursework and strategies for developing online learning experiences that emphasize critical thinking and real-world application. Special attention will be given to assessment design, accessibility considerations, and the integration of Quality Matters standards in higher education online course development.

Applying for financial aid can be a convoluted process filled with jargon and unclear requirements. For socioeconomically disadvantaged high school seniors, the financial aid process may have additional barriers. Socioeconomically disadvantaged students tend to have lower financial aid literacy that may prevent them from applying and enrolling into college. The How to Pay for College course is an accessible, asynchronous online course that breaks down the financial aid process into four foundational lessons: 1. What is Cost of Attendance; 2. What is Financial Aid; 3. How to Apply for Financial Aid; 4. How to Read a Financial Aid Award Letter. Pre- and post-test assessments were conducted to measure course usability, learning effectiveness, and attitudinal perceptions. Fourteen participants (n=14) completed the course. After completing the course, participants demonstrated an average improvement of 16 percentage points between pre-test and post-test scores. Participants also expressed an increase in confidence in how to pay for college after completing the course. The positive results of the learning effectiveness evaluation and attitudinal survey suggest that the course content and instruction were successful in increasing participants’ financial aid literacy.

This research explored how new professionals could improve their time management skills while also shifting their affect toward artificial intelligence, specifically by using ChatGPT as a brainstorming tool. I designed an online instructional module that integrated ChatGPT as a “brainstorming buddy” to help learners apply the SMART goals framework, drawing on Bloom’s revised taxonomy and self-regulated learning principles. Usability testing, pre- and post-instruction assessments, and an attitudinal survey were conducted to evaluate changes in learners’ perceptions of AI, as well as their understanding of SMART goals. The study found that learners—especially those with no prior experience using ChatGPT—demonstrated a significant increase in confidence, trust, and enthusiasm toward AI as a learning tool while also improving their ability to set SMART goals. Integrating ChatGPT as a brainstorming assistant effectively improved both task management skills and attitudes toward AI, with future improvements focusing on refining user experience, enhancing engagement, and expanding AI-supported instructional strategies.

Purpose: This project provided a mobile-friendly alternative to in-person training, ensuring younger, inexperienced employees—both on and off the outer islands—could effectively learn and apply workplace policies at their own pace.

Design & Development: Using EdApp, the training incorporated microlearning principles, interactive content, and key procedures to enhance engagement and retention.

Methods: Usability tests were assessed through feedback from small group testing of executives  and a younger non-employee. Learning effectiveness and attitudinal data were collected from site coordinators that completed the lessons and the pre- and post-tests.
Results: The majority of participants reported a slight increase in confidence in workplace procedures, improved knowledge retention of policies, and a more positive attitude toward mobile training.
Conclusions/Recommendations: The training successfully addressed knowledge gaps, with future improvements focusing on gamification, scenario-based exercises, and adaptive learning paths for personalized experiences.

The University of Hawai‘i Dental Hygiene Program is a career program designed to teach students how to become registered dental hygienists. Many first-year students in this program struggle to master the basic concepts of the dental explorer, which affects their clinical skills. To address this issue, an asynchronous online course was created to help first-year students review foundational knowledge about dental explorers before they apply their skills in clinical practice. The course’s design process was guided by the ADDIE framework and Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.

Usability was evaluated through a synchronous online session with five participants (n=5) while learning effectiveness was assessed by pre- and post-surveys and assessments with 25 participants (n=25). The usability study showed mostly positive feedback, with suggestions for design improvements, such as adjusting font size and color, reducing spacing on the mobile version, and removing unnecessary underlining. The learning effectiveness test indicated participants’ scores improved across all modules, and qualitative data from surveys revealed strong satisfaction and increased knowledge of dental explorers. Taken to together, the results suggest the instruction effectively addressed the problem by enhancing students' understanding of dental explorers. Future work could explore ways to refine the course based on usability and attitudinal feedback. Key takeaways include the importance of incorporating both usability testing and learning assessments for optimizing instruction.

https://kaririglos808.wixsite.com/uhmcdentalexplorers

The Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) in Hawai’i provides high school students with global education opportunities through student-led clubs. In these clubs, students are required to work on a Global Action Project (GAP) that addresses a local issue that is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Unfortunately, many students produce ineffective projects because they lack experience identifying and scoping appropriate problems To address this issue, an asynchronous online learning module was designed using Articulate Rise 360. The purpose of the learning module was to help students effectively define and analyze problems. The instruction featured scenario-based learning to enhance students’ engagement and application in the real world.

Usability testing (n=3) involved synchronous sessions with PAAC staff and led to refinements in  visual design and instructional clarity. Learning effectiveness testing (n=13) included pre and post-tests and an attitudinal survey to measure participants’’ understanding and overall perceptions of the instruction. Learning effectiveness results showed an increase in students’ ability to scope and analyze problems. Future iterations will include collaborative learning, enabling students to learn in clubs.

Japanese shrines are among the most popular destinations for international tourists. However, many guidebooks like Lonely Planet and Fodor do not explain the cultural context and expectations for visiting shrines. For example, customs such as  the Golden Rule expect visitors to perform “two bows, two claps, and one bow.” These customs are second nature for Japanese people; however, it can be challenging for foreigners to find this type of guidance, resulting in many people simply imitating the person in front of them when visiting a shrine. To address this issue, this project designed instruction to guide individuals eager to understand the primary methods of worship for their next visit opportunity. The goal of the instruction was to help visitors connect with the spiritual atmosphere of the shrine and inspire a heartfelt way of praying while visiting a Japanese shrine.

The instructions were presented in the form of an eBook, which was created using Canva and Heyzine Flipping Book Maker. It was enhanced with interactive features developed using Flippty, PlayHT, and Cloudcovert. The instruction was evaluated to assess how e-learners (n = 18) could navigate the customs and traditions of visiting Shinto shrines. The post-survey indicated that 94% of participants felt confident about practicing correctly at a Japanese shrine. Future work will enhance the eBook chapters by incorporating more scenarios and diverse question types to improve the assessment experience.

The rapid shift to virtual learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic required training managers across sectors to quickly adapt professional development strategies. This transition was particularly challenging for statewide sexual assault and domestic violence coalitions, where webinars became the default training format. However, traditional webinars often lack engagement and alignment with learning and performance objectives, limiting their effectiveness. This project sought to redesign the webinar development process by incorporating instructional design principles into a structured planning approach.

An asynchronous course was developed to guide learners through the application of instructional design principles and the use of a planning tool to create interactive, goal-aligned webinars. To evaluate the course, usability testing (n=3) involved synchronous sessions assessing navigation and design, while learning effectiveness testing (n=16) utilized pre- and post-surveys to measure knowledge gains and confidence in webinar planning. Usability feedback led to refinements in course structure, functionality, and the primary planning tool. Learning effectiveness results demonstrated increased post-assessment scores and heightened confidence in both instructional design application and webinar preparation.

These findings highlight the need for expanded training resources to further support coalition training managers. This project also underscores the potential for evidence-based instructional design to enhance virtual training effectiveness in mission-driven organizations. Future iterations of the course will include additional modules on effective webinar delivery and strategies for transforming recorded webinars into interactive, asynchronous learning experiences within a learning management system.

More than half of college students who report experiencing intimate partner violence said it occurred in college, and the majority of college students in abusive relationships failed to realize that they were in one because they did not know how to identify abuse (Knowledge Networks, 2011). To address this issue, an instructional module was designed and developed to teach college students how to identify healthy, unhealthy, and abusive dating relationships. Guiding the design is Horton’s (2012) Absorb, Do, and Connect model, which combines direct and indirect instruction. The instructional module included scenario-based activities for practice, as well as a group discussion board to provide an opportunity for reflection.

Methods to evaluate the instruction included usability testing, pre and post-assessments, qualitative analysis of student discussions, and a survey of student attitudes. Results from 17 college students (n = 17) indicated that the instruction was effective, with 91 percent of students meeting the instructional goal. The greatest gains were seen among students with no prior training or coursework on the topic and students who reported having experience with an abusive relationship. The usability and attitudinal results indicated that the instruction needed clearer reminders that the practice activities were not graded, fixes to address issues loading the branching scenario, and ways to ensure anonymity during the group discussion. The instruction’s greatest strengths were its content, level of engagement, and learning effectiveness, particularly with new knowledge about unhealthy relationships. Future work includes addressing participant concerns, continued use of scenario-based learning, and sharing this work with colleagues.