730 Instruction and Materials Development Research for Second Language Studies

This seminar offers an opportunity for students to experience and research the holistic process of instructional design for second language learning environments. The course is most suitable for students who have a pedagogical topic at hand. For example, if a student is interested in exploring how translanguaging as a sociolinguistic phenomenon works in supporting bilingual development in classrooms, they can use this seminar to support their work as they design an instructional activity and implement it in a classroom setting by following the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation:

  • Analyze: establish instructional problems, goals, objects and needs
  • Design: create a prototype, storyboard and the learner experience
  • develop: assemble and test content assets
  • implement: train teachers and learners how to use the designed product
  • evaluate: conduct formative and summative procedures

Reading materials for the course will include popular instructional design models, designed samples in second language settings, and design research studies. For the final project, a manageable design research paper is required in a scaled manner. Students will do the following: 1) design a new or re-design an existing instruction unit, an application, or a set of materials as in-class activities, 2) implement the design in appropriate contexts, such as classrooms, social media platforms, or among recruited participants, and 3) collect and analyze data.

The design and development process will be guided to ensure do-ability and scalability in a workshop style. Students should be prepared to identify contexts where they can implement their instructional design projects, and the professor will assist as needed.

Textbook: Reigeluth, C. M., & An, Y. (2021). Merging the instructional design process with learner-centered theory: The holistic 4D model. Routledge.