An Interactive eLearning Program for Enhancing Science Literacy and Critical Thinking
Project Overview
Project Description:
I designed this interactive eLearning concept project for high school students to practice comprehension and engagement with complex scientific literature by navigating real-world challenges and applying research insights.
Audience:
High School Students
Potential Investors
Responsibilities:
Instructional Design
eLearning Development
Visual Design
Storyboarding
Action Mapping
Prototyping
Tool Used:
Articulate Rise 360
Adobe XD
Synthesia
Google Suite
MindMeister
Figma
Canva
Miro
The Problem
Having worked in education for several years, I have observed: Many students, even those in STEM-focused high schools, struggle with:
Understanding primary research literature due to complex language and academic jargon.
Engaging with scientific research because they see it as intimidating or disconnected from their daily lives.
Developing critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate evidence and separate fact from misinformation.
Many students are discouraged by the complex language, specialized vocabulary, and intricate details of primary research papers, which create significant barriers to engagement and understanding. This challenge limits their ability to develop critical thinking and analytical skills needed for scientific careers.
When students face these difficulties, they often lose interest in scientific research, reducing their motivation to explore STEM-related paths. The lack of structured support to guide them through interpreting and applying scientific texts further exacerbates the problem. These challenges highlight the urgent need for an innovative approach to help students overcome these barriers and build the confidence and skills necessary for engaging with scientific literature.
The Solution
Drawing on educational research and best practices, I designed an AI-powered research assistant and a scenario-based eLearning program where learners take on the role of budding scientists. Through interactive case studies and real-world challenges, students practice analyzing and interpreting scientific papers with the support of AI-powered tools. This immersive training fosters deeper engagement with research, empowering students to develop critical skills and a stronger connection to the world of science.
Project Goal
The goal of this eLearning program is to empower high school students to confidently analyze, comprehend, and engage with scientific literature by integrating scenario-based learning and AI-powered assistance. This program aims to develop critical thinking and application skills, preparing students for real-world problem-solving in STEM fields.
The Process
01/Analysis
02/Design
03/Development
04/Implementation
05/Evaluation
My Process
I used the ADDIE framework to create this scenario-based eLearning program aimed at enhancing high school students’ scientific literacy. This experience is grounded in insights gained from reviewing existing literature on science education, collaborating with educators, and reflecting on the challenges students face when interpreting complex scientific texts. The design process included conducting needs analysis, creating an action map, drafting storyboards, developing interactive visual mockups, and prototyping scenarios to ensure effective functionality before full development.
Action Map
To address the difficulties students encounter when engaging with scientific literature, I conducted discussions with educators and analyzed existing resources to identify key barriers and strategies. Using this approach, I organized the information into actionable steps to design a targeted learning experience.
I identified three high-priority actions:
Break down complex language and specialized vocabulary into manageable parts using interactive tools.
Guide students to identify and connect key findings in scientific papers to real-world applications.
Foster analytical thinking by prompting students to summarize research and reflect on its implications.
These high-priority actions focus on helping students build confidence in navigating scientific texts while fostering critical thinking skills. The design ensures learners not only understand the content but also appreciate the value of engaging with scientific literature in meaningful ways.
Text-based Storyboard
Once the action map was completed and approved, I began working on a text-based storyboard that integrates the key actions into a structured and engaging narrative.
I framed the scenario as a high school student’s first day as a research assistant in an environmental science lab, collaborating with a senior scientist and an AI-powered research assistant to investigate pollution in a local river. The AI assistant is introduced as a support tool, guiding the learner through the complexities of scientific literature by offering explanations of terminology, highlighting key findings, and providing real-time feedback. This combination of human mentorship and AI-powered assistance ensures learners receive comprehensive support as they navigate challenging research tasks.
Although there are many potential challenges in comprehending scientific literature, I chose to focus on analyzing data on heavy metal contamination and interpreting research findings to recommend solutions, as these skills are critical and widely applicable in STEM fields. Question prompts feature correct choices and plausible distractors, allowing learners to make decisions and explore the consequences of their choices. A mentor character provides contextual guidance, while the AI assistant simulates cutting-edge technology to scaffold learners' understanding of scientific texts.
Selecting an incorrect choice either redirects the learner to revisit the relevant section with guidance from the AI assistant or leads them through an extended sequence showing realistic consequences, such as proposing an ineffective solution that fails to address the pollution. This approach emphasizes the importance of accurate interpretation and critical thinking, reinforcing the real-world impact of their decisions while showcasing the transformative role of AI in scientific literacy.
Interactive Prototype
To develop an effective and engaging learning experience, I created an interactive prototype for InSci using Articulate Rise 360. The prototype established the core structure of the course, integrating real-world scientific scenarios with interactive elements to enhance engagement and critical thinking.
The prototype included:
A title screen introducing the course objectives and the role of scientific research in decision-making.
A scenario introduction, guiding learners through real-world challenges in evaluating scientific evidence.
A mentor introduction, presenting InSci as a research support tool that aids in analyzing and interpreting scientific studies.
The first interactive scenario, where students critically assess a scientific claim, explore research sources, and make informed decisions based on peer-reviewed studies.
To ensure the learning experience was engaging and effective, I incorporated:
Smooth transitions and professional animations to maintain a seamless learning flow.
Click-to-reveal research components, allowing students to interact with different types of sources.
Data interpretation tasks, where learners analyze graphs, compare findings, and draw conclusions.
Once the prototype was completed, I shared it with educators, SMEs, and instructional designers for evaluation. Their feedback focused on:
The clarity of research-based decision-making and whether the interactive elements effectively supported learning objectives.
The effectiveness of scenario-based learning in helping students connect research skills to real-world applications.
The engagement level of the content, ensuring that the interactive components promoted active learning.
The feedback was highly constructive, with suggestions for enhancing research-based decision points and refining user interactions with the course elements. Based on these insights, I made targeted refinements to optimize content structure, user navigation, and research exploration tasks before moving into full development.
Full Development
With the prototype refined and validated, I proceeded with full development in Articulate Rise 360, ensuring that each scenario was fully structured and programmed for a cohesive learning experience.
Key Enhancements in Full Development:
Expanded scenario-based learning paths, allowing students to navigate multiple research challenges, such as evaluating misinformation on vaccine efficacy and analyzing climate change data.
Improved research interaction elements, where students assess different sources, interpret data, and determine the credibility of scientific claims.
Refined visual storytelling, with smoother transitions, structured learning prompts, and well-paced interactions to facilitate engagement.
Enhanced research visualization tools, enabling learners to engage with real-world data sets, scientific publications, and case studies.
Through these refinements, InSci evolved into an interactive, scenario-based eLearning experience, providing students with practical research skills and a structured approach to analyzing scientific evidence. The course effectively bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world research application, empowering students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through interactive engagement with scientific studies.
Results and Takeaways
After completing this project, I shared it with my academic and professional network, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. Viewers praised its polished design, interactive elements, and real-world applicability. Professors, instructional designers, and students highlighted how effectively the course bridges the gap between classroom learning and scientific literacy.
The project received an A+ in course evaluation, with strong recognition for its scenario-based approach, research integration, and practical relevance.
Areas for Future Development
Enhanced Audio Elements for Immersion
Feedback consistently emphasized the effectiveness of interactive elements. To further improve engagement, I would:
Integrate voice narration to make research explanations more accessible.
Incorporate background audio to simulate real-world research environments.
Offer both text and audio-based research summaries to accommodate different learning preferences.
Expanded Research Pathways
To increase content variety and deepen research exploration, I would:
Introduce diverse topics, including climate change, vaccine efficacy, and AI ethics.
Provide structured research pathways where students can explore topics based on their interests.
Expand decision-based learning, allowing students to navigate different research challenges with varied outcomes.
Application of Scientific Research in Real-World Scenarios
Scientific research extends beyond misinformation and data interpretation. A future expansion would:
Introduce complex, multi-step research challenges across different disciplines.
Incorporate collaborative research tasks, where students analyze studies and present findings.
Develop role-playing activities, positioning students as researchers, policymakers, or journalists using scientific evidence to support decision-making.
Personal Growth & Reflection
This project allowed me to:
Collaborate with subject matter experts in scientific research and instructional design.
Design and refine an AI-integrated learning experience that enhances research comprehension.
Incorporate feedback from educators and learners, refining the course for greater engagement and effectiveness.
This experience strengthened my expertise in instructional design, eLearning development, and AI-assisted learning strategies. Most importantly, it reinforced the power of well-designed, research-driven learning experiences in making scientific literacy more accessible.
Next Steps
Moving forward, I aim to explore how AI-powered research assistants like InSci can be further integrated into STEM education, higher education, and workplace learning to support critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making.