<b>From Theory to Practice: Learner Centered Instructional Design in Higher Education</b>
Creators: name: Ramoutar, Shivani
Publisher: name: Purdue University Graduate School
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 390102
subject: Curriculum and pedagogy theory and development
classificationCode: 390303
subject: Higher education
classificationCode: 390401
subject: Comparative and cross-cultural education
classificationCode: 390410
subject: Multicultural education (excl. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples)

description: In higher education environments, instructional design plays a pivotal role in creating user experiences and fostering learner-centeredness. The purpose of this three-manuscript dissertation is to explore the intersection of learner-centered instruction and instructional design through a theory to practice approach within higher education.The first study in this dissertation establishes how learner-centered pedagogy, using geospatial tools, can be effectively translated into practice in higher education. Findings reveal that higher education instructors are confident in their technological knowledge (TK) and can adapt geospatial tools across various disciplines, enabling self-directed, project-based, and problem-solving oriented learning experiences. This approach is supported by strategies such as adaptation and flexibility, integration and use of culturally relevant examples, and cultivating a comprehensive understanding of GIS. The findings emphasize the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy, scaffolding, and fostering learner autonomy, which are crucial for preparing industry-ready learners across diverse disciplines and cultural contexts.The second paper in this dissertation makes a conceptual contribution by focusing on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) within learner-centered pedagogy. The research highlights the salient literature in CRP as it pertains to instructional design and provides a working definition of CRP from an instructional designer's perspective. To mobilize CRP in practice, we offer the intersection of two approaches; Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction (Merrill, 2002; 2012). The study explores potential connections between CRP and instructional design, suggesting the adoption of a learner-centered approach that integrates CRP with Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction. This integration aims to guide higher education instructors in creating instructional materials that promote academic success, cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness.The third study, a systematic review of literature, examines cases where instructors implemented learner-centered pedagogies that are culturally relevant, responsive, and sustaining. The results indicated that instructors in these studies place focus on embodying the purpose of these asset-based pedagogies and emphasize the unique needs of learners and instructional goals. The complexity of CRP instruction necessitates ongoing reflection and adjustment by the instructor, with curricular enactments aiming to challenge established norms while promoting student agency and relevance. Various spaces were identified for implementing these pedagogies, including community engagement, connecting concepts to students' lives, creating safe and caring spaces, and fostering critical discussion. Examples illustrating the conceptualization and implementation of these pedagogies in higher education offer instructors practical insights into bridging the gap between theory and practice within learner-centered instruction.