The Future of Education

Online learning is most effective when abstract concepts are grounded in human-centered, authentic contexts that help learners see relevance beyond the course itself. The use of personas in online courses in higher education is informed by established pedagogical theories, including situated learning, cognitive load theory, and social presence frameworks. From a sociocultural perspective, learning is shaped through interaction with meaningful contexts and tools (Vygotsky, 1978), and personas support this process by situating course content within realistic scenarios. Situated learning emphasizes that knowledge is inseparable from the social and professional contexts in which it is applied (Lave & Wenger, 1991); personas model these contexts through representative roles, challenges, and decision-making processes. Personas also align with cognitive load theory by providing narrative coherence that helps learners organize information and reduce extraneous cognitive processing, particularly for novice learners (Sweller et al., 2011). In online environments, personas further enhance social presence, a core element of the Community of Inquiry framework associated with learner engagement and perceived relevance (Garrison et al., 2000). By humanizing instructional content, personas help bridge the psychological distance inherent in online learning. Across text, image, and video-based materials, personas anchor abstract concepts in realistic contexts and make disciplinary thinking visible. Visual and narrative representations support comprehension, ethical reasoning, and problem solving across disciplines such as business, engineering, public policy, and the social sciences. Video-based personas extend these benefits by modeling professional reasoning through voice, expression, and storytelling. Research on multimedia learning suggests that well-designed combinations of visual and auditory cues enhance comprehension and retention when aligned with evidence-based principles (Mayer, 2020). Interactive AI chatbot personas further extend persona-based learning by enabling dialogue, practice, and formative feedback at scale (Ma et al., 2025; Woolf, 2010). These low-stakes interactions allow learners to explore ideas, rehearse skills, and receive immediate responses while adapting their understanding iteratively. AI chatbot personas also support student-centered learning and accessibility through personalized pacing and just-in-time support. Collectively, the strategic use of personas across modalities humanizes online learning, strengthens engagement, and supports authentic transfer of learning in higher education.
 

Keywords: Situated learning, Theory to practice, AI experiential learning, Engagement in Online Learning

REFERENCES

[1] Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). The Internet and Higher Education, 2, 87–105.
[2] Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning. Cambridge University Press.
[3] Ma, W., Ma, W., Hu, Y., & Bi, X. (2025). Education and Information Technologies, 30, 7781–7805.
[4] Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning. Cambridge University Press.
[5] Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2011). Cognitive load theory. Springer.
[6] Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Harvard University Press.
[7] Woolf, B. P. (2010). Building intelligent tutors. Morgan Kaufmann.