Connecting Content Writing and Instructional Design to Enhance Learning Outcomes

Background: Effective collaboration between content writers and instructional designers is essential for developing high-quality health communications materials that engage learners and promote effective learning outcomes via online trainings. However, there is a limited understanding of the factors that contribute to successful collaboration in this context, as well as strategies for content writers to make content more useful and actionable for learners.

Program background: This presentation explores iterative methods of collaboration in the development of a concussion safety training program on behalf of CDC, helping youth sports coaches spot possible concussion signs and symptoms that can help keep athletes safe. The presentation focuses on how the project team, and especially the lead writer and instructional designer on this project, explored novel methods of collaborative teamwork to create user-focused content. The intended outcome was to guide learners towards understanding concussion safety best practices through the lens of their own experience to facilitate comprehension and retention.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Large-scale quantitative data denoting the impact of these methods via learner engagement and learning outcomes is pending the release of the training in late 2023 or 2024. However, preliminary research insights from focus groups demonstrate that participants found the training more useful, actionable, and engaging relative to other concussion safety trainings they had taken. They stated that this training provided clearer content and context on concussions, as well as realistic and useful scenarios. Client feedback has also been positive.

Conclusions: This case study provides insight into the outcomes of effective collaboration between content writers and instructional designers in terms of increased learner engagement and learning outcomes. A collaborative process that involves consistent communication with iterative integration of feedback, research insights, and instructional design best practices is critical to enhanced educational efficacy.

Implications for research and/or practice: Writers can incorporate instructional design strategies such as relevant and thoughtful development of scenarios, interactive case studies, and warm-up questions that align with the learners' previous experience and promote context-driven, problem-based learning that provokes emotion, urgency, and surprise. Content writers and instructional designers alike can reap the benefits of a collaborative approach to guide learners towards knowledge retention and facilitate intended behavioral outcomes.