Keeping your portfolio organized will help you find the items you want to show your prospective employer easily. Also, a well-organized portfolio will show you put some thought into it. There are many ways to organize your eLearning portfolio. Below are just some of them. You can: Put your documents in chronological order starting from the year you began working in the field and ending with the most up-to-date samples of your work. Personally, I do not favor this method because if you have many years of experience your portfolio will overflow with samples and overwhelm the person viewing it. If, on the other hand, you have only spent a year or two in the field, your portfolio will clearly show that. Categorize your artifacts based on the ADDIE model. This way, your portfolio will have five sections. The first section will be dedicated to analysis. Your analysis documents will go here. The next section will be dedicated to design. You will most likely include your design … [Read more...] about 4 Ways To Keep Your ELearning Portfolio Organized
How To Create ELearning Portfolios That Help You Get Hired
In this post, we will talk about the format of your portfolio. There are two possibilities: you can either create an electronic or paper-based portfolio. First, let’s look at digital portfolios. Below are some of the most popular tools you can use to create your electronic portfolio. While they are not listed in any particular order, I personally prefer VisualCV, not only because it is easy to use but also because it can convert your digit resume/portfolio into a PDF file that you can easily print and bring to the interview. Silkapp Dropr Weebly Blogger DoYouBuzz Flavors.me VisualCV Webs Wordpress Wix When it comes to the paper-based portfolio, your options range from inserting your artifacts into a three ring binder to investing in a professional portfolio binder. Regardless of which option you choose, consider purchasing sheet protectors to keep your portfolio pieces safe and clean as well as make your portfolio look more polished and professional. It is … [Read more...] about How To Create ELearning Portfolios That Help You Get Hired
9 Documents That Employers Want To See In Your ELearning Portfolio
By now, we have talked about the sources you can use to build your portfolio. Now, let’s talk about different artifacts that should go into the portfolio. Below are some of the most common documents that most employers want to see in portfolios. If you have any other samples worth showcasing, feel free to include them too. Needs Analysis Document – This document will show your employer that you know how to conduct research and that you are familiar with various methods of gathering data. Design Document – Being able to create a design document is often a requirement in many organizations. This is the blueprint for both eLearning and face-to-face training. Most employers expect to see at least one design document to get an idea of how you design training exercises. Storyboards – Always include at least one storyboard, and whenever possible, consider including different types storyboards. For example, if one of your storyboards was created in Word and another one in … [Read more...] about 9 Documents That Employers Want To See In Your ELearning Portfolio
How To Get Content For Your ELearning Portfolio
So you now know the importance of having a portfolio. However, you are probably asking yourself where to get samples to build your portfolio if you do not have any instructional design experience. Here is my answer: you do need to have experience to build your portfolio and apply to jobs, but you can easily get both experience and a portfolio relatively quickly without any formal job experience. In this blog post, we will look at a number of ways to get content for your portfolio. Volunteer – You can find an online organization that does not require you to travel to the location. E-Learning for Kids is a global nonprofit foundation dedicated to free and fun online learning for kids of all ages. They now have courses for adult learners as well. E-Learning for kids is constantly looking for volunteers who can contribute their time and knowledge. The process for becoming a volunteer is simple, and they have all types of projects from basic storyboarding to … [Read more...] about How To Get Content For Your ELearning Portfolio
Do Instructional Designers Need a Degree?
Many colleges and universities offer degrees in instructional design, eLearning, and instructional technology. Most of these are graduate level programs. Very few colleges offer an undergraduate degree in instructional design. There are also certificate alternatives for those who want to break into the field of instructional design quickly and without spending much money. While these programs equip learners with theoretical knowledge, most of them do not teach how to apply theory to practice. In other words, they do not teach real world instructional design. As someone who holds a Master’s degree in instructional design, I believe that there are two sides to the coin. There are certainly excellent instructional designers out there who do not have any formal education in the field. However, potentials employers often ask for a degree. In my humble opinion, having a portfolio is a much better proof that you are a good designer than your college degree is. With that said, earning a … [Read more...] about Do Instructional Designers Need a Degree?
Do Instructional Designers Need To Conduct Needs Analysis – The Most Neglected Phase In The ADDIE Model
Analysis is the first yet the most neglected phase of the ADDIE model. Although most ISD professionals recognize its value in the overall instructional design process, they almost always skip this step. As a result, their training courses often do not bring the desired results. The main reason for skipping the analysis phase is budget constraints as well as the fact that most stakeholders do not understand the real value behind needs analysis. As a result, they come to you with what they consider real training need without even realizing that training, in fact, may not be the solution. So, why do we need to conduct needs analysis? The main reason is to determine if training is ultimately the solution to the problem, and if it is, then to find the best ways to approach and solve the problem. As we all know, training can only help if the performance problem lies in lack of knowledge or skills. If, however, the problem is related to lack of motivation, resources, or anything else … [Read more...] about Do Instructional Designers Need To Conduct Needs Analysis – The Most Neglected Phase In The ADDIE Model
