How to become an instructional designer

  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

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?