Sustaining learners’ interest: Applying IDC theory in a semester-long project-based learning course

Abstract

Learners’ interest fluctuates in semester-long courses due to various reasons. Sustaining learners’ interest is difficult and it becomes challenging for instructors in a project-based learning (PBL) course. This qualitative study involved 17 postgraduate and Ph.D. participants. Keeping focus on the interest loop (triggering, immersing, and extending) of interest-driven creator (IDC) theory, it examines how instructional strategies helped sustain learners' interest in a semester-long instructional system design (ISD) course. Course participants were offered a real-world project with the objective to create training to raise awareness about needs and issues of persons with disabilities (PwD) in an educational institution. The qualitative data was sought in the form of verbal interactions from the classroom, individual learner interviews, surveys, and weekly shared reflection journal. The indicators for trigger, immerse, and extend of interest loop given by IDC theory was mapped with the learner response using deductive categorization method. Findings indicate that the thoughtful application of IDC theory (interest loop) while formulating and implementing instructional strategies have helped learners sustain their interest throughout the course. The social value carried by real-world PwD project (website) has helped in triggering initial interest among learners. The empirical evidence of sustained interest throughout the course is presented on activity and course level. Additionally, the detailed theoretical interpretation of the interest loop from the IDC theory is presented in this paper along with further research directions. Overall, this paper presents the empirical evidence of triggering, immersing, and extending learners’ interest using IDC theory (interest loop).