TDNet Discover

The purpose of this qualitative document review study was to investigate how trauma informed instructional design and technology are applied in online courses through standard online education rubrics. For the utility of this study, the trauma informed instructional design and technology in online courses was defined as online educational instructional practices and technological integrations that prioritize emotional, sensorial, and psychological safety, flexibility, and accommodations for students who have suffered trauma. The theory that guided this study was design theory, as it provided a framework for evaluating structural, visual, and functional elements in instructional design and the alignment with trauma informed care principles. This study used thematic analysis of four rubrics: CAST UDL, CVC-OEI, Quality Matters, and Moses et al.’s TIP rubric. The rubrics analyzed in this study are used by higher education institutions, schools, districts, and other educational entities to evaluate and guide the design of online courses. This study explored the primary research questions: What are the common themes for trauma informed instructional design best practices? and What gaps exist for trauma informed instructional design best practices in online course development rubrics? The results of the study included eight emotional, sensorial, and psychological central themes from the rubrics as they pertain to trauma informed pedagogy for online course design. Findings include bridging gaps with potential future research, policy development, and implementation of trauma informed instructional design in online course development rubrics.