# Seven Teaching Strategies for Instructional Design in Education

## Guest

#### Dr. Morris Thomas

Assistant Provost/Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Assessment at Howard University

## Overview

Dr. Morris Thomas is the Assistant Provost and Director at the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment at Howard University. He’s using Echo360 in the classroom to enhance learning and retention by striking a chord with both the intellectual and affective parts of the students’ brains.

## What You'll Learn

- How Dr. Thomas’ ENHANCE strategies work with Echo360
- How edutainment works to increase retention
- How to create and edit transcripts in Echo360

## Instructional design models that take learning and education to the next level

As education has become more fluid than ever, with students who learn in person, online synchronously, and online asynchronously, it’s more important than ever for instructional design professionals to focus on engagement. Teachers must keep students engaged no matter how they are coming to their lessons. The concept of edutainment, or educational entertainment, is how Dr. Morris Thomas is solving this challenge at Howard University, one of the nation’s top HBCUs (Historically Black College/University). As the cornerstone of his ENHANCE philosophy, edutainment is made easier with Echo360’s features. Continue reading to learn more about the instructional design process through Dr. Thomas’ interview with Echo360’s Jeff Peterson.

**Jeff Peterson:** **Welcome to EchoCast and welcome, Dr. Morris Thomas.**  
**Dr. Thomas:** Thank you so much.

**Jeff:** **Let’s start with ENHANCE. Give us a little summary.**  
**Dr. Thomas:** Sure. The ENHANCE learning model is a framework that informs intentional course design and delivery. It’s an acronym that represents seven instructional strategies. They are E for engage, N for navigate, H for highlight, A for assess, N for network, C for connect, and E for entertain. These strategies draw from various learning theories and models.

**Jeff:** **How long was this cooking for you?**  
**Dr. Thomas:** I started looking at different learning theories as a graduate student, which has informed my work in education over the years. It has been a continuous process of development that aims to make learning more accessible for educators without instructional design backgrounds.

**Jeff:** **I love it and I’m going to dive into that last E by the way in just a second here.**  
**Dr. Thomas:** The ENHANCE model is focused on enhancing the learner’s experience, not just instructors.

**Jeff:** **How have you found that last E, edutainment, has been received?**  
**Dr. Thomas:** When I present this to faculty, I ask them to think about their own learning experiences. Engaging and entertaining aspects can enhance the learning process, helping students better retain information.

**Jeff:** **Can the ENHANCE model amplify or is it contingent on technology?**  
**Dr. Thomas:** The ENHANCE model can work without technology, but leveraging technology effectively can enhance the learning experience.

**Jeff:** **What obstacles do you run into with the adoption of a model like this?**  
**Dr. Thomas:** An all-or-nothing mindset can be an obstacle. Instead, the ENHANCE model is modular, allowing educators to build upon existing strengths at their own pace.

**Jeff:** **How has your mission been amplified since taking on your role at Howard?**  
**Dr. Thomas:** There is both an opportunity and responsibility. Work here has a global reach; when I make decisions, they can impact future leaders and change agents.

## Instructional designers are making online school more entertaining

Dr. Thomas is experiencing success with Echo360 solutions that bring edutainment into classrooms, enhancing learning and making content more accessible. For more information on these and other inspired learning solutions, visit us at [Echo360.com](https://echo360.com).