The Argument Nobody Questions Ask anyone why they want AI in their training and you'll hear some version of the same answer: it saves time. And it's true. AI can summarize a 20-page report in seconds, turn messy notes into a clean response, generate examples, compare options, build quiz questions, and explain a hard concept in plain language. For instructional designers, trainers, and learners, that's real value. Here's the catch. Sometimes the work AI removes is the exact work that was supposed to produce the learning. If a learner is supposed to practice analyzing information and AI does the analysis instead, the task gets easier, and it may also stop teaching anything. If the goal is to build judgment and AI hands over the recommended option, the learner lands on the right answer without ever building the skill the activity was designed to develop. That's cognitive offloading, and instructional design hasn't caught up to it yet. The question isn't whether people … [Read more...] about AI Can Save Your Learners Time. It Can Also Quietly Take Their Learning With It.
instructional design for eLearning
Stop Asking “What Can AI Do?” Start With the Learning Goal
AI has made it remarkably easy to start an instructional design project in the wrong place. If you open almost any AI tool, you can immediately generate learning objectives, outlines, scenarios, quiz questions, scripts, graphics, summaries, feedback, and even complete courses. If you give the tool a topic and a target audience, within seconds it will give you have something that looks surprisingly close to instructional content. While that speed is useful. It can easily distract us from a much more important question. Before asking “What can AI do here?”, instructional designers should be asking: “What do people need to learn or be able to do, and what thinking do they need to practice to get there?” That one simple question is important because it changes how you use AI. Instead of looking for tasks you can automate, you start deciding which parts of the work AI can reasonably support and which parts people need to do themselves. Sometimes AI should generate the first … [Read more...] about Stop Asking “What Can AI Do?” Start With the Learning Goal
The Mistake Most Redesign Projects Make
When a course feels broken, we want to fix everything including rewriting the content, rebuilding the activities, redesigning the slides, and re-recording the videos. In my experience, however, recreating everything is almost always more expensive and less effective than a targeted approach. Here's why. In most underperforming courses, a small number of issues are responsible for the majority of problems learners experience. Weak learning objectives create misalignment that ripples outward. An unclear module structure makes otherwise manageable content feel overwhelming and missing navigational guidance leaves learners moving through material without really understanding what they're supposed to take from it. When you fix those specific things, the course transforms. If, however, you leave them unaddressed while rewriting everything else, you'll invest significant time and resources in a course that still doesn't work. The right question isn't how do we redesign this entire … [Read more...] about The Mistake Most Redesign Projects Make
Effective Strategies for Writing Engaging and Interactive eLearning Content
Writing engaging and interactive eLearning content is crucial for creating effective online learning experiences. To captivate learners and ensure knowledge retention, instructional designers must employ strategies that go beyond traditional text-based materials. In this article, we will explore effective techniques for writing eLearning content that grabs learners' attention, promotes active participation, and enhances their overall learning experience. By incorporating multimedia elements, utilizing interactive techniques, and crafting compelling narratives, you can create eLearning content that keeps learners engaged and facilitates effective knowledge transfer. Engaging Content Writing Techniques Storytelling Storytelling is a powerful technique for capturing learners' attention and making the content relatable and memorable. By incorporating narratives that connect with real-world scenarios and challenges, instructional designers can create a deeper emotional connection … [Read more...] about Effective Strategies for Writing Engaging and Interactive eLearning Content
Design Thinking and ADDIE Model Integration: A Comprehensive Approach to Instructional Design
Combining the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model with Design Thinking can be a powerful approach to instructional design, as it brings together systematic planning and user-centric problem-solving. By leveraging the strengths of both methodologies, instructional designers can create innovative and impactful learning experiences. Let's explore the process of combining these two approaches in detail, along with examples to illustrate each step. Analysis and Empathy The Analysis phase of the ADDIE model involves gathering information about learners' needs, goals, and constraints. Design Thinking emphasizes empathy, which involves understanding users' perspectives and needs. By combining these two steps, instructional designers can gain deep insights into the learners' context and challenges. For example, let's consider a scenario where a company wants to develop a sales training program. In the Analysis phase, the instructional designer conducts … [Read more...] about Design Thinking and ADDIE Model Integration: A Comprehensive Approach to Instructional Design
Transferable Skills for Teachers
Teaching and instructional design share many similarities, including the goal of creating effective learning experiences for learners. Therefore, it is no surprise that many teachers seek to transition into instructional design to expand their career opportunities and apply their skills in a new setting. With a bit of additional training in instructional design principles, teachers can transition into this field and bring their unique perspectives and expertise to create effective and engaging learning experiences for learners of all ages and backgrounds. 7 Skills and Experience Teachers can bring to the world of Instructional Design. 1. Curriculum development - one aspect of instructional design that teachers are already experts in. They have extensive experience in designing and delivering instructional materials, whether in the form of lesson plans, projects, or presentations. Teachers are skilled in creating engaging content that meets the needs of their students … [Read more...] about Transferable Skills for Teachers