Projects
Here are examples of work related to my practice context showing my competencies in all phases of the instructional systems design process.
Course and grade received: IDE 737 Advanced Instructional Design; “A”
Project title: Digital Safety & Responsibility
Author: Qitian Jiang
Context of the project: This instructional unit, “Digital Safety & Responsibility”, is designed for middle-grade learners aged 11–15 from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds. It introduces the foundational concepts of internet privacy in an engaging, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive way. Through hands-on, paper-based activities and guided discussions, students explore the difference between private and public information, evaluate real-life sharing scenarios, and express their understanding through visual and verbal reflections. The unit is delivered in an informal, afterschool setting, emphasizing interactive learning over lecture. It incorporates key instructional strategies from constructivist theory, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Merrill’s First Principles, establishing critical thinking, peer dialogue, and practical application. Designed with English learners in mind, the unit uses visual scaffolds, multilingual peer supports, and flexible response options to ensure accessibility for all students.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: Overall, my work on the “Digital Safety & Responsibility” instructional unit for IDE 737 allowed me to apply instructional design principles to a practical, relevant topic. I developed every components, from the initial storyboard outlining the unit’s flow and learning objectives to detailed instructor and participant guides. The project emphasized creating engaging, hands-on activities that align with Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, promoting real-world application, multimodal learning, and student engagement over direct lecturing. The feedback received during virtual sessions was invaluable, prompting me to consider aspects like activity management for unpredictable middle schoolers while still maintaining a robust and comprehensive learning experience. The development process, including the self-reflection journal, truly deepened my understanding of how to integrate theoretical frameworks, such as generative strategies (“Privacy Poster”) and contextual teaching (“Traffic light” activity), into tangible educational materials designed to form deep learning and self-regulation.
Course and grade received: IDE621 Principles of Instruction and Learning; “A”
Project title: Knowledge Base on Learning and Design Theories
Author: Qitian Jiang
Context of the project: Created using Google Sites, The Knowledge Base was developed to illustrate my understanding of major learning theories – behaviorism, cognitivism, and social learning – by defining them and highlighting their similarities and differences. An interactive video, produced with Camtasia, on the Front Page demonstrates these concepts. Additionally, the project shows how each learning theory influenced instructional design theories, detailed through infographics that provide examples of their application in learning contexts. Each theory’s page includes a specific learning situation explained from that theory’s perspective, concluding with my personal reflections on the theories.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation
Reflection and self-assessment: Creating “The Knowledge Base” on Google Sites was a great way to really dig into how major learning theories—like behaviorism, cognitivism, and social learning—explain how we learn. Building this project helped me clearly define each theory, see where they overlap, and understand their key differences. Using tools like Camtasia for the interactive video on the front page and designing infographics to show how these theories connect to instructional design made the concepts much clearer, not just for anyone viewing it, but also for me during the creation process. Thinking through how each theory applied to specific learning situations and adding my own reflections on each page helped solidify my understanding. It was a hands-on way to learn the foundations and see how theory translates into practice.
Course and grade received: IDE552 Digital Media Production; “A”
Project title: Micro eLearning Module – Fun Facts about Mid-Autumn Festival
Author: Qitian Jiang
Context of the project: This project, titled “Fun Facts about Mid-Autumn Festival,” was developed as a microlearning module intended for campus students at Syracuse University, including both American and international students. The module aims to address a gap in intercultural engagement regarding Chinese festivals on campus, where existing resources primarily target Chinese students. Therefore, the primary goal of this project is to enhance students’ knowledge of the Mid-Autumn Festival and build their intercultural communication skills through an accessible and interactive learning experience.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation
Reflection and self-assessment: Reflecting on this project, I gained a deeper understanding of technology’s pivotal role in instructional design and development. Technologies are essential for creating engaging and personalized learning experiences that move beyond traditional classroom settings. Through the process of designing and developing this microlearning module, I learned valuable lessons, particularly the importance of keeping instructional content clear and concise to suit the format. I also realized the necessity of incorporating interactive elements, such as quizzes, to enhance engagement and knowledge retention. Overall, this project provided a valuable opportunity to explore and combine multiple tools early in my IDD&E studies, offering practical experience that feels directly applicable to future career endeavors.
Course and grade received: IDE641 Techniques in Educational Evaluation; “A”
Project title: Formative Evaluation for AIA 427: Sensor and IoT Data in Digital Automation
Contributors / authors: Qitian Jiang, Rene Osorio, Saef Ferdous Khan
Context of the project: AIA 427 – Sensor & IoT Data in Digital Automation is a newly developed online course designed for mid-career professionals focusing on sensor technologies and IoT applications at SU. This project involved conducting a formative evaluation of this course as part of the IDE 641 Techniques in Educational Evaluation coursework. Undertaken during the postproduction phase, prior to the course’s first delivery in Fall 2025, the evaluation’s main objective was to gather feedback to inform and facilitate potential improvements in the course design before student enrollment.
This formative evaluation project for IDE 641 produced a comprehensive 30-page report analyzing prototype instructional materials, specifically storyboards and preview videos for a course introduction and a session on Automation and Integration of Sensors. To assess the relevance, clarity, and usability of these learning assets, our group systematically collected feedback through interviews with both an expert and two potential users.
This project was uniquely grounded in an actual course under development by the College of Professional Studies, which is planned for a Fall 2025 launch. Given client’s concerns about the sensitivity of this real-world course content and the request to avoid external sharing without explicit permission, I have chosen not to include the original report in this e-Portfolio to maintain confidentiality.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation
Reflection and self-assessment: Looking back at the Formative Evaluation project for IDE 641, I feel I demonstrated strong teamwork qualities, being both responsible and responsive. I ensured all my assigned tasks were completed on time, which included contributing to reports and plans, managing raw interview data, and leading a user interview session. This assignment provided invaluable hands-on experience, allowing me to apply evaluation skills in a practical, real-world context. The project struck a balance of being challenging enough to establish significant learning without feeling overwhelming, making it a highly effective experience for developing my educational evaluation capabilities.
Course and grade received: IDE 761 Strategies in Educational Project Management; “A”
Project title: Reimagining Chemistry: From Lectures to Labs with Online Learning
Contributors / authors: Chynara Turatbek kyzy, Yuyue Wang, Qitian Jiang
Context of the project: This project was to develop a comprehensive project management plan within the IDE 761 Strategies in Educational Project Management course, specifically titled “Reimagining Chemistry: From Lectures to Labs with Online Learning.” The project aimed to propose a solution to the identified performance problems by transforming the existing three-course chemistry sequence – the Chemistry Department is troubled with issues of low student engagement and insufficient laboratory practice opportunities in its traditional course sequence, leading to poor student outcomes.
The core of this project involved proposing the migration of traditional lecture content to various online formats, including fully instructor-facilitated, hybrid, and self-directed options, designed to boost student engagement and autonomy. The report details the systematic process undertaken across various project phases, including defining the project scope, problems, goals, and objectives. Key planning methods are outlined, such as developing a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and creating a project network and critical path, visualized using Gantt charts. Furthermore, the report describes methods for organizing the project team, controlling progress through various monitoring tools and reporting mechanisms, establishing a communication plan, and outlining strategies for conflict resolution and contingency planning. The methods for the closing phase, including obtaining client acceptance and conducting post-project audits, are also documented.
IDD&E phases involved: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation
Reflection and self-assessment: Working on the “Reimagining Chemistry: From Lectures to Labs with Online Learning” project for the IDE 761 class was a really practical experience in learning how to plan and manage a big educational change. We got to create a full project plan to tackle a real problem in chemistry education: students weren’t very engaged and didn’t get enough hands-on lab time in the old course setup, which hurt their learning. Planning how to move the lectures online and give more time for labs showed me how important it is to have a step-by-step process for managing projects. We used tools like WBS and making timelines with charts, which are key for keeping complex projects organized and on track from start to finish. This project helped me see how learning these project management skills can help make big ideas for improving education actually happen. Also, it’s good to learn a new tool (MS Project).
