The foundation for instructional design was laid during World War II when hundreds of thousands needed to be taught very specific tasks in a short amount of time. Individual aspects of these complex tasks were broken down, so soldiers could better understand and comprehend each step of the process. This approach was later taken and built upon leading to the development of instructional design, a field of study that marries education, psychology and communications to create the most effective teaching plans for specific groups of students. This is vital because it ensures that students receive instructions in a form that is effective and meaningful to them, helping them better understand the topics and concepts being taught.
Simply put, instructional design is the creation of instructional materials. Though, this field goes beyond simply creating teaching materials, it carefully considers how students learn and what materials and methods will most effectively help individuals achieve their academic goals. The principles of instructional design consider how educational tools should be designed, created and delivered to any learning group, from grade school students to adult employees across all industry sectors.
A Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Learning Design and Technology is one of the best qualifications for educators and administrators looking to specialize in instructional design. This degree program helps students design, implement and evaluate effective instructional materials for any type of learner, making the program appropriate for academics hoping to work in a range of settings. Students are encouraged to utilize their own work experience to create a relevant framework for the MSEd program.
Instructional Design in the Real World
Instructional designers create and deliver educational and training materials to learners from all walks of life in a variety of ways. They work with traditional paper materials, such as handouts and manuals, as well as eLearning technologies and multimedia. Their work can be seen in elementary and secondary schools to universities and adult training facilities. They're also found outside the academic sector in a range of industries including health care, retail and the military.Justin Ferriman, eLearning consultant, even goes as far as stating that, "Every company needs an instructional designer on their staff."
For the corporate sector, instructional design plays an integral role that many don’t often see. When new training programs are introduced within companies, instructional designers are the ones that systematically collect, process and analysis data, determining if employees were properly educated on the new topics introduced. If an area of the training doesn’t meet the previously set standards, then it’s an instructional designer’s duty to revamp the course to help make sure that learners are able to understand the topics down the road. This process helps ensure that companies are working efficiently and using their resources wisely.
Instructional designers often work as part of a team, but their importance can't be overestimated. Consider an eLearning course for example. An instructional designer will play a part in developing this course, along with a multimedia designer, eLearning developer and a quality assurance employee. Despite being one of many involved, studies suggest the instructional designer will be responsible for30 to 40 percent of the project's success.
The usefulness of instructional designers across a range of industries ensures they are in high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7 percent job growth within the field by 2031.
The Benefits of Instructional Design
Instructional design is cost effective, given that it ensures students learn efficiently by creating high quality learning materials that take into account the strengths and weaknesses of students. These materials are also focused and customized to address the specific needs of educators. These experts also safeguard against training materials being created for business problems, which are better served with non-training solutions.
Above all, instructional design yields results. Those in this field create lesson plans intended to engage students, so they're more likely to achieve their goals. Evaluation is a key final phase of instructional design implementation, so instructors can ensure that the learning sessions have been effective in meeting preset objectives.
Take the next step and better your career and the learning experiences of others with an online Master of Science in Education in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University. Purdue is acclaimed around the world for its scholarly excellence, and its online programs offer flexibility to help meet the demands of the working professional.
Learn more about the online MSEd in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University today and help redefine the way in which individuals learn. Call (877) 497-5851 to speak with an admissions advisor or click here to request more information.
FAQs
Instructional designers create and deliver educational and training materials to learners from all walks of life in a variety of ways. They work with traditional paper materials, such as handouts and manuals, as well as eLearning technologies and multimedia.
What is instructional design for online learning? ›
In common terms, Instructional Design involves making the learning content effective and efficient for the learner. It is a multifaceted field that combines principles from psychology, education, and technology to create learning experiences that are engaging, meaningful, and impactful.
What is instructional design quizlet? ›
"Instructional Design is defined as "a systematic process that is employed to develop education and training programs in a consistent and reliable fashion" (Reiser, Dempsey, 2007). Tap the card to flip 👆
What is the importance of instructional designers in online higher education? ›
This is where the instructional designer's role comes into play. Instructional designers are paramount in the process of learning. They are tasked with redesigning courses, developing entire courses or curriculums and creating training materials, such as teaching manuals and student guides.
What is an example of instructional design in teaching? ›
A case study is a good instructional design example that can be used to develop and improve a learner's problem-solving skills. It makes use of open-ended situations or scenario-type cases with multiple solutions, and learners get to work either in groups or individually to solve these cases.
What is instructional design in your own words? ›
Simply put, instructional design is the creation of instructional materials. Though, this field goes beyond simply creating teaching materials, it carefully considers how students learn and what materials and methods will most effectively help individuals achieve their academic goals.
What are the 3 major components of instructional design? ›
When it comes to designing a learning experience, instructional designers must take three main components into account to ensure the learning is effective: learning objectives, learning activities, and assessments. This is known as the “Magic Triangle” of learning.
What is the focus of instructional design? ›
One of the main goals of instructional design is to create learning experiences that are tailored to the needs of your learners. This means that instructional designers scope their learners in advance to gain a better understanding of their prior subject knowledge and motivations for taking the course or training.
What is the instructional design of a lesson plan? ›
Instructional design is the fine tuning of the aligned curriculum into courses, units, and individual lessons. Each lesson is woven into a fabric of larger learning goals consistent with the aligned curriculum and how it has been structured into courses and units.
What are the two purposes of instructional design? ›
The aim of instructional design is to make learning effective, engaging, efficient and cost-effective.
Good Instructional Design Makes Learners Engage
One of the roles of an Instructional Designer is to make a thorough analysis of their learners before creating their online courses. This enables them to create learning activities that are relevant, engaging and appealing to the learner.
What is the most important step in instructional design? ›
Analysis is perhaps the most important step of the Instructional Design process. When analyzing, never limit your efforts to understanding just the training and business needs.
What does good instructional design look like? ›
Good instructional design considers how students learn and what materials, methods, and technologies will most effectively change behavior. It considers how learning tools should be designed, developed, and delivered to learners, and is effective in crafting learning experiences.
What is the difference between teaching and instructional design? ›
As a teacher, you get to know your students and may customize lessons to meet individual student needs. By contrast, instructional designers are creating learning opportunities that support students in a particular audience or demographic. They may not know learners personally.
What role does instructional design play in curriculum development? ›
The ID's role
Conducts a needs assessment to determine what the learner needs to know and what gap of knowledge exists. Identifies the learning environment and existing equipment available for the learners. Asks questions such as: Do the learners have access to Microsoft Word?
What is the difference between digital learning design and instructional design? ›
Instructional design is a traditional approach to learning design that focuses on the core elements of a course. This approach is often used when creating content for a single topic or a series of topics. ID focuses on the structure and content of a course, as well as how the content is presented to learners.
What is the difference between instructional design and eLearning? ›
While Instructional Design is all about creating an effective and memorable learning experience for learners, eLearning development is more about using different tools, strategies, programming, and creativity to make the Instructional Designer's vision come to life.
What is a digital instructional designer? ›
They may be involved in the design, development, and implementation of instructional materials, such as e-learning modules, virtual reality, and mobile apps, or in the development and management of learning management systems.
