Instructional Designer Course

Lesson 1 • The ID Profession and Career Paths

Maps ID career trajectories, industry sectors, and professional communities. Helps learners position themselves within the broader field from day one.

Lesson 2 • Core Learning Theories

Surveys behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and connectivism. Equips designers to select theory-aligned strategies for any learning context.

Lesson 3 • How Adults Learn

Covers andragogy, cognitive load theory, and motivation frameworks. Connects learning science directly to design decisions made throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • The ADDIE Framework in Depth

Breaks down each ADDIE phase with inputs, outputs, and decision points. Provides the structural backbone used throughout the rest of the course.

Lesson 2 • Selecting and Adapting Models

Provides criteria for matching models to project constraints, timelines, and stakeholder needs. Builds decision-making confidence for real-world ID practice.

Lesson 3 • Agile and SAM Approaches

Introduces iterative ID through SAM and Agile sprints as alternatives to linear ADDIE. Prepares designers for fast-paced, collaborative project environments.

Lesson 1 • Writing the Needs Analysis Report

Structures findings, recommendations, and success metrics into a stakeholder-ready document. Translates raw data into actionable design direction.

Lesson 2 • Data Collection Methods

Covers surveys, interviews, observations, and document review for gathering needs data. Connects data quality directly to the accuracy of design recommendations.

Lesson 3 • Identifying Non-Training Solutions

Teaches performance consulting to distinguish training from environmental or motivational causes. Prevents costly misalignment between solutions and actual problems.

Lesson 1 • Writing SMART Learning Objectives

Applies SMART criteria to produce specific, measurable, and achievable objectives. Directly feeds the alignment matrix built later in the chapter.

Lesson 2 • Terminal vs. Enabling Objectives

Distinguishes overarching terminal objectives from supporting enabling objectives. Builds hierarchical objective structures that guide content sequencing.

Lesson 3 • Bloom's Taxonomy Applied

Maps cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains to design decisions. Provides the classification system used for all objective writing in this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Direct Instruction Strategies

Covers lecture, demonstration, and worked examples as efficient knowledge-transfer methods. Establishes baseline strategies before introducing more complex approaches.

Lesson 2 • Collaborative and Social Learning

Designs peer learning, discussion, and group activities that leverage social cognition. Extends individual strategies to team-based and community learning contexts.

Lesson 3 • Active and Experiential Learning

Applies problem-based, case-based, and simulation strategies to promote deeper processing. Builds on direct instruction by adding learner-centered engagement methods.

Lesson 4 • Multimedia and Visual Design Principles

Applies Mayer's multimedia principles to reduce extraneous load and enhance retention. Connects cognitive load theory from Chapter 1 to practical content design.

Lesson 1 • Performance-Based Assessment

Designs rubrics, checklists, and scenario-based tasks to assess applied skills. Extends assessment beyond recall to measure real-world performance.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Assessment Design

Covers validity, reliability, and fairness as the foundation of sound assessment. Establishes quality criteria applied to every assessment type in this chapter.

Lesson 3 • Building an Evaluation Plan

Integrates all four Kirkpatrick levels into a structured, timeline-based evaluation plan. Produces a stakeholder-ready document that closes the design-to-impact loop.

Lesson 4 • Designing Knowledge Checks

Builds multiple-choice, true/false, and short-answer items aligned to learning objectives. Applies objective alignment skills from Chapter 4 to assessment construction.

Lesson 1 • SCORM, xAPI, and LMS Integration

Explains SCORM and xAPI standards, tracking variables, and LMS publishing workflows. Ensures courses function correctly within learning management systems.

Lesson 2 • Storyboarding for eLearning

Creates detailed storyboards that specify screen layout, narration, interactions, and media. Bridges design documents from earlier chapters to the development phase.

Lesson 3 • eLearning Authoring Tool Landscape

Compares rapid authoring tools, HTML5 builders, and video-based platforms by feature and use case. Enables informed tool selection before development begins.

Lesson 4 • Quality Assurance for eLearning

Applies QA checklists covering functionality, accessibility, and content accuracy before launch. Prevents costly post-launch revisions through systematic pre-release review.

Lesson 1 • Facilitating Instructor-Led Training

Designs and delivers ILT sessions using facilitation techniques that maximize engagement. Extends design skills into live delivery for blended and classroom contexts.

Lesson 2 • Blended Learning Implementation

Sequences online and face-to-face components into a cohesive blended learning journey. Integrates eLearning development skills with live facilitation planning.

Lesson 3 • Post-Launch Review and Iteration

Collects post-launch data, identifies improvement areas, and manages version control. Closes the ADDIE cycle by feeding evaluation data back into redesign decisions.

Lesson 4 • Stakeholder and SME Management

Manages subject matter expert relationships, feedback cycles, and approval workflows. Addresses the most common source of ID project delays and scope creep.