Asbury Learning Engineers Present Research at Conference

August 3, 2023

Assistant Professor of Instructional Design Dr. Lisa Jones and graduate student Brittany Robinson ’24 recently presented their research at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ICICLE Learning Engineering Conference at Carnegie Mellon University on July 24-26. With more than 400,000 members, IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity: https://www.ieee.org/.

Their presentation, “Human-Centered Design and Active Learning,” shared about Asbury’s learning engineering process to create student-centered learning experiences that are engaging and impactful. This process blends instructional design with digital storytelling and media communication at Asbury.

“From our small sample size of learner surveys and other research, we found that many learners need to upskill for career growth with short courses,” Jones said.

“The session provided Asbury with larger-scale opportunities for data instrumentation and data analysis, which will help inform future iterations of the Instructional Design Master’s program,” Robinson said.

Jones received two master’s degrees (in teaching and English) and her Ed.D. in educational technology and leadership from Morehead State University. With more than a decade of experience as an online instructor and instructional designer, she created digital hybrid and online courses for numerous universities, colleges, and governmental agencies. Her research interests include instructional design, emerging technology, and teaching and learning theory in digital and online education.

After receiving her B.A. in Instructional Design from Asbury in 2020, Robinson returned as a graduate assistant to pursue her M.A. in Instructional Design. Previously working with Fidelity Investments, FAANG corporations, and eLearning Brothers, she runs a freelance instructional design business that “serves industry, academia, and nonprofit clients in the U.S. and abroad.”

“Brittany has been instrumental working on this project, and it could not have happened without her,” Jones said. “She is not only an experienced instructional designer, but a highly creative professional. For our highly interactive session, Brittany created all of the graphics, video and audio using the latest AI tools like MidJourney, Unreal Engine, Synthesio, and others.”

Asbury continues to provide meaningful opportunities for graduate students.

“This was an incredible opportunity for Brittany, who made connections with some of the biggest names in instructional design, learning engineering and AI,” Jones said. “At our presentation, we were happy to see scientists, students and professors from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, Boston College, Arizona State University and more!”

Robinson shares about her positive experience as an Asbury student.

“Asbury views students as whole humans, not just as ‘learners’ or ‘users,’ but as individuals who are continually gaining knowledge, upskilling, and reskilling, and who have unique needs and full lives,” Robinson said.

The Asbury University Media, Journalism, and Digital Storytelling department offers majors in Media Communication, Multimedia Journalism, and Instructional Design. Online majors include Digital Content Creation and Instructional Design & Media. Graduate programs include the M.A. in Digital Storytelling; the M.A. in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership; the MFA in Film & Television Production, and the MFA in Screenwriting. Learn more: https://www.asbury.edu/academics/departments/media-journalism/.