Researcher & Writer
I am curious. That's what drives the research and the writing.
Instructional Design is where the educator, researcher, and writer come together.
Research Areas of Interest
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Managing Cognitive Load
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Anxiety in Online Learning
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Generative AI and Self-Efficacy
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Curiosity-Based Generative Learning
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Ethical and Holistic Design Practices in Online Learning
Here you'll find my current and published research, as well as my multimedia stories.
Current Research
Measuring Engagement and Motivation of H5P Users
A fellow Instructional Designer and OER Coordinator from another college in Idaho and I are currently conducting this study, which seeks to address whether using H5P-rich Open Education Resources (OER) in an asynchronous, online environment increases learners' engagement with the content and their motivation to persevere. Awaiting Publishing
Supporting Faculty in Creating DEIA-Focused OER Using Backward Design
My work as an OER Instructional Designer for Social Justice includes guiding faculty training, workshops, project management, and co-authoring a faculty handbook for faculty teams from four institutions designing Open Education Resources that are DEIA-centered, accessible, interactive, and instructionally aligned. Such a deeply layered goal and carefully planned process calls for lots of research as we go. My colleagues and I are working hard to not just do the work but also research as we do it, sharing our wins and gaps, so we all learn together. Coming Fall 2025
Co-collaborating with AI: Instructional Design Students Perspectives
​ Instructional designers are uniquely equipped to effectively use technology as tools. However, little is known about the effect of AI on the user, much less the instructional designer. This ongoing study looks at how using AI as a co-collaborator and co-creator affects the confidence and creativity of future instructional designers. Coming Spring 2026
TechTrends Analysis
Along with Dr. Rebeca Peacock, we are reviewing the last seven years' worth of peer-reviewed, journal articles from AECT's TechTrends journals to determine research trends and sectors. We are using keywords, methodologies, author and article sectors. We plan to present this at a future conference.
Coming Spring 2026
Publications
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Coffland, D. & Huff, T. (2022). Stats Kwon Do: A Case Study in Instructional Design, Multimedia and Gamification of Instruction. TechTrends, 66(6), 945-956. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00793-y
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Huff, T. (2024). Measuring the Efficacy of Using Four Multimedia Principles in Alleviating Anxiety in Online Learning Environments (Doctoral dissertation, Idaho State University).
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Huff, T. & Coffland, D. (2022). ‘A Preliminary Examination of a Gamified Course to Address Affective Domain Issues in Learning Statistics’, AECT International Conference: Impact Student Learning, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 24-28 October. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.20089.54882
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Multimedia Storytelling
I first heard about the The Horse Slaughter story in my undergrad studies from a history professor, Dr. James Jewell. When I mentioned it to others in the local area, I was confused that no one seemed to know anything about it. I went looking for the spot where it took place and was dismayed to find it barely marked, hidden behind a weigh station along the highway.
The next semester, in a Multimedia Storytelling course, I was introduced to SnowFall, a multimedia story by New York Times reporter, John Branch. It inspired me to research, write, and develop a multimedia story about The Horse Slaughter.
Later, for a graduate course in Adobe Premier Pro, I took the story one step further and turned it into a video, The Horse Slaughter of 1858.
This project required studying maps, primary sources and journals, loads of news articles, and conducting key interviews with Coeur d'Alene tribal leaders, historians, and horse experts. The video creation and editing, using the online ArcGIS mapping and storytelling platforms, troubleshooting layout and file types, getting copyright permissions, and launching the site challenged and grew my tech skills. Retelling it later on using Adobe Premier Pro was more difficult, as the video length requirements forced me to make difficult editing cuts.
At its core, though, the most important part of this piece is the story itself, which took months for me to write and edit. I took pride in being able to bring attention to and advocate for these voiceless animals while standing amazed at the resilience of the survivors: the Coeur d’Alene tribe.
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Multimedia Storytelling Tools
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ArcGIS Storymaps
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Adobe Premiere Pro
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