Instructional design is the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs.
Simply put, instructional design is the process of designing, developing, and delivering eLearning and online learning courses. You can deliver these courses via an eLearning platform or a learning management system. The goal is to have the eLearning content be relevant, challenging, and similar to what they’d do outside of the learning environment.
Instructional design makes learning more efficient and effective as it intrudes the natural learning process. There are three core components to this:
- Understand how people learn
- Construct learning activities based on how people learn
- Measure the effectiveness of those learning activities
Who is an Instructional Designer?
An instructional designer is someone who creates and delivers educational training materials (ex. eLearning courses, videos, manuals, handouts, etc.) for businesses, higher educational institutions, and other organizations.
Instructional designers come from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds and there are many different skills that the designer must acquire throughout the process. These skills should include the ability to identify potential failure of the course’s structure, means or teaching methods, acceptance to feedback and evaluation, as well as flexibility to improve their material and the overall learning experience of their audience. Of course, these skills can change depending on the course, its scope, and the audience.
Stay tuned for more on instructional design in the coming weeks!