Early Reactions and Perceptions of IDT Practitioners Toward ChatGPT

This study examines the early reactions and perceptions of Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) practitioners toward ChatGPT—Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tool that took the world by storm in late 2022. Because practitioners’ early responses to new technologies are likely to influence their design decisions, understanding these perceptions is key to designing learning experiences that are pedagogically sound, learner-centered, and contextually responsive. While advocates have begun to position ChatGPT (and other GenAI tools) as design tools that could transform the work of IDT practitioners, scholars, and educators, little is known about how practitioners themselves are making sense of them in their professional contexts. To address this gap, we employed a nested mixed-methods design, analyzing LinkedIn posts and blog articles, published between December 2022 and July 2023, that examined ChatGPT in IDT. Our analysis relied on topic modeling algorithms, sentiment detection, and qualitative coding methods. The findings show that practitioners highlight ChatGPT’s potential to accelerate the development of instructional materials, streamline design-related tasks, and enhance efficiency in their workflows. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that sentiments toward ChatGPT are primarily informative (43.6%), followed by optimistic (17.9%), neutral (14.1%), cautious (12.8%), and forward-thinking (11.5%). We conclude by discussing implications for ID practice, for education more broadly, and for the preparation of future IDT professionals. Keywords: Instructional Designers, ChatGPT, Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools, GenAI, Instructional Design Practice, Instructional Designers’ Thinking