instructional design

An empty university seminar room with a large monitor showing a paused recorded lecture and a single notebook open on the table.

Asynchronous vs. Synchronous: What the Research Says

What the post-2020 research actually says about async versus sync learning, from Barbara Means's meta-analyses to the ordinary trade-offs deans now face.

• 6 min read
A chalkboard covered in partially erased physics equations with a lone piece of chalk on the ledge, shot in an empty classroom with morning light.

The Expertise Reversal Effect: When Scaffolding Becomes a Ceiling

A UNSW finding from the early 2000s shows that scaffolding beginners need becomes a ceiling for advanced students, and explains a lot…

• 5 min read
A student's desk scattered with a half-read textbook, a notebook covered in arrows and diagrams, and a single lamp casting focused light.

What Cognitive Load Theory Gets Right About Studying

John Sweller's cognitive load theory explains why some textbooks overwhelm while others flow, and what students can do about it when they…

• 6 min read