When people ask me what I’m studying as a Ph.D. student, I say: Learning Design and Technology.
And usually, that’s when I see the surprised look on their face—which is exactly what I expect.
It’s not always easy to explain what we do in this field. But the way I like to put it is simple:
We solve problems.
No matter the field, no matter the industry—whether it’s education, business, healthcare, or engineering—there are always challenges around learning, training, communication, or growth. That’s where we come in.
Yes, it may sound like a bold claim. But I genuinely believe that’s what we’re trying to do in Learning Design and Technology: make learning and progress smoother, smarter, and more meaningful.
On this page, you’ll find a collection of my work. And yes, it’s a bit of everything—
From an electronic kit I built…
To educational apps I designed…
To a Generative AI assistant I fine-tuned for a student support program.
Why such variety? Because all of these projects started with a problem someone had—and I tried to solve it. Especially when it comes to helping students, I’m driven to make the learning process more effective, engaging, and empowering.
That’s why I say:
I solve problems. Through design. Through technology. Through learning.
LDT Related
Overview
Problem: Educators and instructional designers may face challenges choosing appropriate instructional design frameworks.
Solution: I trained a machine learning model to map instructional scenarios to frameworks.
Dataset & Methods
Created a labeled dataset of instructional cases (~11 frameworks).
Used TF-IDF + Logistic Regression; compared with Linear SVM.
Achieved ~93% CV accuracy.
Application
Built a Streamlit interface where users input a scenario and receive framework recommendations (with rationales and top-3 alternatives).
Impact
Demonstrates how AI/learning analytics can translate theory into scalable tools for teachers, instructional designers, and administrators.
Ti-BOT Student Support GPT (Instructional Design Internship – Purdue University)
Date: June–July 2025
Role: Designer & Instructional Developer
As part of my internship with Purdue’s Ti-BOT program, I developed a custom-trained GPT assistant to support students navigating a competency-based learning system. I created over 360 pages of instructional material, written in GPT-friendly language, designed to help the AI provide scaffolded, inquiry-based responses—rather than giving direct answers.
The assistant is now actively being tested with students, helping them build confidence and autonomy in completing their competencies. I received positive feedback from students, faculty, and colleagues on its clarity, helpfulness, and instructional alignment.
Link to GPT Assistant:
https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68765c615cf08191a67ad68b21fd196a-tibot-ai
Link to Documentation:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QIU8PCd9FMRHCoxHhXCHiOFmYOYzx5Te?usp=drive_link
Event Support GPT for VWI (Virtual World Institute)
Date: 2025
Role: Developer & Tech Lead
For a professional development event hosted by the Virtual World Institute, I developed a custom Generative AI assistant to support participants in real-time. This AI tool answered participant questions, offered resource recommendations, and aligned with the institute’s vision of immersive and AI-enhanced learning.
The assistant was trained on curated content related to the event goals and was deployed successfully to enhance engagement and support for attendees.
Link to GPT Assistant:
https://chatgpt.com/g/g-6833ef8dade08191a9dca6ca7386ab20-vwi-vanguard-award
I designed and developed an online asynchronous course for educators and instructors interested in learning more about Virtual Reality. This course was created as part of my voluntary work with the Virtual World Institute (VWI).
In this course, learners gain in-depth knowledge of Virtual Reality and learn how to incorporate and integrate this technology into their classes. At the end of the course, they submit a lesson plan based on what they have learned, which is then graded by expert reviewers at VWI.
If they meet the criteria, they receive a certification.
This video was also created by me.
I created a specialized social networking web application tailored for educators and instructional designers, utilizing Python as the programming language and the Django Framework for development.
In this insightful video, I engaged in conversations with two seasoned computer security experts to provide you with a comprehensive guide on securing your self-managed computers. Gain valuable insights, tips, and strategies straight from the experts' experiences and research. Learn how to fortify your digital defenses and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity with the wisdom shared in this engaging and informative discussion.
Dr. Marisa Exter and I created this video to talk about DEAP Competency Typology.
I designed an application to provide IELTS candidates the opportunity to take the listening test at their convenience, receiving instant feedback directly from the application. This tool has been embraced by over one hundred of my students, and I generously distributed it to them as a gift. The application was developed using Java as the programming language.
The presented instructional guide, aimed at enhancing hands-on activities within the Computing Science program at universities, originated form the creative vision of Dr. Marisa Exter. The project, executed by myself, provides step-by-step instructions for creating magnetic laminated materials. This initiative not only fosters practical skills relevant to the filed but also aligns with sustainable practices, promoting environmental consciousness among students in Computing Science discipline.
Other Projects
I designed and developed a website for the Virtual World Institute (VWI) as part of my voluntary work as the Director of IT and Technology at VWI. Additionally, I implemented Moodle as the Learning Management System (LMS) for the institute, through which their courses are offered to students.
Here is the website address:
Tavakoli. J., Gaza. M. Garage Door Opener / 2022
Iran, Patent Application No: 140050140003007883. Patent and Trademark Organization
An electronic board designed to bolster security and minimize battery usage by utilizing the car's own power source.
This innovative electronic device eliminates the need for a separate garage door remote, opting instead to utilize a vacant button on the car's dashboard. The primary purpose of this invention is to enhance security by eliminating the presence of garage door remotes in cars and simultaneously reduce the environmental impact by relying on the car's batteries for power.
As the originator of this concept, my responsibilities encompassed ideation, board design, and serving as the principal inventor.