Status of Indian Higher Education Institutions Online Preparedness for Implementation of the Instructional Design

Abstract

Instructional design (ID) plays a critical role in improving the quality and efficacy of higher education by focusing on teaching methodology and needs of learners. Indian higher education system faces issues like limited availability of resources, and a lack of readiness for the digital age. This study examines the status of instructional design in Indian higher education and assesses its readiness for online learning through a survey of 848 faculty members across various Indian states and union territories, the study examines the implementation of ID principles, identifies barriers to adoption, and evaluates institutional preparedness for online and blended learning models. Findings reveal a mixed landscape of institutions have policies favourable to online education, 33.5 per cent offer only partial support, and 6.4 per cent lack favourable policies. There are infrastructure gaps; near 32.1 per cent of institutions have the facilities needed for online learning, while 8.8 per cent lack. Another issue is internet connectivity; 49.2 per cent of respondents said they had strong connectivity, 43.2 per cent said they had moderate connectivity, and 6.6 per cent said they had no connectivity. Learning Management Systems (LMS) are implemented only at 29.1 per cent of institutions. Additionally, Instructional Design faculty training and awareness is also insufficient. Although there has been progress, the study finds that there are still large gaps. To build a more successful and equitable higher education system in India, study recommends better infrastructure facilities, strong policy frameworks, faculty training be given top priority, and the significance of ID be made more widely known.