Instructional Design approaches in African Higher Education: A systematic review of emerging trends and practices

This systematic review aimed to map and analyse the instructional design approaches adopted in African Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). In line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 59 peer-reviewed articles from the Scopus and Taylor & Francis databases were systematically analysed to tease out prevailing trends. Out of the 59 reports used, 33 studies that looked at only instructional design approaches were selected and reviewed thematically. A structured process of data extraction and coding, by two independent reviewers, was used to identify commonly used approaches and implementation patterns across different institutions. The Cohen’s Kappa-statistic (K) coding process was used to ensure the reliability. The findings show that learner-centred approaches such as blended, experiential, and project-based learning are the predominant approaches used. The study underscores the need for faculty development, policy frameworks, and model-informed planning to sustain innovation in African HEIs. It contributes a continent-wide synthesis that can guide future research in line with instructional design. This paper represents a systematic synthesis of instructional design approaches that are unique to African higher education, bridging theoretical and practical insights to inform pedagogy, policy, and curriculum design.