instructional design coursework

Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design

Explore the core concepts behind powerful instructional design.

In this program, you’ll explore up-to-date ideas and methods behind implementing learning design and technology. You’ll graduate prepared to pursue a variety of career paths in an industry that’s constantly growing and looking for professionals with relevant educational backgrounds.

Create Exciting New Methods for Learning

Instructional design is a practice that touches a range of industries and learners. By completing this certificate program, you will be prepared with the core knowledge necessary to create concise, informative and accurate learning methods.

Expert Courses Designed to Build a Solid Foundation

In this program, you will take the first steps in exploring current, proven learning methods and educational technologies through fully online courses taught by leaders in learning experience design and emerging educational technology.

The curriculum of this online graduate certificate incorporates the latest research in learning theory, educational technology and instructional design principles. It encourages students to use their work experience as a framework for their study. This program will give you the foundation to get started in the field or advance to our MS in Education in Learning Design and Technology program. Credits for the ID certificate are applicable to the MSED program.

Program at a Glance

• Delivery: 100% Online
• Course Length: 8 weeks
• In-State Rate: $450/credit
• Out-of-State Rate: $670/credit
• Start Date: Fall (August), Spring (January), Summer (May)

Program Resources

How Has Technology Changed Education?

What Is Instructional Design?

What Do Instructional Designers Do?

#1 in Indiana – Best Online Master’s in Education Programs

U.S. News & World Report, 2024

#10 Best Educational/Instructional Media Design Programs

Start Your Giant Leap with One Small Step

A World of Career Opportunities

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of training and development specialists is projected to grow 8% from 2021 to 2031, which is faster than the average for other occupations.

Earning your graduate certificate in instructional design will set you on the path to pursue a variety of in-demand roles, such as:

• Instructional Development
• Multimedia Design
• Training and Development, E-Learning
• Project Management
• Content Design

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Instructional Coordinators, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/instructional-coordinators.htm (visited October 25, 2022).

Admissions Requirements

Admissions decisions are based on individual experience and the applicant’s fit with the program.

We recommend that all applicants speak to an enrollment counselor to verify eligibility and document accuracy in applying for the program. Candidates must submit a completed application as well as the following items:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• An updated resume
• Official transcripts from all universities attended, including transfer credits*
• An application fee of $60 ($75 for international students)

*Coursework used to satisfy the requirements of a conferred master’s degree from an institution other than Purdue may not be used as transfer credit.

International Students

In addition to the admission requirements noted on the first tab, international students must also provide the following information.

• Official transcripts from all universities attended in the original language as well as English translation for transcripts and diplomas not in English.
• Minimum Overall:  80
• Writing:  18
• Speaking:  18
• Listening:  14
• Reading:  19
• Minimum Overall:  6.5
• Writing:  6.5
• Speaking:  6.0
• Listening:  6.0
• Reading:  5.5
• Total score of 115 and 115 on each subscore

How to Apply

We recommend that all applicants speak to an enrollment counselor to verify eligibility and document accuracy before applying for the program. To schedule your phone interview, call 877-497-5851 .

Once you have connected with an enrollment counselor, you are ready to complete the online application .

If you have any questions about filling out the application, request more information or call 877-497-5851 to speak with an admissions advisor.

Send All Other Application Materials To:

Purdue University Online Programs Admissions Processing Center 851 Trafalgar Court, Suite 420 West Maitland, FL 32751

*Graduate Certificates at Purdue DO NOT qualify for financial aid.

**The cost of attending Purdue varies depending on where you choose to live, enrollment in a specific program or college, food and travel expenses, and other variables. The Office of the Bursar website shows estimated costs for the current aid year for students by semester and academic year. These amounts are used in determining a student’s estimated eligibility for financial aid. You can also use our tuition calculator to estimate tuition costs.

With our new Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design, you can get started in this program with a strong foundational understanding of core learning design competencies. The 2-semester program consists of nine credit hours designed to get you started on your journey.

This expert-taught program will expose you to some of the hottest topics in the design world such as learning systems design, learning theories, development and management of technology and more. With an elective option built into the program, students can focus on areas of personal interest such as educational video game design, motivational instruction design, or developing instruction with specific leading technology platforms.

Required Courses

EDCI 53100 – Learning Theories And Instructional Design

This course helps students learn how theories of human learning and motivation can be applied to the instructional process in order to make the process more effective, efficient, and/or appealing. The focus of the course is on two areas: 1) the theoretical principles that have contributed to the field of Instructional Design (ID), and 2) how those principles can be applied within practical settings.

Total Credits: 3

EDCI 57200 – Introduction To Learning Systems Design

This course is an introduction to the principles of designing instructional materials and to instructional communication theory and techniques. Topics include objectives, student characteristics, media selection, communication variables, message design, and systematic evaluation. (Pre-requisite for EDCI 67200, EDCI 56900 & EDCI 57300)

Elective options are subject to availability and are not guaranteed.

EDCI 51300 – Foundations Of Learning Design And Technology

This course provides an historical overview of the field and delineates the foundational knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed by professionals in the field of educational technology and instructional design. Students explore the field by engaging in collaborative projects along with thinking and writing about various aspects of educational technology and the underlying instructional design theories.

EDCI 52800 – Human Performance Technology

This course provides an introduction to the field of human performance technology (HPT). It examines basic concepts and principles of human performance, the theoretical underpinnings of the field, research and application literature, and various approaches to solving human performance problems. A systematic approach to the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of performance improvement interventions within organizations is emphasized.

EDCI 55600 – Educational Video Game Design

This course has been designed to provide you with an introduction to the design of educational computer and video games. Computer and Video games have been gaining increased recognition as potentially powerful media for engaging and effective learning. The focus of the course throughout the semester will be on two areas: 1) the learning, instructional design, and game design theories that can inform the design of effective and engaging educational computer and video games, and 2) how to apply those theories within practical settings. Key theories will be introduced through course readings and discussion. Students will be asked to play and analyze educational games outside of the classroom. Students will apply the theories through the design of their own educational computer or video games.

EDCI 56000 – Educational Technology For Teaching And Learning

This course addresses the fundamentals of educational/learning technologies within both the traditional classroom, as well as the corporate/business training environments. Students will explore and evaluate various tools/technologies and determine how, when, and why such technologies can/should be infused into normal, hybrid, or fully online learning situations. The goal of the course is to help the student plan, implement, and evaluate technology for teaching and learning.

EDCI 56400 – Integration And Management Of Technology For Learning

This course focuses on techniques for and issues related to integrating computers in learning environments. Topics covered stem from literature in the field and include (1) theoretical foundations of technology integration, (2) teaching and learning issues with technology integration, (3) designing the application of learning technologies for use in educational settings, and (4) emerging issues in research and practice with technology integration. Class activities are designed to model applications of learning technology, while class projects allow individuals to develop skills and knowledge in areas of your personal need or interest. The goal of the course is to help you develop an understanding of important issues associated with the integration and management of technology in learning and to effectively plan, design, implement, and evaluate technology-based instruction.

EDCI 56600 – Educational Applications Of Multimedia

This course involves the exploration of educational applications of multimedia. Examination and application of related research is a key component of the course. Projects involve the creation of instructional materials incorporating multimedia (e.g. sound, photographs, video, and/or interactive elements). Usability and usability testing considerations are explored.

EDCI 56900 – Introduction To E-Learning (prerequisite EDCI 572 required)

This course examines how the design and development of instruction are impacted by the use of the computer as delivery system. A primary focus is on effective learning design strategies for e-learning. Learners will identify and apply effective design practices with emphasis on project management, planning, and implementation. Education or training materials will be developed using appropriate authoring tools as determined by the instructional context. Learners will design an E-Learning module with end-to-end documentation of the design process (Project Plan, Design Document, Storyboard). Opportunities for collaborative feedback and evaluation will also be featured elements of the course experience. (Prerequisite: EDCI 57200).

EDCI 57500 – Foundations Of Distance Learning

An introduction to the field of distance learning/education. Examination of basic concepts and principles of distance learning, the theoretical underpinnings of the field, research and application literature, and distance education delivery technologies. A systematic approach to the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of instruction for learners at a distance is emphasized. Special attention is given to course management systems.

EDCI 57700 – Strategic Assessment And Evaluation

This course explores principles and techniques that can be used to carry out evaluations within an organization. The course also examines several aspects of conducting evaluations, including planning and designing an evaluation, developing appropriate instruments, using various methods to collect information, analyzing information obtained from those methods, and communicating results and recommendations. This course is designed to help learners understand the multiple ways that evaluation is used in instructional systems and provides opportunities to design various types of evaluation instruments. A portion of the course will examine the study of learner assessment as part of the evaluation of instructional programs; however, the course’s focus is dedicated to the study of program evaluation.

EDCI 58800 – Motivation And Instructional Design

This course has been designed to provide an in-depth study of motivation as one of the fundamental variables underlying human learning, behavior and instructional design. The focus of the course is on two areas: 1) theories of motivation and the general principles that have contributed to the field of instructional design, and 2) how those principles are selected and applied within practical design settings.

EDCI 59100 – Using Articulate 360 to Develop Engaging and Interactive Learning Experiences

This course focuses on how to utilize Articulate Storyline to create interactive and engaging learning modules. Through a variety of learning activities implemented in this course, learners will be able to utilize Articulate Storyline functionalities and resources along with appropriate pedagogical strategies to design and develop an original Articulate Storyline learning module. Additionally, they will be able to develop professional skills such as peer feedback and assess their instructional design growth through self-reflection.

EDCI 63300 – Instructional Design Project Management

This course focuses on the application of project management ideas, concepts, and strategies in instructional design settings. Students will be asked to consider the relationship between instructional design and project management, tools that can assist with managing instructional design projects, and factors influencing the instructional design project management process. Students will explore these topics by creating deliverables for instructional design cases and other interactive assignments.

EDCI 67200 – Advanced Practices In Learning Systems Design (prerequisite EDCI 572 required)

This course focuses on the application of learning systems design to real-world educational situations through the in-depth consideration of key instructional design processes (e.g., analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation). Additionally, a key focus of the course is on the development of instructional design expertise. (Prerequisite: EDCI 57200).

Learn From the Experts

Explore how Purdue’s faculty for the online MS in Education in Learning Design and Technology can prepare you for leadership and advancement.

Peg Ertmer , Professor Emerita

Marisa Exter , Associate Professor

Wanju Huang , Clinical Associate Professor

Adrie Koehler , Associate Professor

James Lehman , Professor Emeritus

Victoria Lowell , Clinical Professor

Timothy Newby , Professor

Jennifer Richardson , Professor

Sunnie Watson , Professor

William Watson , Professor

Instructors

Erin Besser , Instructor

Mary Bonhomme , Instructor

Linda L. Campion , Instructor

Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan , Instructor

George Hanshaw , Instructor

Carole Hruskocy , Instructor

Woori Kim , Instructor

Nilufer Korkmaz , Instructor

Jennifer Lee , Instructor

Judith Lewandowski, Instructor

Christopher Mong , Instructor

David Paredes , Instructor

Dana Ruggiero , Instructor

Valerie Schmitz , Instructor

Shaun Scott , Instructor

Heidi Watson-Held , Instructor

Maryshannon Williams , Instructor

Ji Hyun Yu , Instructor

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer financial aid?

No, unfortunately graduate certificates at Purdue DO NOT qualify for financial aid.

Can this certificate be applied to another degree program?

All three courses for the Instructional Design Graduate Certificate can count toward MSED in Learning Design and Technology as well as the MSED in C&I Ed-Tech concentration. Two elective courses, EDCI 56900 and EDCI 57700 can be applied to the Master’s in Corporate Training and Communication.

Will my diploma look different from the on-campus programs?

No. Both on-campus and online programs earn the same diploma.

Is this a computer technology certificate?

No. While computers and other new technology are often used as instructional tools, and their use and integration in learning and teaching is an important aspect of this program, the focus of the graduate certificate in Instructional Design is on learning systems design, learning theories, development and management of technology and more.

Do I need a background in education to qualify for admission?

No. Learning Design and Technology has a wide variety of applications, not just in education. Our students come from all different educational and professional backgrounds. We do require students to hold a bachelor’s degree in order to be considered for admission. Learn more about application requirements.

How many credit hours can be transferred into the online graduate certificate in instructional design?

A maximum of 3 credit hours may be transferred from other institutions toward the online Instructional Design Graduate Certificate. Transfer credits must be from a graduate level course with a grade of B or higher and cannot come from another conferred degree. Students should discuss any potential transfer credit with their enrollment counselor as soon as possible during the admissions process. A final decision on eligibility of transfer credit is made after review by program faculty.

Who is on the faculty?

The faculty of the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design at Purdue all hold doctoral degrees and contribute to ongoing research in the field of educational technology and learning design. You can learn more about them by visiting the faculty page.

How do online classes work? Do I have to be at my computer at a specific time?

Most of the coursework is asynchronous, meaning that there are not specific times that you need to be in the course. However, interaction with your instructor and peers is a major component of our classes. As an online student at Purdue University, you’ll log into a virtual online classroom interface that includes areas for assignments, discussion boards, e-mail, and more. Just like in a traditional classroom, you’ll complete coursework and exams and interact with your instructor and classmates, but it will all be online. You can access and work on your coursework at any time. You are generally required to post assignments and check in several times per week and then you just need to complete your assignments according to the schedule posted by your professor.

How many total credits are required?

The online Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design at Purdue University requires a total of 9 credit hours.

How much time should I plan to spend on the coursework each week?

The academic experience varies by student; however, we recommend that students plan to spend 15-25 hours per week for each course they take.

What if I have a question about homework or need help with a technical issue?

The faculty and staff at Purdue are dedicated to your success at the University and in the future. You can schedule to meet with your instructors online, and instructors will answer emails in a timely fashion. Technical support is available to help you handle hardware and software issues. We have dedicated staff to talk to you about financial aid, scheduling, or other administrative matters.

Is support available to all students?

As an online student, you will have access to a multitude of support resources when you need help or guidance, starting with new student orientation to familiarize yourself with the online learning environment. Other services include a help desk for technical issues, a student services coordinator and more.

How are the online programs different from the on-campus programs?

Purdue University’s online programs are just as rigorous and challenging as their on-campus counterparts. The main difference is the online format, which allows you greater convenience as to when and where you learn.

Can I visit campus?

Yes. Students are always encouraged to visit campus and experience all that Purdue has to offer. For visitor information, visit www.purdue.edu/visit

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Instructional Design Courses and Certifications

Learn Instructional Design, earn certificates with paid and free online courses from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, University of Michigan and other top universities around the world. Read reviews to decide if a class is right for you.

• Curriculum Development Courses
• Educational Technology Courses
• Cognitive Psychology Courses
• Adobe Captivate Courses
• Gamification Courses
• With certificate (154)
• Free course (141)
• With free certificate (8)
• University course only (98)
• Beginner (44)
• Intermediate (18)
• Advanced (4)
• < 30 mins (4)
• 30 - 60 mins (7)
• 1 - 2 hours (24)
• 2 - 5 hours (17)
• 5 - 10 hours (29)
• 10+ hours (68)
• English (173)
• Italian (3)
• Portuguese (3)
• Spanish (24)

Instructional Design Foundations and Applications

Explore instructional design foundations, theories, models, and analysis techniques to create innovative solutions for organizational performance challenges.

• 12 hours 51 minutes
• Free Online Course (Audit)

Instructional Design

Become an instructional designer and create engaging learning programs

• 16-28 weeks, 8-12 hours a week
• Paid Course

Instructional Design with Orchestration Graphs

Discover a visual language for designing pedagogical scenarios that integrate individual, team and class wide activities.

• 5 weeks, 4-6 hours a week

Instructional Design for Higher Education

Enhance instructional design skills for higher education, covering course planning, development, educational media creation, and facilitation techniques.

• FutureLearn
• 12 weeks, 3 hours a week

Instructional Design: Course Planning and Pedagogy

Unpack learning theories and methods of teaching to ensure you deliver effective results in the course planning stage.

• 3 weeks, 3 hours a week

Instructional Design: Course Development

Gain essential skills to help you navigate the course development stage effectively as an instructional designer.

Instructional Design: Educational Media

Learn techniques to develop educational media that will enhance your learning materials and help students retain knowledge.

Instructional Design: Facilitation Skills

Help prepare instructors for course facilitation as you learn the skills to train and guide them to success.

Instructional Design and Technology

Learn to create engaging online courses using digital pedagogy, emerging technologies, and data analytics. Gain hands-on experience with learning management systems and explore instructional design models for effective digital-first learning.

• 32 weeks, 8-10 hours a week

Instructional Design Models

Explore traditional and current instructional design models as you develop an Instructional Design Document (IDD) for an outline of an online course.

• 8 weeks, 8-10 hours a week

Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories

Explore the evolution of learning theories, from traditional behavior-based approaches to the emerging understanding of how social engagement can enhance the learning process.

Instructional Design for ELearning

Learn everything you need to know to design successful eLearning courses (Bonus: A complete ChatGPT guide for L&amp;D

• 4 hours 51 minutes

The complete Instructional Designer course

Learn the skills to become an eLearning Instructional Designer for Corporate Learning and Development

• 6 hours 1 minute

Instructional Design Pro (Part 1): No Beginners Allowed!

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Instructional Design for Classroom Training

Design effective and engaging in-person classroom training sessions and learning experiences from scratch

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Thinkific Plus

Top online instructional design courses for 2024, share this article.

An instructional designer (ID) is one of the most interesting positions you can hold in today’s job landscape. Not only is it prestigious and lucrative, but it’s also rewarding as it allows you to tap into your creativity to make effective learning experiences for different people across a wide range of industries. 

One of the downsides of the field is that there’s no clear education path to help you land that instructional designer dream job. Traditional education paths to this career are often long and winding and you may not even know exactly what skills are needed for the role. With that in mind, we’ve compiled the 10 best instructional design courses and programs you can take to break into and succeed in this field.

Skip ahead:

Introduction to instructional design

​why choose an online instructional design course.

• Top 10 best online instructional design courses

How to choose the right instructional design course

Frequently asked questions.

Instructional design is the creation and development of learning experiences and material. While it may seem basic, this field requires professionals to consider how people of all ages learn (educational psychology) to determine the most effective materials and methods that’ll help them achieve their academic goals (learning science). This field also requires professionals to learn about human-computer interaction, systems theory, and much more. 

Instructional design, as a discipline, can be traced back to World War II when hundreds of thousands of people needed to learn how to do specific tasks in a short period. During that time, teachers had to break down complex tasks, so soldiers could easily understand each step of the process. This approach formed the foundations of instructional design, a field that marries education, learning psychology, and communication (physical and virtual). 

Instructional designers can work in different institutions — from secondary schools to big-tech companies like Apple and Meta — or they can own their businesses as consultants, freelancers, or even virtual learning developers. The goal is always the same: to create the best teaching plans and resources for different learning groups. 

The types of projects they work on depend on the positive, but instructional designers often have to create interactive e-learning experiences (i.e. corporate training), video-based courses, virtual learning experiences created with learning management systems (LMS), and materials from instructor-led training (transcripts, documents, slide decks, etc.).

Some skills instructional designers (IDs) need to be successful include: 

• Knowledge of instructional design theory and learning science
• Visual design skills
• Communication skills 
• Copywriting skills (for scripts and storyboards )
• Knowledge of learning management systems

Instructional design is an in-demand career. In fact, instructional design positions are expected to grow 11% by 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . However, educators who want to specialize in instructional design are usually required to have a Bachelor or Master of Science in Education (MSEd) degree in Instructional Design and Technology. 

But not everyone can take this route. 

If you’re an educator who wants to become an ID without having to take a graduate course for it, online instructional design courses are your best bet. But you’ll have to take several courses as instructional design is interdisciplinary. Depending on the kinds of learning plans you want to develop and the categories of people/companies you want to make them for, you may need to learn: 

• Instructional design and its theories 
• Educational psychology
• Visual design principles
• Neuroscience 
• User experience design 
• Performance improvement

10 best online instructional design courses

Below are 10 of the best online instructional design courses. Each of these courses covers different aspects of instructional design and was chosen based on the richness of its content as well as its cost and the average duration it’ll take a student to get through it.

University of Pennsylvania’s Gamification Course 

Price: Free

Duration: 3 weeks

Difficulty level: Beginner 

This course, hosted on Coursera, is different from other courses on this list because it doesn’t focus explicitly on instructional design. Instead, it focuses on a technique called gamification . This course explores what gamification is by explaining the psychological reasons why games can help people learn new things. 

During this course, you’ll learn: 

• What game design is
• How to apply game design principles in non-game contexts, such as business, social impact challenges, and instructional design
• A six-step design framework to apply to any gamification project 
• The challenges and opportunities you’ll face when applying gamification principles

ID Central’s Instructional Design Courses

Price: USD $15 to $49

Duration: Self-paced

Difficulty level: Beginner

ID Central has three micro-courses and one full course that cater to complete newbies in instructional design. These courses cover learning theory, ID models, ID tools, and ID foundations.

These courses teach you: 

• The basic theories of instructional design 
• Learning theory and adult learning (or andragogy)
• Instructional design models and how to work with SMEs
• How to effectively use media to create wholesome online learning experiences 

These courses also come with handouts, quizzes, challenges, and exams that’ll help solidify your knowledge in instructional design.

Harvard’s Universal Design for Learning: Explore

Price: USD $295

This three-week, instructor-led course is a mix of self-paced learning, cohort learning , and asynchronous group discussions. Its aim is to teach educators the concept known as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) — a framework that helps professionals design learning experiences and opportunities that are both challenging and inclusive for all learners. 

In this course, you’ll:

• Deepen your knowledge of UDL and understand how you can apply it across different learning environments — both physical and virtual 
• Learn the principles behind “variability” — the neuroscience that states that all people learn in different and unique ways 
• See how UDL is applied in the classroom

Each week, you’ll go through different resources (articles, videos, and podcasts) that explain different aspects of UDL. You’ll connect and share your ideas with other educators who are also learning how to create inclusive learning resources, and you’ll get access to new approaches and tools that’ll help you put what you learn into practice. 

ISFET’s ADDIE for Instructional Design Course 

Price: USD $59

Difficulty level: Intermediate

This online program is designed for teachers, analysts, designers, instructors, and training supervisors who are interested in learning more about the ADDIE model of instructional design.

ADDIE is an acronym for the five stages of a development process: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. And this course has five modules — each of them dedicated to a component of the ADDIE model. 

When implemented correctly, the ADDIE model allows professionals to develop training materials that are tailored to fix an instructional problem or performance gap, and help students achieve their academic goals and objectives . 

Teacher Transition’s From Teacher to Instructional Designer MasterClass

Price: USD $497

Duration: Self-paced 

If you, as a teacher, feel like your influence is confined only to the classroom and you crave growth, this course is for you. In this course, you’ll learn how to apply your teaching skills to create learning experiences that are engaging, effective, and enjoyable — without having to deal with grading and score entry, behavior management issues, and recess. 

This course is power-packed with online lessons (text- and video-based), and different resources, including a personal packet workbook (where you’ll identify the type of ID work you want to do), a personal portfolio package, an ID template toolkit, resume and cover letter templates, and a guest speaker gallery.

• Learn what curriculum designers and instructional designers do
• See how to get hired as a curriculum designer and/or instructional designer without having to spend thousands of dollars getting a new degree 
• Learn the skills you need to land a curriculum design or instructional design job 
• Create your personal portfolio so you can get the job you want 
• Create a resume and cover letter with optimized templates that come with the course 

Your E-Learning World’s Instructional Design for E-Learning Programs 

Price: $197.99

In this course, award-winning instructional design expert, Marina Arshavskiy, teaches people the art and science of creating engaging and results-oriented online courses that people love and want to finish. 

In this course, you’ll: 

• Learn how to design first-rate e-learning programs using the latest techniques in adaptive instruction, microlearning , and mobile platforms 
• Learn to apply adult learning principles, methodologies, and techniques to boost learning effectiveness 
• See how to manage e-learning projects using traditional and agile methodologies 
• Create your own e-learning portfolio

In addition to over 10 hours of multimedia-based lessons with real-life examples, this course also comes with exercises, quizzes, downloadable resources and templates, and an interactive Facebook community.

MIT’s Mastering Design Thinking Course

Price: USD $3,300, or pre-discounted prices of $2,937 and $3,036

Duration: 3 months

Difficulty level: Graduate

Mastering Design Thinking is a certification course created for individuals and teams that need a proven, systematic approach to new product development. While most people who take the course are (or aspire to be) product managers, UX designers, or growth consultants, you can apply design thinking to your work as an instructional designer, too. 

The principles of design thinking encompass everything from concept development, customer analysis, prototyping, and experimentation — all of which can come in handy when trying to create learning experiences tailored to specific groups of people. 

In this course, you’ll learn: 

• The design thinking skills needed to create a new product or improve an existing product 
• How to identify customer needs and use them as building blocks to user innovations 
• How to perform a financial analysis of your project idea and determine if it has a strong business rationale
• To apply brainstorming, creativity, and concept generation in your design process
• How to select and implement a product development process that aligns with your project needs — be it agile, spiral, or staged 

Mastering Design Thinking comes with 128 video lectures, 3 live teaching sessions, 3 group projects, 7 real-world applications, and a capstone project. 

UMGC x USMx’s MicroMasters® Program in Instructional Design and Technology

Price: USD $1,196, or a pre-discounted price of $1,076.40 

Duration: 8 months 

Difficulty level: Graduate 

The MicroMasters® Program in Instructional Design and Technology covers how to create advanced online learning opportunities using the latest tools and techniques that work with digital-first learners. In this course, you’ll learn a unique approach to instructional design that focuses largely on understanding learning theory, and creating online courses by blending traditioning instructional design models with prototyping and data analytics. 

In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify, evaluate, and integrate emerging technologies to support online learning
• Apply data mining techniques to design and evaluate learning experiences
• Select, evaluate, and design digital media to support learning

As part of this program, you’ll gain hands-on experience by developing and publishing online courses through an LMS of choice. This will solidify your knowledge of designing accessible and collaborative learning experiences, and advance your knowledge of educational theory.

UW-Stout’s Instructional Design Certificate Course  

Price: USD $5,712

Duration: 9 months – 3 years 

This instructional design course by the University of Wisconsin comprises 4 three-credit courses, with each covering broad topics, which include “trends and issues in instructional design”, “instructional strategies and assessment methods”, “designing computer-based training (CBT)”, and “project management for instructional development”.

In this course, you’ll learn how to: 

• Design effective learning materials for any delivery method 
• Use computer-based training and technology tools to solve instructional problems 
• Manage the entire instructional design process 
• Take advantage of career and volunteer instructional design network opportunities

Unlike the introductory courses you find on Coursera and Udemy, this course is very low-level. This means that it will take a long time to complete and you’ll have the best shot with it if you’re an undergraduate or post-graduate student in the education or ICT disciplines.

Harvard Extension School’s Learning Design and Technology Graduate Certificate Course

Price: USD $12,880

Duration: 1-3 years

Just like UW-Scout’s course, this learning design course by Harvard Extension School also consists of 4 credit courses that’ll take you 1-3 years to finish. These courses aim to teach you how to create and implement effective learning experiences on digital platforms . 

To successfully complete this course, you need a passing grade of “B” in each of the courses, after which you’ll receive a professional graduate certificate in Learning Design and Educational Technology. 

• The foundational instructional design theories and frameworks to develop learning experiences for digital platforms, including writing, content expertise, and project planning
• Relevant technology, methods, and programs, including video, editing, digital design, and interactive media
• Specializations like content management systems site development, website development, and web programming. 

This course can help you gain the skills you need to start (or advance) your career in K-12 education, higher education, nonprofit education, museums, corporate training, and other related organizations.

There are tons of instructional design courses out there. And, as you might’ve noticed from the ones outlined above, they all differ in pricing, duration, and difficulty level. If you’re having trouble choosing the right instructional design course for yourself, here are some tips to keep in mind: 

​Consider your career goals

A master’s degree in instructional design isn’t in the cards for everybody. Getting a degree costs time, money, and effort that you just may not have — especially if you’re new to instructional design as a whole. A 4-hour video on YouTube or a free 3-week course might be the level of investment that’s right for you.

But if you want to become a high-level ID specialist or pivot from, say, a project management role, you should consider taking one of the graduate-level courses outlined above. They’re more expensive and time-intensive, but you’ll have a better chance of landing a great ID job with those certificates.

​Evaluate the course content

Instructional design courses cover a ton of different topics. Some cover basic instructional design theories and digital pedagogy, while others cover learning management systems, curriculum design, prototyping, neuroscience, and visual design, among other things. So before you enroll in any course, check to see that the course content aligns with the trajectory you want to take in your instructional design career. 

If you want to make online learning videos and deliver them through an LMS, take a course that covers video design, editing, and digital learning platforms. But if you want to create unique learning experiences for disabled or neurodivergent learners, you’ll need a course that covers neuroscience, gamification, and concept development. 

​Check the course duration and flexibility

Before enrolling in any ID course, consider your schedule and plan around it. If you work a remote, part-time job, you may be able to take an intensive, instructor-led, three- to nine-month course to build your instructional design skills. But if you’re working two jobs around the clock, it may be more convenient to take a course that is self-paced. 

​Consider the course cost

The cost of instructional design courses can range from completely free to as high as $15,000. To pick the right course for you, you’ll need to plan your budget and determine how much money you can invest in an ID course. If you don’t earn much or you have a lot of expenses, you can choose a free or inexpensive course. But if you have enough money to spare (or are willing to make a sacrifice for your career), you can pay for a more expensive course.

Build a lucrative career in instructional design

The average salary of an instructional designer is $85,906 per year , according to Glassdoor. Not only is that way above minimum wage, but instructional designers have the flexibility to work in a wide range of institutions — from K-12 schools to nonprofit organizations to museums. 

If you’re looking to start a career in — or pivot to — instructional design, you’ll need to take specialized courses that’ll help you achieve your goal. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and outlined 10 of the best ID courses that range from beginner-level to graduate-level for you to pick from.  Think about your career goals, your budget, and your schedule, and choose the course that best aligns with those factors. 

​What is an instructional design course?

​Instructional design courses teach learners how to create effective educational experiences. These courses cover a range of topics, including eLearning, multimedia, project management, and more.

​Why should I take an online instructional design course?

​Online instructional design courses offer flexibility and convenience. They allow you to learn at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home.

​How do I choose the best instructional design course?

​When choosing an instructional design course, consider your career goals, the course content, duration, flexibility, and cost.

​Are online instructional design courses worth it?

​Yes, online instructional design courses are worth it. They provide valuable skills and knowledge that can enhance your career in the education or corporate training sector.

Althea Storm is a B2B SaaS writer who specializes in creating data-driven content that drives traffic and increases conversions for businesses. She has worked with top companies like AdEspresso, HubSpot, Aura, and Thinkific. When she's not writing web content, she's curled up in a chair reading a crime thriller or solving a Rubik's cube.

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13 Best + Free Instructional Design Certificate & Courses [Harvard | Emeritus | Illinois] [2024 August]

In the rapidly evolving field of education and training, instructional design plays a pivotal role in creating effective, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. Recognizing the critical need for skilled instructional designers, DigitalDefynd offers a series of Instructional Design Courses designed to equip educators, corporate trainers, and e-learning professionals with the tools and methodologies necessary to develop impactful educational content. 20+ Experts have compiled this list of Best Instructional Design Course, Tutorial, Training, Class, and Certification available online for 2024. It includes both paid and free resources to help you learn Instructional Design and these courses are suitable for beginners, intermediate learners as well as experts.

Our courses cover the essentials of instructional design, including learning theory, curriculum development, and the use of technology in education. Participants will explore a variety of instructional strategies that cater to diverse learning styles and needs, ensuring that educational materials are not only informative but also motivating and accessible to all learners. Through a blend of expert-led lectures, hands-on projects, and collaborative workshops, learners will gain practical experience in analyzing learner needs, designing instructional materials, and evaluating the effectiveness of education programs. The curriculum emphasizes the integration of digital tools and multimedia to enhance traditional learning environments and to facilitate the transition to online and blended learning formats.

Whether you are a teacher looking to refine your curriculum, a corporate trainer aiming to improve employee training programs, or a newcomer to the field of e-learning, DigitalDefynd’s Instructional Design Courses provide the comprehensive training needed to succeed in this vital profession. Join us to harness the power of instructional design and transform the way knowledge is delivered and absorbed in educational and corporate settings.

13 Best + Free Instructional Design Courses, Certificate, Training & Classes Online [2024 August] [UPDATED]

Instructional design pro (part 1): no beginners allowed (udemy).

This course is designed to help you learn how to write the golden training curriculum, which is easier to understand and more enjoyable to teach to potential learners. During the sessions, the instructor, Jason Teteak, will introduce the instructional design mastery course consisting of 18 core models divided into three parts. You’ll practice the concepts with 18 quizzes that will help you understand the course’s complexities and design an extensive course for the students . The course will give you access to various downloadable resources and spreadsheet templates, and assignments for better understanding.

Highlights – 

– Initiate with identifying the needs, objectives, and desires of your audience and learn about designing the course to meet the requirements of the learners

– Learn to make your activities more creative, fun, and exciting while ensuring your training is working for each end-user

– Know how you can provide the best experience for both trainers and users by designing a golden curriculum for e-learning courses

– Gain an understanding of making your visuals clearer and memorable, along with ensuring your trainees are successful at their job

Duration: 6.5 hours

Rating: 4.4 out of 5

You can Sign up Here

Instructional Design for Classroom Training (Udemy)

This course will enable you to learn how to design engaging and effective in-house and in-class training sessions in addition to e-learning experiences from scratch. The comprehensive approach is ideal for corporate trainers, managers who design training sessions, L&D, and HR professionals who aim to develop and reassess their knowledge . During the classes, the instructors will make you familiar with the world of instructional design with core concepts. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to design excellent classroom training for your learners. Along with this, you’ll get access to real-world examples, practical tools, and tips & tricks to be used in the long run.

– Learn to recognize the popular types of classroom training and learning opportunities accessible to organizations and perform key types of analysis to determine a need for a training

– Learn about different preferences to learning and demonstration that can be applied to a classroom training

– Get more practice of the design and development of crucial training elements in addition to translating accelerated learning principles to real-world classroom training

– Know how you can critically examine the training process and plan an evaluation strategy along with employing various Instructional Design models

Duration: 2 hours

Professional Certificate in Instructional Design (Emeritus)

The program is a one-of-a-kind created by Emeritus, it offers participants the chance to get first-hand expertise in the principles and methodologies of the field, preparing them to develop high-quality, practical solutions that help people learn better. Their programs enable people to gain new skills and have a long-lasting impact on the larger global community by leveraging the expertise of instructional design professionals, the Emeritus Instructional Design Institute, and their distinctive model that combines cutting-edge technology, curriculum innovation, and hands-on instruction. They are dedicated to providing high-quality education that is both inexpensive and accessible to educate the skills of the future. This curriculum is designed to assist you in developing a foundation in instructional analytics and design, regardless of whether you create instructional materials for a corporate or a higher education system. By the end of this program you will be leaving with practical knowledge of designing successful student learning solutions. Professionals working in customer enablement/sales enablement, HR/Learning development teams, instructors, and educators are the best candidates for this program.

Highlights-

– Learn the foundational concepts of instructional design, such as the scope of practice, essential theories and design models relating to learning, and your responsibility for ensuring accessibility.

– Develop the analytical abilities to pinpoint performance issues, learning requirements, and learning goals.

– Determine the optimum distribution format before designing and creating instructional resources like guided practice, assessments, instructional inputs like audio and video lectures, readings, and other non-video assets.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Duration: 5 months

Related: How to Create an Online Course on a Budget

Instructional Design for eLearning (Udemy)

This is another excellent course from Udemy designed to help you learn instructional design for eLearning courses. Signing up for this course will help you define the terms of instructional design, eLearning, and blended learning. You’ll learn how to apply the principles of behaviorism, constructivism, and cognitivism principles to your course design, select the most appropriate ISD model for your course, and more. The course is designed by Marina Arshavskiy, who is an award-winning instructional designer and eLearning expert. She will help you with actionable blog posts, newsletters, and articles to learn more about designing eLearning courses.

Highlights –

– A step-by-step tutorial to help you learn how to identify the advantages and disadvantages of synchronous and asynchronous eLearning

– Know about the concept of andragogy and Malcolm Knowles’s six principles of adult learning and how to apply them to your course design

– Learn to use accurate data collection methods and techniques to conduct needs analysis for eLearning courses

– Learn to differentiate between the learning management system and content management system, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

– Be able to conduct and execute audience analysis, performance gap analysis, and task analysis for all types of eLearning courses

Duration: 4-5 hours

Rating: 4.3 out of 5

Teach Anybody Anything: Reach Any Learner Anywhere (Udemy)

If you want to learn the tools that can help you engage a wider audience to teach anything and you want, this course from Udemy is an excellent choice. This is a five-step model course that explains how adults learn and how this theory can be used to reach every learner you work with easily . Joining this learning session will teach you the crucial components of each adult learning style and why you must know them to reach every learner successfully. You’ll also learn through multiple high-quality video lectures, practice workbooks, graded assignments, and other study material. Upon completing the program, a digital certificate will be shared with you to showcase your knowledge.

– A comprehensive guide to learn how you can teach others anything with a unique teaching approach

– Understand why most trainers are not able to teach others with different learning style and how you can adopt a consistent learning style

– Know the secret of discovering what trainees really want to know about your material without them even realizing it

– Learn to use the ‘Big Picture’ tool that demonstrates why the current subject matter is crucial and how it fits with current requirements

Duration: 1-2 hours

Instructional Design Courses (Includes Free Courses) (Udemy)

If you are looking forward to drawing inspiration and create awesome online courses, then this platform has got you covered. Here you have the option to learn to not only create but also teach the methods to get your content across to the students smoothly. Choose the lesson by using the filters available on the website and begin your journey. With hands-on exercises and expert tips, you will be set on your way to creating strong educational content.

– The classes cover each concept at a perfect pace with an emphasis on the key factors.

– The focus of this series is to solidify the foundation and learn about the use of software and tools to help you build complete and industrial level material.

– Incorporate the expert advice and best advice in your own thought process.

– The assessments and assignments prepare you to get started with your project.

– Lectures + Downloadable Resources + Full Lifetime Access

– The study material and videos can be accessed for a nominal fee.

Duration: Self-paced

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Related: Pros and Cons of Using AI in Education

Free Course Trial – Learning to Teach Online by University of New South Wales (Coursera)

If you are an educator or want to start a career in this field then this course will help you to learn the ropes. With guidance from the instructor, you will understand how to develop teaching strategies that can be effectively put into use and easily understood by your target audience. The lectures also show you how to engage and motivate students with different techniques.  With stellar reviews and ratings, it is safe to say that by the end of the program you will be ready to bring your educational vision to life and gain tangible career benefits.

– A great certification for individuals who want to acquire online teaching skills from scratch.

– Tons of tips and tricks to solidify knowledge, clarify doubts.

– Reach out to the instructors and resolve your queries.

– Each topic is covered in an elaborate manner with proper real-world demonstrations.

– The lessons are divided into appropriate parts and the deadlines can be shifted based on your convenience.

– As this is a beginner level course therefore much experience is not required to enroll in this certification.

Duration: 18 hours, 3 to 4 hours per week per course

Rating: 4.7 out of 5

You can Sign up Here  

Free Course Trial – Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning by University of Houston (Coursera)

Coursera is a valuable platform that offers brilliant instructional designing courses for all individuals. This comprehensive program will enable you to understand digital storytelling and use them to enhance students’ learning experience. It will introduce you to a solid foundation for a digital story illustrating, its components with example stories, links to readings, and video tutorials. You will also get an opportunity to make your own digital stories, as it covers the basic process of creating a digital story. The course is organized by the experienced teachers of the University of Houston, who will help you complete your certification quickly.

– Get familiar with the basics of digital storytelling while exploring the fundamental elements of good storytelling, along with accessing the course materials

– Know about scriptwriting, storyboarding, and creative commons, and the steps in developing and writing a script for the digital story

– Learn to focus on recording audio narration to be used in the digital story and get an understanding of the common types of microphones and recording devices

– Learn to assemble all of the elements required to create the final version of your digital story and publish it online

Duration: 14 hours

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Free Course Trial – Instructional Design Foundations and Applications by University of Illinois (Coursera)

This specialization program offers a comprehensive understanding of the conceptual and theoretical foundations and instructional systems design to build an innovative solution to organizational performance issues. It will introduce you to the concepts required to earn the Instructional design master track certificate in addition to the process of instructional design and its models. The course is prepared by Eunjung Grace Oh, who is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois. This curriculum gives you  access to flexible deadlines, self-paced learning options, and much more . Once the course is completed, you’ll earn a shareable certificate for the job openings. Have a look at our compilation of Best Web Designing Courses .

– Get familiar with the course and learning environment; orientation class will help you accomplish the technical skills required for the course

– Get introduced to theoretical foundations that comprise learning theories and instructional theories, along with multiple instructional design models and their exceptional characteristics

– Learn to examine the learning tasks, the key process of task analysis comprising leading information processing analysis & fundamentals analysis, and developing learning objectives

– Learn more about the context analysis, consisting of needs learning environment analysis and assessment in addition to target learner characteristics

Duration: 13 hours

Rating: 4.1 out of 5

Related: Pros and Cons of Creating an Online Course

Instructional Design Certificate (International Society of Educational Technology)

Prepared by certified instructional designers and professional tutors of the International Society for Educational Technology, this course will teach you everything about instructional design. Signing up for this curriculum will enable you to learn the latest developments in instructional design for online education. You’ll gain knowledge of employing various multimedia technology tools to design, create, and evaluate engaging learning experiences. The course is equipped with comprehensive instructional videos, graded assignments, and practice quizzes . After completing the syllabus, you’ll be able to apply the understandings of the Design framework to course design, design assessments based on desired outcomes, and more.

– Designed with a straightforward purpose to teach you how to create materials and provide guidance for the best practices in online teaching

– Understand how individuals learn and how you can design the experience conceptually and aesthetically

– Addresses the blended learning environments, synchronous and asynchronous concerns, the use of a variety of media like video and audio

– Learn to construct and deploy an online lesson and incorporate e-learning technologies, link high-quality education research to policy and practice, and more

– Be able to apply instructional design theory and research and universal design while analyzing learning styles in the development of e-learning activities

Duration: Variable

Introduction to Instructional Design (Harvard Extension School)

This intermediate-level course is specifically designed to guide you along the creative process of the e-learning experience. The lectures are covered in a project-based approach so that you can test and try the techniques covered in the videos immediately. By using today’s tools and media you will be able to create unique learning opportunities and incorporate innovative methods in your own workflow.

– The program guides you through the necessary practices and advice required for the classes.

– Well structured curriculum and perfectly paced material.

– Real-life examples accentuate the topics covered in the videos.

– Try out the books and resources suggested in the course to make the most of it.

– Take all the graded examinations and complete all the assignments to earn the completion badge.

Duration: Self-paced/ Instructor-led

Instructional Design and Technology Certificate Course by University of Maryland (edX)

This micromasters program is designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills required to capitalize on one of the rapidly growing areas of education. Throughout the lessons, you will learn to develop engaging and active learning using various emerging technologies, data analytics and digital pedagogy. Apart from this, you will also get the opportunity to design a collaborative and interactive experience for students.

Highlights –

– Explore contemporary learning theories to create online educational materials.

– Implement different instructional design models based on the requirements.

– Analyze and evaluate digital media to understand the possible challenges in the field and how to overcome them.

– Learn about the emerging technologies, their advantages, and disadvantages and their appropriate use.

– Design implementation process and apply data mining methodologies for the creation of quality final content.

– Complete and clear all the graded assignments to finish the micromasters program.

Duration: 4 courses, 8 weeks per course, 4 to 6 hours per week, per course

Related: Online Vs. Offline Education

Instruction Design Training Courses (LinkedIn Learning)

If you are more of a hands-on learner then this website won’t disappoint you. These tutorials are divided into three levels, namely: beginner, intermediate and advanced. With the continuous advancement in this field, many new regimes and routines are coming up every day so take courses on agile instructional design, interactive learning ways, microlearning, working with SMEs and more. The lessons are designed to be short so that you can learn your chosen skill in a time concise manner.

– Explore the different aspects of this field by getting hands-on and taking the project-based approach.

– The lectures include a detailed explanation of how to handle the exercises.

– Exercises and videos are available for online attendance and attempt as for offline use.

– Implement the concepts covered in the lectures and create content that exceeds expectations.

– The training is divided into sections along with relevant chapter quizzes.

– The complete study materials are available for free after the first month of signing up.

– The programs have been taken by students, teachers, instructors and more.

So these were the Best Instructional Design Tutorial, Class, Course, Training & Certification available online for 2024. DigitalDefynd’s Instructional Design Courses offer a robust foundation for anyone looking to enhance their skills in creating effective and engaging learning experiences. These courses equip you with the knowledge and practical tools necessary to design, implement, and evaluate educational programs that meet the diverse needs of learners. By mastering the principles of instructional design, you’ll be able to significantly impact the effectiveness of educational content, whether in traditional classrooms, corporate training environments, or online platforms. Start your journey with DigitalDefynd today to become a skilled instructional designer, ready to innovate and lead in the development of cutting-edge educational solutions. Whether you are deepening your existing expertise or entering the field for the first time, these courses provide the guidance and hands-on experience needed to make a meaningful difference in how education is approached and delivered. Embrace the opportunity to transform educational outcomes and empower learners through well-crafted instructional design.

Wish you a Happy Learning! 🙂

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Team DigitalDefynd

At DigitalDefynd, we help you find the best courses, certifications, and tutorials online. Hundreds of experts come together to handpick these recommendations based on decades of collective experience. So far we have served 4 Million+ satisfied learners and counting.

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• Academics /

Learning Design and Technology Graduate Certificate

Learn to create and implement effective learning experiences on digital platforms.

Online with On-Campus Options

Next Start Term: Spring 2025

Registration opens November 4, 2024

What You'll Learn

Through the Learning Design and Technology Certificate, you will gain the skills you need to develop or enhance a career in K–12 education, higher education, corporate training, nonprofit education, museums, or related organizations.

You will build knowledge of:

• Foundational instructional design theories, frameworks, and application-to-develop learning experiences for digital platforms, including project-planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology.
• Pertinent technology, programs, and methods, including interactive media, video, editing, digital design, and digital narrative.
• Focused topic areas like website development, web programming, and content management systems site development.

Certificate Courses

The professional graduate certificate in Learning Design and Technology requires four courses:

• Foundations course (choose one course from select group)
• Technology for Education course (choose one course from select group)
• Elective course (choose one course from select group)
• Application of knowledge and skills course (choose one course from select group; this is your final certificate course)

You can search for available courses by course group and term — fall, spring, or summer — in the certificate course search within DCE Course Search & Registration platform.

Earning Your Certificate

Most of our certificates can be completed online and no formal application process is required to pursue a certificate.

To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must:

• Complete the  four certificate courses for graduate credit .
• Earn at least a  B grade  in each course.
• Complete the courses within three years .

Learn more about  pursuing a certificate  and the process of  requesting your certificate .

Stack Your Certificate Into a Degree

Stackable credential pathways allow you to earn multiple credentials by completing courses that meet overlapping requirements. In the short term, you can earn your learning design and technology certificate. Once completed, those four courses may count toward either a master’s degree in digital media design , a master’s degree in mathematics for teaching , or a master’s degree in museum studies .

This stackable pathway offers an efficient, cost-effective way to earn short-term credentials to help fill immediate skill gaps and acquire specialized knowledge while building a foundation for long-term success that showcases your expertise in the field.

Learn how to plan a stackable credential pathway .

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Discover how we can help you succeed with our comprehensive courses. Enrollment deadline is 11th September

Leading the way in instructional design

At Digital Learning Institute, we shape and support the careers of ambitious digital learning professionals. Because we believe that learning is life-changing, and the very best learning experiences should be made easily accessible ​to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Career Defining

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Our courses are Industry-endorsed and university-credit rated

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98% of students recommend DLI, trusted by over 800+ leading companies and leaders.

Trusted by the world's leading universities and organisations:

We build and maintain your skills.

Digital Learning Institute supports career-long progression. Whether you are completely new to this area or already have a track record in education and learning, we help you achieve your professional goals. Our university credit-rated courses and CPD platform enable you to learn core practical skills, then specialise and maintain your knowledge as you develop your career.

Learn the skills to become a Certified Digital Learning Professional

Gain the end-to-end skills and confidence to create and deploy groundbreaking digital learning experiences in any context.

Access toolkits, guides, and blueprints

Build job-ready skills with hands-on learning

Deliver value with a real-world digital learning project

Specialise and enhance your certification with stackable credentials

Ignite your career as a digital learning professional with specialist certifications in accessibility and universal design, immersive learning, and AI.

Become a rounded learning professional

Globally recognised and industry-approved qualifications

Complete in just eight weeks

Maintain your certification with a CPD Subscription

Continue to build your expertise with microcredentials and explore the very latest digital learning trends, tools, and blueprints. Stay connected with your peers as you maintain your certification.

Maintain your post-nominal designation

€200 discount on any additional course

Retain access to all course materials after completion and learn new skills with microcredentials

I wholeheartedly recommend this course. The ongoing support, practical toolkits, and the overall community spirit make it an invaluable experience!

Learning Specialist, SIXT

The BEST course I have ever done!!! Can’t recommend it enough

Education Manager, Dermalogica UK

I’m convinced that I got the promotion because of the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design.

Educator, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Enhance your certification with stackable credentials.

After your Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design , round out your expertise and enhance your certification by specialising.

Accessible Design

Immersive learning, ai for learning, project management, boost your skills.

Stay relevant with self-paced micro-credentials to bolster your learning and your professional profile.

Access 33% more learning content

CPD subscribers get access to all elective modules on the Professional Diploma, maximising learning from day one

Keep your skills fresh

Access weekly expert live learning events, and best-practice toolkits and blueprints whenever you need them

A thriving peer community

Collaborate on projects with your peers in our immersive learning lab. Connect through live online meetups and a specialist careers forum.

Still to this day after graduating 10 months ago I am constantly using the toolkits from the Digital Learning Institute to make sure I am making the best design process

Nix Holland

CPD Subscriber

Associate Certificate in Instructional Design

Explore the fundamentals of digital learning design. Gain an understanding of the principles and concepts used in instructional design. Discover the main tools and blueprints used to design, build, and roll out high-quality online learning experiences.

Certificate or Diploma – which is right for me?

The Associate Certificate course is for people who need to understand the fundamentals of digital learning design. It addresses the core process, principles, and practices of instructional design by focusing on the design of multimedia digital learning.

The Diploma course is for those looking to advance their careers as digital learning professionals. This is an end-to-end course that builds the knowledge and practical skills you need to design all forms of digital learning and implement digital learning strategies.

Course Accreditation

Our courses are university credit-rated by Glasgow Caledonian University (UK), listed in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. This means you will benefit from our courses being on the UK and European qualification frameworks, with global framework equivalence.

Why choose Digital Learning Institute?

As the leaders in our field, we upskill you to meet the very latest market-defined standards in digital learning and equip you with the practical tools and confidence you need to revolutionise the next chapter in digital learning.

Our hands-on approach blends academic rigour and industry expertise so that you gain cutting edge, applicable skills that are highly sought-after by employers.

Igniting your learning career

We help learning professionals accelerate rewarding careers in digital learning design. Working closely with industry and educators, we deliver the transformative, hands-on skills that employers are looking for and boost your CV with recognised credentials.

As part of your course, you will also design and create a real-world digital learning project. This allows you to apply the theories and principles you've learned in a practical setting - simulating the challenges and rewards of a real digital learning initiative.

Leading industry standards

We give you the confidence and capabilities to innovate, design, and lead in your professional field. Then we help you stay ahead of the curve and set you up for a career marked by progress, influence, and the ability to shape the future of digital learning.

Because we’re at the forefront of the latest trends, technologies, and best practice, you can rely on us to support your career-long professional development, signposting the latest thinking, adding to your skillset, and keeping you in contact with your peers.

Your fellow students deliver best-in-class digital learning at the world’s leading organisations

We’ve helped thousands of students to accelerate rewarding careers in digital learning. See how DLI certification has impacted their careers

Lesley Corridan

The Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design is the BEST course I have ever done!!! Can’t recommend it enough 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Fiona O'Brien

Superb course content, great style of presentation both online and in person. John in particular is an excellent facilitator who can break things down into simpler form. All the staff were supportive, organised and kept us informed. I would highly rate this company.

Ivona Funaru

On a scale from 0 – 10, it’s a 10! The Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design is an excellent fit for individuals just starting their careers as it delves deeply into theoretical foundations and fundamental concepts every L&D professional should know. You will undoubtedly find elements within the course that can elevate your career, enrich your experiences, and amplify your offering However, it's also perfect for those with experience, as it refines and fine-tunes existing skills.

Catherine White

From completing the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design it has given me more confidence and now I feel more credible in what I have to say about Digital Learning Design. I am no longer afraid to speak up with my opinion on something because I feel like I have factual evidence behind me now.

Deirdre Keary

Before completing the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design I wasn’t tech savy and wouldn’t see it as my strength but now I definitely have more confidence now that I have done the course! It was very comprehensible.

Alan O' Flaherty

Even though I had that knowledge, I didn’t have a qualification to back it up so I was feeling imposter syndrome in my job. Digital Learning Institute definitely helped me progress in my journey within digital learning.

Karl Kearns

Moving from face-to-face instruction to digital content creation was challenging, but the Professional Diploma in Digital Learning Design at Digital Learning Institute transformed my approach. This course not only helped me bridge my skills gap but also introduced me to effective digital learning methods. The course's structure, combined with unwavering support from Digital Learning Institute's team, made my experience unparalleled. My advice? Investing in yourself is crucial. Digital Learning Institute courses have supercharged my career more in a short span than years prior. If you're considering advancing your skills in this domain, Digital Learning Institute is the place to start.

Lucas Ginani

This course not only closed the knowledge gaps I had but also honed my expertise in digital learning design. Now, I approach my work with greater confidence and precision, and my content quality has vastly improved. This program is the perfect guide for anyone aiming to excel in the Learning and Development or Instructional Design realm. If you want clarity, efficiency, and precision in your career, I wholeheartedly recommend the Digital Learning Institute.

David McKay

With the Digital Learning Institute's Professional Diploma, I gained an invaluable understanding of the eLearning process, right from conceptualization to a finished product. The structured approach, particularly lessons on wireframing, was pivotal in simplifying and enhancing content creation for me. The confidence and clarity I've achieved through this course are unmatched, and I wholeheartedly recommend the Digital Learning Institute to anyone looking to amplify their digital learning prowess.

Pamela Atzori

I would definitely recommend the Digital Learning Institute, because for me I could see it as a group of people who are very passionate about education and have created a course that’s tailored around training and people who want to improve their careers.

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Learning Design and Technology

10 Essential Instructional Design Courses [+ Selection Guide]

Instructional Design vs. Learning Design vs. Curriculum Design

Instructional design course areas, 1. instructional & learning design models & theories, 2. design technologies and tools, 3. project management, 4. user design, 5. emerging technologies, 6. content curation, 7. research methods, 8. leadership, 9. program design, assessment and evaluation, 10. elearning, how to select the best instructional design programs, frequently asked questions.

If you’re interested in getting into the growing and in-demand field of Instructional Design , then you likely have some questions about what you need in terms of skills, knowledge and experience. It can feel overwhelming, since instructional and learning designers wear a lot of hats and they’re expected to be skilled in learning sciences, visual design, project management, communication, writing and other areas.

There are an increasing number of certificate and master’s degree programs that offer a range of experiences — from a foundational knowledge of theory to working with specific tools and technology. Consider this guide a highlight of the most important areas of study and the types of instructional and eLearning design courses you should be looking for in your training as an instructional designer.

Before we cover the major areas of instructional design training or learning design courses, it’s important to define and discuss what we mean when we talk about different processes and job titles.

• Instructional design is the process of creating learning or instructional experiences that facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge. Instructional design focuses on the teaching activity — the instruction — of how content is delivered to achieve set learning goals. Instructional design practices aim to create teaching exercises that ensure the best possible outcomes for learners.
• Learning design is an evolution of instructional design that shifts the focus from the instruction of material more toward the recipient, i.e. the learner. It combines instructional design and design thinking to promote a more human-centered and creative thinking approach to learning solutions. A learning designer will take a learner’s prior experiences and current needs as the guide in coordination with appropriate learning theories.
• Curriculum Design is more about the creation of the overall course blueprint. Its focus is on how to map content to learning objectives by developing a course outline to build the course. A dedicated curriculum designer is generally less concerned with the learners or the instructional approach and is more focused on developing the actual learning materials and how they interact with or build upon each other — both within a single course and across a wider curriculum.

All three processes are intertwined, to the point that learning design and instructional design are sometimes used interchangeably, though there are important distinctions between the two. You can think of instructional design as the essential process and theories, while learning design asks “yes, and…?” to push you to think creatively about how to best empathize with your learners’ needs.

Some job positions may prioritize the specific skills and experience of one tract over another, such as an institution that’s seeking both a curriculum developer and a learning strategist to fill different roles. It’s good practice to at least familiarize yourself with all three design processes, as they encompass necessary knowledge and skills for any aspiring instructional designer.

Many courses are available in-person and online, each with varying names, credit hours, prerequisites, and lengths. The courses you choose will heavily depend on course availability, your schedule, the career path you want, and other variables.

So, rather than highlighting a specific instructional design course, this is a list of courses regarded as integral and fundamental to the instructional and learning design field – from understanding design theories to practical experience with specific design platforms and technological tools.

When exploring higher education opportunities, these are the courses that you’ll want to look for.

If you’re entirely new to the field of learning instructional design and can’t tell the difference between an ADDIE model and the SAM model, then your education needs to start here. Many educational and training programs will offer introductory courses along the lines of “Introduction to Instructional Design” or “Learning Theory and Design.”

These programs explain the methodology of learning design, which is the process by which you “do” instructional design. They offer courses that review learning theories and instructional design models that will inform the decisions you make about designing experiences and developing materials.

If you have experience in instructional design, then taking an advanced course in theory and design, or earning a certificate that provides more hands-on experience with a specific learning model, can keep your skills up-to-date and provide you with more tools to draw upon.

Modern instructional design utilizes numerous technologies and software to design courses, evaluate them and collaborate with others throughout the process. As an instructional designer, clients expect you to be familiar with several tools and platforms, such as Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, Blackboard, and Canvas. While your program of study will likely focus on using particular platforms, you should at least be familiar with the most common and popular tools.

Standard titles for these instructional design training courses can include “Learning Technologies Foundations and Applications,” “Learning Media Design,” or specialized certificates for a particular program — i.e. “Get Started with Articulate Storyline 360.” These courses may also review basic principles of HTML coding, website design, and storyboarding.

Instructional design requires careful management of your own time and your collaboration with others to complete projects on time and under budget. Courses that teach project management will provide a methodology for applying your skills to achieve your goals more effectively. These skills include aligning project work with instructional goals and learning objectives, determining a scope of work, making accurate time and cost estimates, keeping yourself and others on task, and communicating project plans with clients and other stakeholders.

Project management skills can be incorporated into more extensive “Introductory” courses, but some programs may also offer specific “Project Management for Instructional Designers,” or “Project Management” learning design courses. In general, you’ll be expected to design and develop a learning experience while performing essential project management techniques, such as aligning objectives, creating a plan, performing task analysis, and making formative and summative assessments.

It’s essential for instructional designers to understand the artistic and technical aspects necessary for creating engaging and accessible digital media. Courses in user design teach basic principles of user experience (UX), user interface (UI), how to follow standard web content accessibility guidelines, and how to understand and develop learner experience (LX) design rubrics.

Look for course names such as “Mastering Design Thinking,” “Visual Design Principles,” or “Elements of User Interface Design.”

Some programs offer a deeper dive into emerging technologies and digital learning experiences. These courses inform students about the latest digital resources and model how to utilize them in course creation and implementation.

Courses can include topics such as “Gamification,” “Digital Storytelling,” and “Extended Reality,” or introduce digital methods of recognizing learning outcomes such as micro-credentialing and badging.

Online courses utilize digital resources and reach a broader array of students, but digital content curation requires a thoughtful approach that accounts for issues of accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity. Courses covering these topics may also review resources and strategies applicable to education and training, such as Open Educational Resources (OER), Creative Commons (CC) licensing, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

To be better prepared for tomorrow’s learning environment, look for courses on how to create online courses and utilize digital content aligned with current best practices, accessibility laws, ethical design considerations, and account for current adaptive and assistive technologies. Sample courses can include “Inclusive Design” or “Designing for Accessibility.”

Finding the information and resources you need is an important skill for any professional, but it’s essential for instructional and learning designers. IDs are expected to know how to collect and analyze data in a manner that is ethical and objective. Courses on research methods will demonstrate how to find and use data to inform program and instructional design decisions, pose research questions, and write research proposals.

Courses such as “Educational Research Methods” and “Research Methods for Instructional Design” will have students practice quantitative and qualitative research methodologies while reviewing literature specific to research in education.

Instructional design courses in leadership help students develop the knowledge, practice, and communication skills required to effectively manage project expectations and deliverables while collaborating with a cross-functional design team. More courses are looking at leadership in the digital space and can include an overview of how designers can start new initiatives or lead change within an organization.

Leadership courses can focus on various elements, ranging from remote leadership techniques to a review of the governing bodies that regulate compliance with accreditation and accessibility standards. Sample courses include “Leading Diverse Teams and Organizations” or “Leadership in Virtual Learning.”

While full-time programs are likely to include assessment and evaluation as a general part of their instructional design training, some programs will have dedicated courses or certificates to introduce students to the theories and techniques used in evaluating educational and training programs.

These courses will teach you the methodologies used to identify needs, establish objectives, evaluate outcomes, and then apply them in education, industry, or adult training environments. Courses like “Assessment for Learning” or “Evaluation for Instructional Design” ask students to turn theory into practice by assessing and evaluating case studies or training programs they design.

Remote and digital learning is increasingly a core component of education and training. Courses in eLearning design include accounting for diverse learning needs, effectively employing interactive elements, and learning essential authoring tools and other development software.

Courses, such as “Teaching Online” and “Interactive eLearning and Assessment,” include best practices in developing synchronous or asynchronous experiences in an online learning environment.

The best approach toward selecting the instructional design courses depends on your own background and knowledge:

• If you’re looking to get a start in the field, then you’d be better served by a program that introduces you to the essential learning design models and theories and provides some training on all of the above areas. While you could take different courses to self-design your own program, enrolling in a structured program would offer the comprehensive instruction that will provide you with a solid base of knowledge in combination with important technical and design skills.
• If you’re transitioning into instructional design from an educational or training career and are familiar with some of the core concepts, then you may be better suited to an advanced program. These learning design programs are structured around having students apply theoretical concepts with practical applications of technology integration and collaboration.
• If you’re an existing instructional designer that wants to improve your skills and learn new technologies, then enrolling in single courses or earning specific certificates might be more appropriate for what you’re looking for.

In all cases, to ensure a strong background and portfolio, look for programs that:

• Cover the foundational models and theories of learning design
• Offer design practice through a robust implementation of modern learning technology
• Present the current trends, issues and practices in the field
• Emphasize the importance of data collection and analysis to inform design
• Prioritize diversity in audience and cultural understanding

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you want to look for programs that provide an opportunity to build out your professional portfolio. Having a robust set of examples of your design skills, technical knowledge and collaboration abilities will make you a strong candidate for any position. Your portfolio should highlight your struggles and mistakes as much as your successes to showcase your ability to grow, adapt and adjust to challenges.

Choosing the right instructional design courses will not only provide you with strong foundational knowledge and valuable skills and experience, but it will also make you part of a community of learners that you can draw upon for support throughout your professional career.

Those values have informed our design of the Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology program for the University of San Diego. The MS-LDT program was developed to provide our students a supportive and collaborative environment to practice their skills in developing an exemplary, peer-evaluated portfolio.

For details on the specific courses our program offers, see our curriculum page . If you have additional questions please contact us to learn more about our program.

How long does it take to earn a degree as an instructional designer?

Every program is different, but in general, a full-time master’s degree program will take you around two years to complete. You can expect part time programs to take longer depending on how many units you take in a semester.

The Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology is a 30-unit, project-based program and is designed to be completed in five semesters over 20 months.

How much does it cost to take a full program in instructional design?

The average cost of a full-time, two year master’s degree program is between $44,000-$57,000 — though some programs can be much more expensive. At a cost-per-credit of $710, USD’s LDT program tuition totals $21,300.

Can my instructional design skills be used in education or private industry?

Yes. Instructional designers are in demand across industries, from public and higher education to corporate settings and even in government positions.

Can I complete an entire learning design program online?

Absolutely. USD’s own LDT program is 100% online.

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Courses , Instructional Design

The 9 Best Instructional Design Training Courses Online (2024)

Published on: 08/28/2024

By Scott Winstead

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Did you know the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for instructional designers to grow faster than the average for all other occupations over the next decade?

I’ve spent the better part of my life obsessing over everything eLearning and instructional design. From those late nights tweaking course modules to testing out all new LMS programs – I’ve been there, done that, and loved every second of it. It’s why I started this website in the first place — to share my passion for eLearning with others who might want to break into the industry.

But here’s the thing — I didn’t go the traditional route of getting a master’s degree in the field. I was taught mostly through online courses.

With the best instructional design courses online, you too can gain the skills and knowledge needed to enter the educational field, transition into virtual learning, or even create your own online courses.

I’ve navigated through the sea of online courses out there to bring you an in-depth, unbiased look at the best training programs out there to help you become an instructional designer , including options from platforms like Emeritus, iSpring Solutions, LinkedIn Learning, and more. These picks are based on the quality of the curriculum, instructor credentials, certifications, cost, student reviews, and other key factors.

Note: If you’re an aspiring instructional designer, we also highly recommend downloading your free copy of An Instructional Designer’s Notebook  from our friends at iSpring as it’s a great companion to this guide.

Instructional Designer’s Notebook is a free collection of the most useful guides on becoming an instructional designer and creating eLearning content to facilitate every step on your eLearning trajectory. It includes lists of ebooks, YouTube channels, blogs, tips from top experts, interactive checklists, and more.

What are the Best Instructional Design Courses Online?

Here are my 2024 picks for the top instructional design classes online. Keep scrolling down to read about each of them in detail:

1. Professional Certificate in Instructional Design (Emeritus)

Gain firsthand expertise in instructional design principles and methodologies through this unique Professional Certificate program. Create impactful learning solutions and improve people's ability to learn.

The next class kicks off on October 22, 2024, so don't miss your chance to enroll now! Take advantage of early bird discounts leading up to the kickoff date:

20% off until September 3

15% off until September 24

10% off until October 15

$3,500 total (significant early-bird discounts may be available at certain times during enrollment; flexible payment options also available)

• Offers in-depth instructional design training to quickly get you career-ready
• The course is fully up to date and includes info on the latest technology, tools, and instructional design methods
• Hands-on, interactive instruction helps students learn quicker and more effectively
• Cohort-style learning allows you to connect with peers for feedback and networking
• Class is only offered a few times a year

If you’re pursuing a career in instructional design , you can gain the experience and skills you need to succeed in the field with the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design from Emeritus. It’s our pick for the best instructional design course out there today.

In only 5 months, you can get all the world-class training you need to earn a certificate and build your career as an instructional designer.

Emeritus’ instructional design training certificate program offers industry-relevant topics, experienced instructors, and hands-on opportunities.

You’ll learn all about the analytics and methodologies needed to create engaging, effective learning solutions for your students or colleagues — no matter which platform or tool is used.

Other topics explored in this learning path include:

• Instructional design theories and models
• Tips for applying instructional design to projects
• How to develop clear objectives for instructional design projects
• Best practices for course implementation and improvement
• How to create engaging learning experiences

Are you a teacher, recent graduate, or early-career instructional design professional looking to boost your career? This course is for you!

Not only does it offer valuable networking opportunities, but it can also help you stand out when applying for new job opportunities. Don’t miss out on the chance to take your career and instructional design skills to the next level.

Joining Emeritus as a student means being part of a supportive learning community committed to your growth and triumph.

With a closely-knit cohort, you embark on an educational journey, working together to navigate coursework and uplift each other. Expect meaningful collaborations and insightful exchanges, as well as supplemental resources to ensure everyone stays on track. This unique blend of community and resources empowers students to master new skills and turn their lives around.

Enroll now in this instructional design program and receive a free one-year subscription to Emeritus Insights! This innovative app offers access to over 5,000 condensed lessons and lectures from top universities and publications like Harvard Business Review.

Expand your knowledge with on-demand exploration of subjects including data science, marketing, leadership, strategy, and business communication. Start your journey towards lifelong learning and professional development today.

Click here to request a brochure that tells you all about the Professional Certificate in Instructional Design from Emeritus.

Teachers and educators, recent graduates, early-career instructional design professionals, or anyone considering moving into an ID career.

2. How to Create an Interactive Online Course (iSpring Solutions)

Master every stage of course development, from identifying learning objectives and creating a storyboard to perfecting the graphics and publishing your project online.

The Standard plan costs $270 and doesn’t include practical tasks. With the Pro plan, which costs $570, you’ll get hands-on assignments, expert reviews, a final project, and a three-month trial of iSpring Suite, a comprehensive authoring toolkit. You can also view demo lessons for free.

3 hours of video lessons plus practical tasks.

• All lessons are available immediately, and you can learn at your own pace.
• Practical assignments and knowledge checks after each lesson.
• A great deal of supplementary guides and articles are provided in addition to the main lessons.
• You can chat with your trainer for consultation, inspiration, and tips.
• The course concludes with a final project, but there is no final knowledge check.
• There is no opportunity to connect with other learners taking the course.

This course comprises 20 video lessons and covers everything you need to know to create effective and dynamic online courses. Anna Poli, a Senior Instructional Designer at iSpring, explains basic learning theories and methodologies, design principles, and how to use different content formats to make knowledge stick.

During the course, you’ll also learn how to:

• Set measurable learning objectives.
• Make a course script and a storyboard.
• Identify and quickly fix poorly designed slides.
• Create engaging training videos, role-plays, and assessments.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of your online course.

The course also introduces iSpring Suite, a powerful authoring toolkit. You’ll master its key features and be able to use the tool for your future projects.

By the end of the course, you’ll develop a final project — your own online course — receive expert feedback, and be ready to showcase it in your portfolio.

All the materials are available for 6 months after purchase.

Learner feedback:

I liked the way it was structured and how it provided all the essential ingredients to create an effective course. I also appreciated the free navigation because it allowed me to start with the lessons that interested me the most. Anna’s charisma and extensive knowledge made the learning experience even more enjoyable. I would recommend this course to anyone seeking a clear understanding of what lies behind great e-learning.

This course is designed for aspiring instructional designers, educators, business coaches, and anyone who develops training materials, at least occasionally. It’s also perfect for people with no previous ID experience or skills, as it starts with the basics and then moves on to more advanced aspects of eLearning content development.

3. e-Learning Ecologies (Coursera)

Learn about the benefits of eLearning technology and how to utilize it effectively to better educate your students in this excellent online course.

Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.

3 weeks to complete

• Offers university-level instruction
• Flexible schedule lets you learn at your own pace
• Some lectures can be a bit dry and lack engagement
• Not much of a community aspect

This course explores seven affordances of e-learning ecologies. These affordances, if recognized and harnessed, will prepare learners for success in a world that is increasingly dominated by digital information flows and tools for communication in the workplace, public spaces, and personal life.

This course offers a wide variety of examples of learning technologies and technology implementations that, to varying degrees, demonstrate these affordances in action.

It’s taught by multiple professors from the University of Illinois and is part of a certificate program for those who pay for the full course experience.

You will learn seven affordances of e-learning ecologies:

• Ubiquitous Learning
• Active Knowledge Making
• Multimodal Meaning
• Recursive Feedback
• Collaborative Intelligence
• Metacognition
• Differentiated Learning

A logically arranged course offering a cogent, insightful creative vision of learning in a time of emerging digital affordances. The course is interesting and worthwhile to take, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Highly recommended for anyone interested in teaching and learning in the 21st century, particularly e-learning, which increasingly intrudes on and mixes with “face to face” teaching and learning, as we harness the tools and media now available relatively easily, cheaply and ubiquitously.

Best for: People interested in the future of education and the “learning society,” including people who may wish to join education as a profession, practicing teachers interested in exploring future directions for a vocation, and community and workplace leaders who regard their mission to be in part “educative.” Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days .

4. Instructional Design Foundations (Coursera)

This online instructional design course from the University of Illinois comprehensively covers the foundations of instructional design over a 4-week period. Included with a Coursera+ subscription

Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo). Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days. See our Coursera pricing guide for more info.

• Course is well organized
• Not much on the community/networking side of things
• Some lessons feel too long to keep the student’s attention

Learn the conceptual and theoretical foundations of instructional design in this excellent online course.

By understanding the concepts taught in this instructional design course, you’ll be better prepared to succeed in an eLearning environment.

Some of the things you’ll learn in this instructional design class include:

• Key concepts of instructional systems design
• Learning and instructional theories
• How to develop online learning objectives
• The process of instructional design
• Instructional design models
• Instructional solutions to performance problems in organizations

Very clear course, provides definitions and/or discussion of terms that at are useful for a clearer understanding of the ID process. Good continuity between topics and good use of diagrams.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It is well taught and well organised. The material provided a thorough overview of the field, and the readings were particularly fascinating and helpful.

Best for:  Those new to the industry who need to get a grasp on instructional design theory and concepts. Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days .

5. Instructional Design Pro Part 1 (Udemy)

28 lectures, 6.5 hours of video total

• Easy-to-follow instructions
• Pretty thorough
• Covers a lot of technical aspects overlooked by other courses
• The price for the course changes often, making it difficult to know if you’re getting the best deal
• The course focuses a bit more on the people in the room sometimes at the expense of the online viewer
• Some lessons drag a bit

This self-paced, on-demand instructional design class is the first in a three-part series.

It focuses on the initial steps in the instructional design process, including how to do a needs analysis and understand your audience.

It’s taught by Jason Teteak, the founder and CEO of Rule the Room Train the Trainer. Rather than spending a lot of time on theories and models, he focuses on transferring training skills via practical, simple, universal, and immediately actionable techniques.

When you’ve finished this ID course, check out Jason’s other two courses to learn about course design and curriculum production. Together, all of the courses act as a sort of instructional design mastery series.

You will learn:

• Identify with your audience and learn more about them
• Identify what they do and organize it in a way that makes sense
• Determine what to teach and how to organize it
• Determine the initial class structure

I thought the course was insightful and there was a lot of food for thought in terms of research, planning, designing and delivering a course. The layers of design structure felt a bit cumbersome but that may be because it is coming from a completely different frame of reference to my own. I liked the activities and the trainer’s engagement with the trainees. The resources available are really good. There was quite a lot of material to get through and sometimes it felt a little crammed. It was really positive having activities throughout and again having resources like the spreadsheet templates to facilitate that. Thank you!

Best for: Trainers who develop their own materials, people who want an introduction to needs analysis, designers who are looking for practical tips they can implement right away

6. Create Your First Course in Articulate Storyline 3 (Udemy)

$49.99 (see our Udemy pricing guide for more info)

28 lectures, 2.5 hours of video total

• Flexible, on-demand format
• Easy to follow the teacher’s instructions
• Well organized and very thorough
• Pacing is a little slow at times
• Audio quality could be better

This instructional design program covers the basics of getting started with Articulate Storyline 3.

Radu Velcea, a graphic design instructor for the past 7 years, walks you through the creation of a Storyline eLearning project. He shows you how to start a project from scratch and add interactive elements. He also covers how to assess a learner’s retention of the content by creating quizzes and a result page.

You’ll need Storyline 3 (full or trial version) to get the most out of this course.

• Setting up global preferences
• Starting a new project from scratch
• Adding animation, transitions, custom buttons, and images to a project
• Making sure your course meets accessibility requirements
• Creating a basic assessment
• Publishing your project

The course was very helpful and gave me a very descriptive and step by step guidance in creating a course with interactive elements, such as animations, buttons, hotspots, and audio narration, use of triggers to create animation paths and a lot more. Radu Velcea was very clear with a detailed and clear guidance of the use of the various tools required.

Best for: People who are new to Articulate Storyline 3, designers who want to make their eLearning courses more interactive and effective

7. Adobe Captivate Course Series (Udemy)

Individual course prices vary

About 2 hours per course

• Comprehensive instruction across the 3 courses
• No real community aspect for learners
• Some lessons have a dry presentation that doesn’t engage the student

Udemy offers a series of three Adobe Captivate courses that are perfect for aspiring instructional designers: Responsive Custom Quiz Questions , Focus on Simulations , and Focus on Demonstrations .

These online instructional design courses teach you how to use the more advanced features of Adobe Captivate eLearning software. If you’ve been wondering how to use variables, advanced actions, and multi-state objects, I recommend checking out all three.

Note that this series doesn’t provide an introduction to Captivate. Instead, it uses sample projects to show you how to use Captivate to go beyond the basics.

You’ll get lifetime access to these classes when you buy them, giving you the ability to go back to them as often as you need.

• Build your own advanced actions for multiple choice questions
• Create effective simulations and demonstrations using Adobe Captivate 8
• Understand the Adobe Captivate screen recording process
• Understand and configure the Mouse, Highlight Box and Text Caption objects
• Choose the correct output type based on your audience

Excellent Course. Clearly explained the topic and the steps. Provided great resource files. Examples allowed us to see certain steps repeated to more clearly follow the instructions. Also really appreciated the “best practices” segment in the middle. Saves a lot of frustration later and having to learn things the hard way when applying the lesson to real world work. When the instructor explains the why behind the steps, it helps us to better understand the software and helps us to be able to think through and solve other challenges.

Best for: Designers with some experience using Captivate who want to learn more about the advanced features

8. Instructional Design and Technology MicroMasters (edX)

$1,076.40 ( edX pricing varies by course)

• Graduate-level instruction
• Very comprehensive
• Courses are on an instructor-paced schedule which lacks flexibility

This program consists of four courses:

• Learning Theory
• Instructional Design Models
• Digital Media, New Tools, and Technology
• Course Evaluation and Capstone Project

Each course is instructor-led with a set start and stop date and lasts for 8 weeks.

These instructional design classes are offered by the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and taught by UMUC professors.

Overall, the program focuses on understanding learning theory and shows you how to blend traditional instructional design models with rapid prototyping and data analytics to create online courses. You will gain hands-on experience developing and publishing online courses using the edX platform.

• Understand contemporary learning theories to develop online learning experiences
• Apply instructional design models to the development of online learning experiences
• Select, evaluate or design digital media to support learning
• Identify, evaluate, and integrate emerging technologies to support online learning
• Design an implementation process for online learning experiences
• Apply data mining techniques to the design and evaluation of learning experiences

I found the contents of this course very interesting. Being a research scholar in educational technology, I found this course very useful. Designing the course contents for a different combination of technology and pedagogy is what I am looking forward to.

Best for: People who want a more structured, instructor-driven program, designers who are thinking about a Master’s degree but aren’t sure it’s for them and want to try it out first, people interested in learning theories

9. Introduction to Instructional Design (Harvard)

• University-quality education
• Curriculum is up to date
• Course is only available at certain times of year
• Very limited number of seats available

This is a college-level, instructor-led course with academic readings, group discussions, and six projects.

You’ll study learning theories and frameworks, project planning, content expertise, communication, writing, and technology, and apply these theories to instructional design projects.

Throughout the course, students work together to produce learning experiences using today’s media and technologies. Students submit a project every two weeks.

You’ll want to plan ahead for this instructional design course; it is only offered for certain semesters, and it’s not available on demand.

• Good instructional design makes for better learning.
• Everyone needs to be a lifelong learner in the 21st century.
• Empathy is at the heart of instructional design.
• Metacognition is an ongoing practice that makes you a better learner and instructional designer.

Best for: People looking for an academic experience, professionals who want to build their portfolio, designers who want to work with others on academic projects

What to Look for When Choosing an Instructional Design Course

Over the several years I’ve spent in the eLearning industry, I’ve helped countless aspiring instructional designers get the training they need to launch successful, thriving careers in the field, so I know what to look for in an instructional design program.

Here are some of the things I looked at when rating instructional design courses, and I also highly recommend considering these factors yourself when choosing a training program:

• The quality of the course content. Make sure that the course covers all the essential topics in instructional design. That means things like ADDIE model application, creating learner personas, developing accessible eLearning content, utilizing Learning Management Systems (LMS) , implementing multimedia learning principles, and applying formative and summative assessment strategies in a virtual environment.
• The length of the course. Some courses are very comprehensive and can take months to complete. Others are shorter and can be completed in a matter of weeks.
• The price of the course. Some instructional design courses can be quite expensive. Others are very affordable. Make sure to compare prices before enrolling in a course.
• The format of the course. Some instructional design courses are self-paced and allow you to learn at your own pace, while others are instructor-led and require you to attend live sessions.
• The credentials of the course provider . It is important to make sure that the course is provided by a reputable institution or organization with a strong reputation in instructional design.
• What students are saying. Finally, read reviews from previous students before enrolling in an online instructional design course. Reviews can provide valuable insight into the quality of the course, the instructor, and the learning materials.

A Final Word on the Best Instructional Design Courses

If you want to learn about eLearning and online education, you have more options than ever before thanks to these great instructional design classes online.

Your learning style, your goals, and your budget should all be part of your decision-making process. Think about how much time you have to devote to your learning and building your ID skills.

Passing these online instructional design courses can help you to improve your ID portfolio and can help advance your career.

I also recommend previewing these instructional design classes (remember many of them offer free trials as linked above!) if you can. This will go a long way toward showing you whether the course is worth the investment.

Never stop learning, and enjoy the journey to becoming an instructional designer!

The 9 Best Instructional Design Master’s Degree Programs (2024 Guide)

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The Ultimate List of 41 Instructional Design Courses

Note: The original list in this blog post included 41 courses. Since launching our first post we've updated the list with 5 additional courses.

Instructional designers often take a winding career path. Most professional IDs don’t start out as such; instead, they begin their careers as educators, trainers, or something else entirely. There are many roads that lead to an interest in ID, and there is no single unified educational path to qualify to work in the field. Your work history and experience level will dictate whether you want to pursue a bachelor’s or a master’s in the field. Or you may be able to acquire the skills you need through a short course or certificate program. We scoured the web, looked at academic ratings, and read numerous reviews to put together this list of good quality courses, ranging from free two hours introductory courses to full masters degrees. Whether you’re just considering a career in instructional design, you simply want to sharpen some ID-related skills, or you’re fully devoted to choosing ID as a career path, we’ve got you covered with our extensive list of instructional design courses. For each course we will tell you a little about what makes it unique, how long it takes to complete, and the price point.

Free Online Instructional Design Courses

A free online instructional design course is a great way to see whether you’re interested in the subject matter. Or, if you are already pursuing a career in ID, these courses can help you brush up on skills or learn a new viewpoint.

• Instructional Design Principles for Course Creation : This is Eduflow Academy’s first cohort-based course. It uses the ADDIE process as a backbone to teach you about various instructional design considerations and best practices. The problem-based approach will encourage you to think of a course idea in the first module that you can develop over 3 weeks. This course is highly collaborative and provides opportunities to network with peers.
• Introduction to Instructional Systems Design : This 3- to 4-hour course on Alison.com will introduce you to the fundamentals of designing and developing instructional materials for courses.
• Learning to Teach Online : Over the course of 6 weeks (with a time commitment of 3-4 hours each week), you’ll develop an understanding of basic online teaching strategies and learn how they can enhance course design. This is a beginner-level course sponsored by the University of New South Wales Sydney.
• Instructional Design Foundations and Applications : This foundational course for the University of Illinois Instructional Design MasterTrack Certificate is free to audit, which makes it a great choice for testing the waters of pursuing higher education in ID. The 4-week course touches on the major concepts of instructional systems design, major theories of learning, instructional design models, and various analysis activities.
• e-Learning Ecologies: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the Digital Age : This is another course from the same track as above, free for auditing. This one focuses on how educational technology can open up possibilities for transformative “new learning.”
• Learning design basics: pedagogy into practice : The OpenLearning team offers this interactive course on how to design and develop learning programs using the constructivist theory of education . The 12-15 hour course is free to take, and for $50 AUD you can receive a certificate of completion at the end.
• Gamification : Gamification, applying game principles to business and learning, is a key component of instructional design. This free course was created by the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and focuses on the use of game elements and game design techniques to nongaming-related problems, such as education. It takes about 33 hours to complete.
• Motivating Students to Learn : This short (just 2-3 hours) course by the Global Text Project focuses on the factors that contribute to student motivation and how IDs can harness different theories of motivation to inspire students.
• Instructional Design Video Series : This is a series of 39 YouTube videos put together by Dr. Ray Pastore, a professor at UNC Wilmington. It covers a host of different instructional design theories and concepts. Dip in for a certain skill refresher, or watch the whole series for a crash course in ID.

Paid Online Instructional Design Courses

These courses are frequently more in-depth, have a participation element, and result in a professional certificate.

• Instructional Design for ELearning : This course provides an introduction and overview of the instructional design field over the course of 34 lectures (4.5 hours of video total). It costs $39.99, and participants receive a certificate upon completion.
• Introduction to Instructional Design: Online Course Creation : What is pedagogy? Why do different people learn in different ways? How do you deal with SMEs? This 1.5-hour course answers these questions and more, with the goal of helping you set yourself up as a freelance ID. It costs $39.99 for lifetime access.
• Instructional Design Pro ( Part 1 ) ( Part 2 ) ( Part 3 ) : These are three courses that build on each other to help advanced-level instructional design professionals create more effective and enjoyable curriculums. Combined, the three courses make up about 21 hours of video and include over 100 downloadable resources. The full series costs $65, separately each course costs around $22
• Instructional Design Essentials: Models of ID : While most ID courses are geared toward institutional settings, this LinkedIn Learning Course is directed at the business world of learning. Dr. Joe Pulichino, an ID at T-Mobile, walks through different frameworks for creating quality training materials. The course is $24.99, or you can sign up for a monthly subscription to LinkedIn Learning for $19.99 a month.
• Instructional Design Mastery Series : The Online Learning Consortium presents an asynchronous learning workshop focused on course design. The series consists of three weeklong modules, with time in between for solo work and reflection, the next cohort will start June 2020. The course costs $750 for nonmembers.
• Principles of Instructional Design : Drawing from their own experiences building hundreds of online courses, the staff at CourseArc has created a course covering the theories, systems, and considerations of basic instructional design. This self-paced course costs $195 for non CourseArc clients and consists of five modules, each taking 4-5 hours to complete.
• IDOL Courses Academy:   The IDOL academy program will provide you with the knowledge and skills that will help you land your first ID job. This program is taught by Dr. Robin Sargent, instructional designer and online learning developer, in collaboration with other experts in the field. You will learn the different tools used in instructional design, learn how to build your own portfolio, and get training in instructional design. The academy consists of 30 modules for $1,497, upon completion you will have earned 4 verified credentials and can proudly call yourself a Master IDOL. As a bonus, you will be a part of an active community, and will have unlimited access to the IDOL academy materials.
• Introduction to Instructional Design : The Harvard Extension School offers this intermediate-level, project-based course on converting theory and framework of ID into practical applications. The 15-week course is $1840 for undergraduates, and can count toward degree credit. Applications for Spring Term 2020 are currently closed, orientation to Fall Term 2020 opens August 12 this year.
• Instructional Designer Certificate Program : A series of four online courses, each 4 weeks long, that cover practical ID skills. The program costs $2,000, can be completed on your own timeline, and results in a PDF certificate.

Instructional Design Bachelor’s Degrees

Instructional design bachelor’s-degree programs are beginning to crop up in universities across the United States. They can be a good option for students who are committed to the field early on, but it’s important to choose the right kind of program for your needs .

• Bachelor of Arts in Instructional Design at Ashford University. An online degree programming geared toward helping students to become “learning architects.” It requires 120 credit hours to complete.
• I nstructional Training and Design B.S. at Texas A&M University Commerce. In addition to a standard ID degree, students can complete a second major or minor in fields such as business, computer science, psychology, or industrial technology.
• B.S. in Applied Management – Instructional Technology, Training and Evaluation at Northern Illinois University. This online degree program focuses tightly on the technological aspect of instructional design. It is specifically for students who already hold an associates degree in web development, graphic design, software development.
• Minor in Instructional Design and Technology at California State University Chico.  Students can supplement their degree in any subject with a minor in instructional design by taking 6 designated courses. This is an on-campus, full-time degree program.

Higher-Education Certificates and MicroMasters

If you already have a teaching degree or experience in your field, you can save time and money by pursuing a certificate or mini-master’s program instead of an entire master’s degree.

• MicroMasters Program in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Maryland. Consists of four graduate-level classes in ID theories, models, and technology, including a capstone project. Students can complete this program online over the course of 8 months, with a time commitment of 8-10 hours a week.
• Certificate in E-Learning Instructional Design at UC Irvine. This seven-course online series focuses on the methodology, skills, and techniques necessary for aligning e-learning strategies with business. Depending on course scheduling, it can take 9-18 months to complete and costs $4,085.
• Learning Design and Technology Certificate at Harvard Extension School. Complete four online courses on subjects like media design and web design, with at least a B grade over the course of three years to earn this certificate. The Harvard name doesn’t come cheap though; this series costs $11,360, on average.
• Certificate in E-Learning Instructional Design at the University of Washington. There are two versions of this course of study: the regular version involves taking four courses over three quarters, and the intensified version is completed in just two. The course is online and costs $4,606.
• Instructional and Technology Design Certificate at UMass Boston. This online program is geared toward creating curriculums for adult learners in both for-profit and traditional education environments. Consists of five courses and costs $8,625.
• Online Instructional Design Certificate at the University of Central Florida. This online certificate takes an interdisciplinary approach to learning ID. Includes a total of 15 credit hours, with separate in-state and out-of-state price points.
• E-learning Instructional Design and Development Certificate at Oregon State University. This online learning program provides you with broad exposure to principles and applications of e-learning. The five-course series costs $2,175.
• Online Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design and Technology at Purdue University. This is one of the more expansive certificate programs, requiring a commitment of 20-25 hours a week for a 6-week term. If you decide to continue your education, you can apply the 20 credits toward a master’s program at Purdue.

Instructional Design Master’s Programs

Our latest research into ID salaries showed that a degree is generally a minimum job requirement, with 90% of survey participants reporting to having at least a bachelor's degree, and 71% having a master's degree or PhD. However, having a master's degree, compared to having only a bachelor's degree, did not show any significant increases in salary amongst IDs. You can sign up to our newsletter and access our report if you like to get more insight in whether an Instructional Design Master's Degree can further your career as an ID.

• eLearning and Instructional Design Master's Program at Northeastern University. A 2-year online program that prepares you to pursue an ID career in nearly any industry. Average tuition is $26,900.
• Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology—Instructional Design & Development at the University of Georgia. This online program is aimed at helping professionals across diverse industries translate their skills into an ID career. The course takes 1.5 years to complete and costs $26,226.
• Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies Masters at Florida State University. The #1-ranked online ID program in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report . The 2-year program can be completed online or in person, and there is also the option to pursue a Ph.D. in ID.
• M.S. in Instructional Technology at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg University has an internationally recognized faculty in the area of gamification of learning, and offers two 100% online (with a face-to-face option) M.S. in Instructional Technology. You can also choose to follow one of their two online certificates: eLearning Specialist Certificate and the Instructional Game Design Certificate .
• Instructional Design and Technology at California State University Fullerton. This 2-year online degree is geared toward working professionals looking to make a career change.
• M.A. in Instructional Design and Technology at Seton Hall University. This program combines technology expertise with educational theory to help students create modern course materials. The 2-year course can be completed online or on campus.
• Instructional Systems Design M.S . at the University of Kentucky. Students in this program can specialize in distance education, statistical analysis, or community engagement. The 2- to 3-year online course is completed in a series of intensive 8-week semesters.
• M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology at Walden University. This online degree focuses on mastering the software tools you need to design high-quality teaching materials.
• M.ED in Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Virginia. This online master’s degree is offered part time over the course of 5 years or full time over the course of 2.5 years. You can choose from a variety of specializations, including literacy, special education, and social and emotional learning.
• M.S. in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning at Boise State University. OPWL programs focus on solving workplace issues through education. Students can specialize in Instructional Design.
• M.S. in Instructional Design for Online Learning at Capella University. An online masters in education and instructional design focusing on online learning.

Taking your ID Career to the Next Level

We’ve created an interactive spreadsheet of the courses in this article, where you can find the right course for you based on price, number of hours, or type of degree. We will continue to update, if you know a course or program that should definitely be on the list, let us know here . We'd love to hear more about the path you are taking (or took) to become an ID! Getting a career in the fast-growing field of instructional design is an exciting journey. Here at Eduflow we are committed to providing the resources you need to thrive as an ID. Sign up to our newsletter to stay plugged into our content.

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Instructional Design Framework

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Course design is a complex endeavor. With ADDIE and other design methodologies, you can take a systematic approach to developing and improving your courses. 

What is course design?

When designing any course, it is important to first understand:

• the learning context and learners' needs
• why you will engage learners in certain kinds of activities
• what support learners will need to meet the goals of the course.

In designing and implementing a learning experience, observed or gathered feedback of the students' and instructors' experience of the course is necessary to evaluate learning and refine the course.

This whole process, from initial understanding to implementation and evaluation, might collectively be called course design . 

A systematic approach to designing learning experiences

ADDIE is a foundational instructional design methodology that provides a structure for reliably creating effective learning experiences for you and your students. ADDIE stands for: 

• Analyze :   This first step in the course design process encourages you to analyze the learning needs of the course by identifying who you anticipate the learners in your class will be, their likely prior knowledge and level of preparation, and the outcomes and goals of your class.
• Design:  Map out exactly what your course outcomes will be; that is, what do you expect students to be able to do and know by the time the course is over. Build your syllabus and outline your course schedule. Consider how your proposed activities and assignments will align with your course learning goals.
• Develop:  Create and refine your course learning activities and assignments in line with your course syllabus and schedule.
• Implement:  Deliver your class in whatever mix of modalities  is most appropriate, paying attention to how students are receiving the course content, and responding along the way.
• Evaluate:  Ask students for feedback on their learning experience (even after an individual activity). Reflect on the feedback and your own experiences, and determine what changes you might like to make. Start the ADDIE process over again to iterate and revise the course and instruction.

The reality of building and improving a course tends to be incremental and iterative, so expect to move through these different phases at different times for various elements of the course. For example, you may be implementing a new small-group learning activity for one unit, while simultaneously developing a lecture presentation based on student feedback for another unit.

Rather than a single linear process akin to flowing one way down a waterfall, you'll likely go through multiple simultaneous ADDIE cycles throughout the entire course and across different iterations of the course.

ATD Master Instructional Designer® Program

Prove your ability. elevate your design. develop impactful learning solutions..

This program covers the process of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation for face-to-face, e-learning, virtual, or blended learning experiences. Explore design models, evaluate real-world projects, and work with expert facilitators.

Course Info

The role of an instructional designer is evolving, expanding, and more in demand than ever. Once seen as a planner of learning events for typical classroom programs with a short set of defined tasks (such as analyzing needs, writing learning objectives, and evaluating learning programs), instructional designers need an expanded skill set. These now- essential skills include business acumen, consultative approaches, design approaches based on learning sciences, and technology expertise. Designers must pivot between designing for multiple modalities such as face-to-face, e-learning, and virtual as well as implement learning solutions via multiple media streams such as e-learning modules, learning management systems, podcasts, mobile apps, videos, infographics, and animated shorts. Armed with a broader skillset, instructional designers have the flexibility to be the jack-of-all-trades and a much-requested strategic resource for organizations.

Aligned to the  Talent Development Capability Model™ , this advanced-level program covers the entire process for designing learning solutions to ensure that you are a valued partner to stakeholders and align learning solutions to meet business objectives.

The theory is essential; so is learning the practical process of applying instructional design principles to workplace solutions. During this eight-week asynchronous and live online cohort experience, you will explore real-world projects and benefit from peer collaboration via discussion boards. You will have conversations about instructional design topics to demonstrate your ability to design for the modern learners’ needs and explore deeper dives on content that is most applicable to your work. Identify where you shine and where you have opportunities for growth within all aspects of the design process from the initial needs assessment, to designing and developing content, to implementing and evaluating your solutions.

Demonstrate your proficiency by creating a final project with a preferred modality of your choice for personalized facilitator evaluation and feedback to earn your ATD Master Instructional Designer® Program designation and badge.

Use instructional design models to develop learning solutions that change behavior and improve performance.

Assess factors that will shape your design.

Use research and evidence-based practices to make key design decisions.

Write measurable learning objectives that describe desired results.

Use a collaborative approach with stakeholders and subject matter experts for curating, creating and reviewing content.

Design learning solutions that leverage adult learning theories, incorporate brain science, and address the needs of the learners and the organization.

Use various modalities such as formal classroom training, virtual classroom training, blended learning, online learning, and informal approaches.

Make decisions to reach learning outcomes across all modalities.

Use storyboards, prototypes, visual representations, and design thinking approaches to illustrate your designs early in the design process to key stakeholders.

Manage training course production and quality assurance.

Create a plan to assess effectiveness for the course launch.

Identify appropriate evaluation techniques to effectively connect and communicate the business impact of your learning solutions.

Develop and demonstrate mastery of instructional design through a multi-part real-world project, including individualized feedback and analysis.

Gain access to tools, resources, and templates to use on the job.

Receive personalized feedback from your facilitator and peers.

Earn the industry-recognized ATD Master Instructional Designer designation and digital badge.

Accelerate your pathway toward achieving the APTD or CPTD Certification.

Learn research-based best practices from across the Talent Development Capability Model to elevate your instructional design skills.

Engage in a flexible around-your-schedule program via ATD’s online learning platform. Attend four virtual facilitator-led sessions throughout the program, in weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7.

Benefit from the role- modeling, wisdom, and guidance of an ATD expert facilitator.

Learn with and from a group of peers through application-based discussions and reflections.

Personalize your Master Instructional Designer journey by assessing your current skills, taking a deep dive into content most relevant to you, and demonstrating success with a multi-part real-world project.

Elective Course Offering

To support ongoing professional development, ATD master program registration includes a complimentary course elective. Take the ATD certificate program of your choice following successful completion of your ATD master program. Exclusions apply.

Learners cannot enroll in the following as their complimentary elective:

Other ATD master programs

Training Design & Delivery Certificate

APTD or CPTD preparation courses and preparation bootcamps

ATD on-demand courses

ATD Master Instructional Designer® Program is offered by the ATD Certification Institute. 

This program is ideal for experienced talent development professionals ready to boost their competency, capability, and confidence in instructional design.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To ensure you gain the most from this advanced-level program, you must have a:

Minimum of three years in the instructional design profession

Solid understanding of instructional design principles and terms

Demonstrated knowledge and application of various instructional design models

A strong background in traditional instructional design tasks which could include conducting needs assessments, writing effective learning objectives, structuring content, developing learning materials, implementing training solutions, and evaluating learning impact

Awareness of design considerations for a variety of modalities (for instance, traditional classroom, virtual classroom, and e-learning)

Completion of a foundational ATD certificate program (preferred, not required)

Independent Consultant, Learning Technologist, Instructional Designer

Capability Areas

Performance Improvement, Learning Sciences, Talent Strategy and Management, Consulting and Business Partnering, Instructional Design

Language(s)

Recognition

ATD Master Designation, Digital Badge

Program Components

In the first week of this blended experience, you will assess your current knowledge and skill level of instructional design. Get to know your peers and your facilitator and become familiar with the course structure. Complete your learning prioritization inventory and start key assignments to prepare you for your real-world project deliverables. During this week you'll spend approximately two flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing. You will also attend a 90-minute facilitator-led live online session.

Determining the need is the first step in the instructional design process. The results of a needs assessment will guide the rest of the process. This week you will explore the factors that will shape your design as well as how to present the results of a needs assessment. Topics covered include factors to assess, presenting findings, and early planning for summative evaluation. You will complete and deliver your first learning project deliverable to receive feedback from your facilitator. During this week you'll spend approximately three-and-a-half flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing.

Instructional designers use the needs assessment results to define outcome statements, then ensure learning objectives align to them. Learn how to make good learning objectives great and leverage them to make design decisions. Topics include leveraging models for writing learning objectives for the best results, design considerations, and how motivation and knowledge differ. You will receive feedback on your first learning project deliverable. During this week you'll spend approximately two flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing. You will also attend a 90-minute facilitator-led live online session.

This week you will go beyond the basics of course design to explore how you can promote collaborative partnerships to curate, create, and review content. Apply design thinking approaches to design innovative courses. Topics include design thinking, visual style and representation, gaining buy-in, and collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs) and stakeholders. You will complete and deliver your second learning project deliverable to receive feedback from your facilitator. Throughout this week, you'll spend approximately three-and-a-half flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing.

Instructional designers should have working knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal modalities. Within this week you will consider how a blend of approaches will enhance your instructional design practice. Topics include content development considerations such as cultural awareness, translation, and accessibility, writing content, and created blending experiences. You will receive feedback on your second learning project deliverable. During this week you'll spend approximately two flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing. You will also attend a 90-minute facilitator-led live online session.

Instructional designers must have the knowledge and skills to curate and develop content and the ability to deliver that content through technologies that meet their learners’ needs. Explore how to stay current with technology, assess your organization’s readiness, and develop and deliver content accordingly. Topics include tools selection, curating content, technological readiness, and building learning materials. You will complete and deliver your third learning project deliverable to receive feedback from your facilitator. During this week you'll spend approximately three-and-a-half flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing.

Quality assurance and testing instructional designs are important parts of the instructional design process. No matter what modality, learning solutions should include a comprehensive roll out plan that includes testing or piloting. Learn how to create a plan that manages the expectations and responsibilities of all stakeholders. Topics include planning implementation, assuring quality, and managing stakeholders and SMEs. You will receive feedback on your third learning project deliverable. During this week, you'll spend approximately two flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing. You will also attend a 90-minute facilitator-led live online session.

Evaluation data is only useful if the instructional designer can act on to improve future efforts. Within this week you will examine data collections methods and tools, as well as how to interpret the data and present evaluation results. Topics include models and methods to evaluate impact, data collection, and data interpretation. Additional topics include planning for future readiness and lifelong learning. You will receive feedback on your project deliverable within 72 hours after the close of the program. During this week you'll spend approximately three-and-a-half flexible hours online on the days and times of your choosing. Earn the ATD Master Instructional Designer digital badge and designation after completing all course work and passing your final learning project. After completing the program, you will be invited to join the ATD Masters’ Collective, a private community of other ATD Masters' alumni where you will have the opportunity to continue to learn and celebrate accomplishments together.

Dates & Locations

Time Zone: UTC

Credits & Recognition

Facilitators

WHAT OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING

Testimonials

"This program provided me with numerous tools that I will use in my daily work as an instructional designer. Also, the opportunity to network with others in the industry and explore various ways of approaching ID challenges is invaluable. The facilitator was very knowledgeable and challenged my thinking on many aspects of designing learning."

Kim Whiteside

"By taking this program, I gained a comprehensive framework to approach, plan, evaluate, and evolve my work and mastery as an instructional designer. Completing this course inspired ideas and next steps about how I can influence the culture of learning within my organization. And, I valued the contributions, insight, and experience that everyone shared."

Latoya Williams

Salesforce System Administrator and Trainer

"I immensely enjoyed this in-depth learning experience with other L&D colleagues from around the world. It was worth all the countless hours that went into this [designation]."

Martina Balantic

Learning and Development Manager

Things To Know

ATD Master® Programs are blended learning experiences that take place over multiple weeks. Participation in all originally scheduled days of the program, including both face-to-face and online program components (if applicable), and completion of all coursework and a program evaluation are mandatory to earn the ATD Master designation and continuing education credits.

Face-to-Face Program Components (if applicable):

No more than two hours of the entire face-to-face program can be missed.

Make-up policy: There is no make-up policy for face-to-face components.

Live Online Program Components (if applicable):

ATD requires active participation throughout the program to receive credit. Active participation in live online sessions includes but is not limited to participating in virtual classroom activities, discussions, breakout sessions, and intersession work.

Make-up policy: You can miss and make up one session* by listening to a session recording. Instructions for reporting make-up sessions are posted on ATD’s learning platform.

*For full-day live online sessions, you can miss a maximum of three and a half hours and must make up the time by listening to the recording. Asynchronous Program Components:

New content will be made available on ATD’s learning platform each week. All activities, assessments, and project work must be completed the week they are assigned.

Please note: You must use a laptop to fully and actively participate in these programs. In addition to your full participation, you must complete your post-course evaluation to receive your certificate.

A laptop computer with Wi-Fi capability is required to participate in ATD Master® Programs. 

Face-to-Face Program Components (if applicable):  Please do not bring mobile devices (for example, phones or tablets) instead of a laptop. There will be no computers available on-site for participants.  Note : You might not have an optimal experience using Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge to access your courses. Chrome is the recommended browser.  

Live Online Program Components (if applicable): You must log in to the learning platform to access course content and to join all live online sessions. Special software is not required. You only need a standard web browser and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capability to participate. Please join your session from a location with a strong internet connection and plan to use VoIP for your audio during the entire session.   

Enrolled in a program? To check your course status and enrollment details, launch your course, or download your certificate, go to MyATD .

Transfers/Cancellations Click  here  to review our cancellation policy.

ATD Health and Safety Policy View our  health protocols for in-person courses .

Frequently Asked Questions Have additional questions about ATD courses?  Visit our FAQs  for answers.

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What is instructional design? (+ examples and tips!) 

Instructional design is a systematic and theory-backed approach to creating engaging and impactful learning experiences. Whether you’re designing eLearning courses or employee training programs, effective instructional design is a surefire method of meeting business goals and developing effective learning solutions. 

But what is instructional design exactly? In this guide, we'll start with a practical definition of instructional design. We'll explore the role of instructional designers, learning models and theories, and also share real-world examples and best practices to help you craft more effective learning experiences.

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What is instructional design?

Instructional design is a systematic process of designing and developing effective instructional materials and learning experiences. 

Instructional design involves analyzing learner needs, designing a curriculum and learning content designed to meet those needs, implementing that design in the most effective way, and finally evaluating the effectiveness of the learning experience. 

When a company sees a need to train their employees or there’s a skills gap that needs to be filled, they’ll often employ an instructional designer to analyze the issue and create an appropriate learning solution based on the desired learning goals of the project. 

While instructional design is a process, this isn’t to say instructional design isn’t creative or overly rigid. In my experience, the best instructional designers use their personal style and creativity to develop eLearning or training programs that excite, engage and teach in equal measure. 

In my experience, great instructional design happens when:

• a thorough needs analysis is conducted , giving the designer a deep knowledge of the needs, preferences and challengers of their audience
• appropriate and well-defined learning objectives are created in response to the needs of the audience and client
• subject matter experts provide great learning content that the instructional designer can then fashion into engaging course material 
• The instructional designer utilizes proven learning theory and instructional design principles to design an effective learning flow, first in the form of an outline or storyboard
• Appropriate learning methods and content styles are used to create engaging learning content that is delivered in the right way for the audience (i.e. a combination of interactive quizzes, simulations, presentations and informational content.) 
• The project is managed effectively throughout, with clear and effective collaboration between designers, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), stakeholders and eLearning developers. 
• An appropriate implementation platform is chosen and materials are handed over to the implementation team in an easy-to-follow format

While I see instructional design as a profession, I also see it as a set of skills and competencies that allow for the creation of effective learning experiences. This distinction is useful for the fact that people who may not have “instructional designer” in their job title will still benefit from the theories, models and best practices of instructional design. 

For me, anyone who is teaching skills or imparting knowledge can benefit from the principles and theories of instructional design. 

That said, instructional design is especially useful anytime you are creating a self-paced learning experience (typically eLearning) or designing a training experience that other trainers will deliver, such as a corporate training or a train-the-trainer course .

What does an instructional designer do?

In simple terms, an instructional designer designs and develops effective learning solutions. They’ll typically follow an instructional design process to go from a first step of determining needs, all the way through to a final stage of implementing a solution, often in the form of an eLearning course or training program. 

The actual work that an instructional designer does on a day-to-day basis goes way beyond the steps of an instructional design process.

In reality, they’ll often project manage the whole process, interview and source material from subject matter experts, create outlines and storyboards, liaise with stakeholders and more.

In some cases, instructional designers will move their storyboard to eLearning authoring tools or a Learning Management System (LMS) and develop learning aids and images, learning aids, slide decks and more. Sometimes, the instructional designer may pass a completed eLearning storyboard to an eLearning developer or graphic designer to implement the course or create materials. 

It’s also worth noting that in different industries and organizations, the exact role and responsibilities of an instructional designer can vary . In one company, the instructional designer may own the entire process and be the one to uncover learner needs and then deploy and monitor the solution they roll out.

In other cases, the instructional designer may receive a brief from another team member or department and design a storyboard that is then passed to someone else to implement in an internal university or course hub. 

Here is an inexhaustive list of the tasks and responsibilities an instructional designer will likely perform throughout the process. 

• Needs Analysis: Instructional designers identify the learning needs and goals of the target audience. They conduct thorough needs analyses to understand learners’ backgrounds, knowledge gaps, and preferred learning styles.
• Liaising with subject matter experts: designers will interview subject matter experts to source the content for their course, gain insights that will help them design an effective learning flow and source supporting information and materials. This is often an ongoing process with multiple touchpoints throughout a project. 
• Conducting research and background reading: while most raw course content typically comes from a SME, it’s often helpful for an instructional designer to become somewhat familiar with the course topic and other instances of learning content in the area they’re working in. 
• Curriculum Design: Based on the needs analysis, instructional designers develop curriculum outlines and learning objectives. They define the scope of the learning experience and outline the sequence of instructional activities, often in the form of an instructional design storyboard.
• Content Development: Instructional designers create or curate content that aligns with the learning objectives. This may involve writing instructional materials, designing multimedia resources such as podcasts or videos, or curating or transforming existing content. 
• Choose instructional design strategies: Instructional designers design instructional strategies and activities to engage learners and facilitate knowledge acquisition. They’ll incorporate interactive elements, simulations, and assessments to promote active learning and create engagement. 
• Manage stakeholder communication and approval processes: Whether working for an external or internal client, instructional designers will typically need to consult stakeholders and get final approval on their instructional design. Designers will typically be responsible for managing this communication and approval process, as well as managing the nuts and bolts of the project at large. 
• Prototyping and implementation: In many cases, instructional designers will also be the ones to create a working prototype or implement final course materials in a content authoring tool or LMS. In bigger teams, it’s likely that they’ll pass the storyboard they created to an eLearning developer. In this instance, they’ll likely liaise with the developer and give them the final go-ahead on the complete materials.  
• Evaluation and Revision of learning experiences: Once the course or learning solution is live instructional designers assess the effectiveness of the learning experience through formative and summative evaluations. They gather feedback from learners, analyze learning outcomes, and make revisions to improve the instructional materials continuously.
• Briefing trainers and facilitators: When designing and developing instructor-led programs or blended courses, instructional designers will typically brief those people who will be delivering the training or facilitating live elements of a course. They might create a briefing document or conduct a series of meetings to ensure the training is delivered to the desired standard. 
• Measuring project impact: Behind every learning project is a business need or company goal. A training course designed to help new employees onboard more effectively will likely have some very clear learning objectives such as ensuring core competencies and demonstrable skills. Beyond that, the organization will also have objectives such as improved employee happiness, retention or an impact on business metrics like the average support ticket speed or sales closed. In some teams, instructional designers will be responsible for measuring the effectiveness of the course and the impact on business goals. 

Learning design vs instructional design – what are the differences?

If you’re working in the development of eLearning courses and training programs, you might have heard different terms used in the field: learning design and instructional design. These terms are often used interchangeably, though I’ve found many folks have a preference on which they use and do see a distinction between them. 

In my experience, whether someone says they’re an instructional designer or learning designer, they broadly mean the same thing – a person who creates engaging and effective learning experiences.

Where the distinction often comes in is in how they see the work they do, the approach they take and the usual context of their work. 

Here are some of the key differences I’ve found that might be useful to think about when consider the question of what is instructional design:

• I’ve seen learning design more commonly used in educational contexts while instructional design seems more commonly used in corporate environments and private training contexts. 
• I’ve also seen instructional design used to mean a focused process of creating instructional materials such as eLearning courses while learning design takes a wider approach, thinking about more diverse factors which can affect the learning environment. For example, an instructional designer might be expected create the course materials for an online training program while a learning designer might work with faculty to think about broader factors surrounding the design of learning such as room set-up, learner access, teacher training and more. 
• In many cases, I’ve seen instructional design used to refer to self-paced materials and eLearning, while learning design is more commonly used to refer to instructor-led courses or training programs . Going further, learning design has often been used with an emphasis on learning experiences that go beyond the scope of a single online course and into the realm of experience design, stage setting and the wider context of learning. 
• For some, the distinction between learning experience design (aka learning design) and instructional design is all about outlook and approach. For example, learning experience design discussions often center arout creating experiences and using goal-oriented and human-centred learning approaches. Conversely, conversations about instructional design more often focus on how to create great eLearning courses and learning materials. That said, good instructional design or learning design will often do exactly the same thing and so I personally find the difference a matter of semantics. But if the distinction helps you talk about your work or define your role in a team, that’s great!
• instructional design is a more user-led experience where I need to develop effective materials that can be used in a self-paced, self explanatory way. I don’t have control over many factors such as the external environment, and so the design of the course content and materials are more important. 
• learning design is a more trainer or facilitator-led experience, where an educator or trainer is present to guide the experience and create the ideal learning environment in a more organic manner. I have more control over the learning environment and how I work with the group as a trainer and facilitator is as important as the course materials. 
• In both cases, materials, learning flow and guidance from a trainer or learning designer are important and it’s just that they index differently depending on the needs of the project.
• Of course, this definition is highly personal and you might use learning design to describe the development of self-paced online courses. I find this distinction useful as it helps me think about the relative importance of different learning strategies and how I should approach meeting the learning objectives of the project. 

So what is the difference between learning design and instructional design? Short answer: nothing, really. Slightly longer answer: it depends on context, personal outlook and approach.

In reality, much of the work these people do is the same, though they may have a different focus or mindset when it comes to designing and developing learning experiences.

In my experience, this is more often dependent on the industry, job role or project than on the distinction between learning design vs instructional design. That said, I do find the question is interesting when it comes to thinking about the work we do as instructional designers and where our focus should be. Do you see a distinction or have something to add? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!  

Top instructional design models and theories

Whether we’re talking about instructional design or learning design, the learning experiences we create are built on a foundation of effective learning principles, models and theories. 

So what are they? Instructional design models often comprise a series of steps designed to create an effective learning experience. Think of instructional models as a proven process an instructional designer may follow in order to develop and project manage an instructional design project.

By following a model, you have a framework creating an effective learning experience and can ensure nothing is missed and that your learning solution is fit for purpose.  

Instructional design theories and principles are a collection of learning theories, psychological knowledge and conceptual frameworks that underpin effective learning experiences. In practice, this is a combination of utilizing good pedagogical (and andragogical) practices, learning science and models of learning to inform the experiences and materials you design.   

In practice, many instructional design models and theories overlap and are often utilized in the same way – by providing a set of guidelines to follow in order to create an effective instructional design.

So how do you choose one? Early in your instructional design journey, you’ll likely find a model or theory that chimes with your own learning experiences and style. (The ADDIE model and Robert Gagne’s events of instruction are popular for good reason!) 

You’ll likely find that you organically use many of these concepts in your work anyway – it’s quite common to discover a learning concept and think, “Oh, I already do this!”

That said, a deeper understanding of how these principles and instructional design models work in tandem can only improve your practice and the quality of your training materials.

As you learn and develop as an instructional designer, I’d highly recommend exploring multiple instructional design models and theories to deepen your knowledge and synthesize best practices from each.  

Here are some of the most prominent instructional design models and theories you can use to inform your learning design process.

ADDIE Model

Dick and carey model, bloom’s taxonomy, robert gagne’s events of instruction.

The ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model is a systematic approach to instructional design widely used in educational and corporate settings. ADDIE a proven five step process for developing instructional designs that truly meet learner needs and is probably the most well known model in the field. The five steps of the ADDIE model are:

This is where the instructional designers conduct a needs assessment, discover skills gaps and get to know the audience of the online courses and learning resources they may design. You may also conduct research into the needs of the business and the wider space surrounding your potential training.

During the design step, instructional designers begin to ideate on a learning solution designed to meet the needs identified during analysis. You’ll typically create a course outline, craft learning objectives and create an overall structure of your learning process in the form of a storyboard . Here, you’ll set out to answer any questions about the course or learning experience you’re creating and demonstrate how you’ll meet your goals in order to get approval to move forward.

Development

In the development phase of ADDIE, instructional designers create a storyboard for their chosen learning solution. You’ll also work with subject matter expert to source course content and graphic designers to create course materials. Once you’ve drafted a storyboard that sings, you’ll often take a different route depending on whether you’re working an online courses or in-person training.

In an eLearning environment, you’ll likely use eLearning authoring tools to create final assets ready to deliver to learners . For in-person training, you’ll likely create instructional manuals or training guides to help in-person trainers lead the program effectively.

Implementation

In this step of the instructional design process, you’re about ready to deliver your instructional materials to learners! Here, you’ll set up the final learning experience in a learning management system, deliver training directly and distribute other material as necessary. This can also look handing over storyboards to another team to implement or having workshops with trainers and facilitators who will deliver the instructional design content.

Once your learning solution is out in the world, you’ll need to evaluate whether you met your goals and analyse the impact of what you’ve done. Here, you’ll likely look at how learners engaged with your materials while also consider the impact you’ve had on business goals. The aim is to understand whether you’ve solved the problem or closed the skills gap identifying in your needs assessment and also figure out how you might improve your learning solutions for future learners.

ADDIE is easy to use and is often the first model turned to for even the most complex projects and instructional design processes. Read more in our complete guide to using the ADDIE model or jump into creating your next instructional design with our ADDIE template .

The SAM model (Successive Approximation Model) is an agile instructional design model that focuses on rapid prototyping and iterative development. It encourages collaboration between stakeholders and allows for quick feedback and revisions throughout the design process.

SAM has three distinct phases.

• Preparation
• Iterative design
• Iterative development

In the preparation phase, instructional designers gather background information on learners and seek to understand learner needs, the knowledge and skills they already possess and the skills your team would like them to achieve.

During the iterative design phase, instructional designers will begin planning the learning solution in earnest before designing, prototyping and evaluating the chosen solution over successive rounds of iteration. The goal is to iterate openly and get regular feedback throughout the process.

Finally, in the iterative development phase, learning designers will seek to quickly implement a solution with their choice of instructional technology. The alpha, beta and gold versions of their instructional design will each go through a round of testing with SMEs, stakeholders and representative users in order to create the best possible solution as quickly as possible.

Prototyping is the name of the game here, and as a result, SAM is a rapid instructional design system that’s a natural alternative to ADDIE for teams who want to move and iterate quickly. Read more about using the SAM model in our guide to instructional design models .

Developed as a deeper exploration of ADDIE designed to help newcomers, the Dick and Carey model of instructional design is a great way to consider the wider context of a learner’s experience. It comprises of ten steps which include:

• Identify Instructional Goal(s)
• Conduct instructional analysis
• Analyze learners and contexts
• Write performance objectives
• Develop assessment instruments
• Develop an instructional strategy 
• Develop and select instructional materials
• Design and conduct a formative evaluation of instruction
• Revise instruction
• Design and conduct summative evaluation

Personally, I found the Dick and Carey model a great tool when starting out in instructional design. It made certain parts of the process more explicit and helped me see the process of developing an instructional design as an often non-linear system than the straight line that ADDIE might imply.

Bloom’s taxonomy categorizes how we learn into six levels of cognitive complexity, ranging from simple recall to critical thinking and creativity. Instructional designers and educators use Bloom’s Taxonomy to design learning activities that address different cognitive levels and guide learners towards mastery of a topic or skill. 

Bloom’s taxonomy is heavily informed by educational psychology and comprises of three learning domains: cognitive (knowledge), affective (feelings), and psychomotor (skills).

Those learning domains underpin the six levels of bloom’s taxonomy. In the 1956 version of bloom’s taxonomy, those are:

• Comprehension
• Application

Starting with the first step, learners will demonstrate their mastery of one level of learning before moving to the next. Note that a revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy was also created in 2001 to respond to the more dynamic nature of learning.

The six stages of Bloom’s revised taxonomy are:

Each stage in the hierarchy of Bloom’s taxonomy also comes with its own set of verbs and questions that learning designers can use to easily create learning objectives and inform their instructional design. 

While some learning designers might use Bloom’s Taxonomy to guide their course structure, it’s also a useful tool to use in tandem with other theories and models. If you have trouble with creating learning objectives or setting meaningful and measurable goals for your instructional designs, definitely look deeper into Bloom’s taxonomy.

Gagne’s principles of instructional design is a set of learning events that comprise an effective learning experience . Beginning with gaining learner attention and ending with assessment and learner retention, these 9 events can be used as both the structure of an effective online course and an underlying theory that helps you ensure the learning experience is engaging.

Gagne’s 9 events of instruction are:

• Gain the attention of your learners
• State the objectives
• Stimulate recall of prior learning
• Present the learning content
• Provide learning guidance
• Elicit performance from learners
• Provide feedback
• Assess learner performance
• Enhance retention and transfer

Gagne’s principles have been especially useful in my own practice. I often use the 9 events as a basic course outline or storyboard that I’ll build upon as I move through the stages of the ADDIE model. 

On other occasions, I’ll think about how I’ve implemented the 9 events while revising my design and make changes based on Gagne’s principles. Check out our guide to explore these instructional design principles in greater detail and learn how to deploy them in eLearning and instructor-led-training. 

Note that these instructional design theories are only a small sample of the entire field of instructional design.

We encourage you to explore and find theories and models that resonate with your personal style while helping you develop your foundation of learning knowledge. Our piece on instructional design models is a great next step on that journey!  I also found this post on fundamental learning theories from Structural Learning helpful when considering how to practically apply theory into my designs.

Instructional design examples

At this stage, you might be wondering what instructional designers end up creating for the clients and companies they work with.

Instructional design principles are applied across various domains, including education, corporate training, personal development, and more to create everything from learning simulations, training courses, employee onboarding and traditional eLearning.

Here are some examples of instructional design in action with a template for each you can use and adapt when developing your own learning solutions.

Instructional design for eLearning

Instructional design for instructor-led training programs, instructional design for blended learning.

Instructional designers are often called upon to create interactive eLearning in the form of online courses and online training programs. Typical eLearning projects are mostly self-paced in nature and will include multimedia elements, quizzes, and simulations to enhance learning outcomes.

In addition to traditional long-form course, eLearning can also come in the form of micro-learning, entirely gamified experiences, simulations and more. Instructional designers create a variety of different materials and will deploy a particular format of eLearning based on learner needs and the remit of the project. eLearning will often be delivered to solve a training need, onboard new employees or develop key skills or knowledge. After an instructional designer has created the course design in the form of a storyboard, this will then be developed into a finished course. Depending on the client and department, completed eLearning might live in an internal learning hub or learning management system or be delivered to a public course platform. Curious to see what this looks like for an instructional designer? Explore this example of an eLearning course storyboard I delivered for a client. After delivery of the storyboard, I handed the design to an eLearning developer who then implemented the design in their LMS.  

In corporate settings, instructional designers often develop training programs to onboard new employees, upgrade skills, or promote workplace safety. These programs often incorporate scenario-based learning, role-playing activities, and real-world simulations to provide hands-on experience.

A key distinction here is that instructor-led training is often conducted in real-time, with an experienced trainer leading the session for trainees. Traditionally, this was in a live setting where trainees all attended in person, but these days, virtual training is increasingly frequent.

The instructional designer will create training materials, design an effective training flow and then brief trainers on how the training should be delivered. They’ll often also create facilitator guides, instructional manuals, job aids and learning materials to help aid the delivery and retention of training courses. 

Explore this guide on how to create an engaging training session to learn how to plan and design effective employee training and more!

Blended learning courses and cohort-based online learning are learning experiences that feature some combination of self-paced learning and live, facilitated content.  Instructional systems design is highly useful in such scenarios, as the balance of experiences needs to be finely tuned.

Here, learners typically engage with self-paced eLearning content alongside live workshops and training sessions. Trainers may introduce the blended course with an introductory meeting and then run live workshops or presentations at various points in the program. Often, learners will join such a program in a cohort of other learners that they can interact with in social spaces or even in peer-learning activities. 

Blended learning design can often combine the best of sync and async learning environments, but it can also be a challenging balance to strike. You’ll need to deploy a variety of instructional technology, often providing opportunities for hybrid learning and virtual facilitation too.

Learn more in this guide to blended learning design or see what a design might look like in practice in this blended learning course template . 

Instructional design best practices and tips

The field of instructional design/learning design/learning experience design has existed in some form for decades. Well before the invention of eLearning and advanced instructional technology, academics, psychologists and designers established learning theories and best practices that persist to this day.

Combine this body of existing learning knowledge with the best parts of modern instructional design and you can bolster your practice and inform any learning design process you’re working on. Here’s an in-exhaustive list of some instructional design best practices I’ve learned while creating my own courses and researching the topic.

Take the time to get to know your audience deeply (and meet them where they are.)

Whatever model and approach you take to developing your learning solution, it’s imperative you understand the characteristics, preferences, and learning styles of your target audience . Not only will this help you tailor the learning experience to their needs but you’ll create more authoritative and engaging content too. Where possible, talk to your audience directly. Getting insights from a third-party or subject matter expert is sometimes the best you can do, but when possible, arrange interviews, focus groups or just send a simple survey. Even a single conversation with a would-be cohort can reveal so much about how you might approach developing training materials. An example of this going wrong is when developing training for new employees. Instead of talking to new employees who just went through the existing training, an instructional design strapped for time might just speak to the HR team and look at analytics for course completion in the LMS.

While these are great data points, speaking directly to the people taking the training is something you should try and do in order to develop the best possible onboarding materials. It’s also incredibly useful to source feedback from your audience at various points in the process. A synthesis of data from how they interacted with your course and text or verbal feedback can help ensure your next project is even better suited to their needs.

Learner experience > design

A beautiful course with great material that is hard for users to navigate is not a great learning experience. Whatever you’re designing, ensure that accessibility, easy navigation and legibility is front of mind in order to craft an experience that learners can move through without friction. In practice, this means ensuring that instructions are clear, page navigation is easy and that your course content is always legible.

This is especially important if you’re designing interactive materials that go beyond the scope of a typical “click next slide” or “click the correct answer” format. Every unique format is an opportunity for engagement and excitement but they can also introduce friction. Try and keep core elements simple and consistent throughout so people are never lost with how to proceed through your learning programs. For courses that are composed entirely in an uncommon format, I try to include a tutorial slide that teaches participants how to engage with the course. Even then, it’s important that as a design, you ask whether the medium or format you’re using is truly the best one for your audience.

Experimentation can be beautiful, but it can also be confusing – on some courses, you simply need to transmit information in an effective manner and don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Recognize when each method is best suited to the task at hand for the most effective learning design.

Test on different platforms and with accessibility in mind

Testing (and testing again!) from the perspective and preferred platforms of your learners is an important aspect of instructional systems design.

Learners will often access your learning materials from different platforms than the one you use to create your online learning. Test your content on mobile and desktop, even when using learning management systems that optimize for different platforms.

What is clearly visible on one platform might only appear while scrolling on another. While these items might seem small, ensuring that even the most basic components work as intended can ensure that your desired learning flow is in place for everyone.

Accessibility is also an important factor when designing your materials. Be sure to surface any accessibility needs early in the project and design your text, UI and any multimedia learning materials with accessibility best practices in mind. Check out this article from eLearning Industry for more on this topic.

Beyond testing navigation and usability, it’s also worth testing your learning flow multiple times through the design process to see what the learning experience feels like. Where possible, source beta testers from your stakeholder team, SMEs or even from a possible learning cohort. Feedback is always invaluable though it’s also worth noting that there’s a right time to share your learning flow with others. I’d recommend having a complete draft of your storyboard before asking people to truly test it.

Respect the time and effort of your SMEs

In most cases, instructional designers will call on the expertise of subject matter experts to provide learning content and provide feedback on storyboards and materials. Whether working in higher education or a corporate training environment, SMEs often have a heap of work on their plate. So try and be conscious of that and respect their time! Make clear requests or content briefs, set sensible deadlines and provide your SMEs with enough context to make their work easier. It’s often effective to call a short meeting where you guide SMEs through your storyboard and show them what you need, rather than going back and forth over. Effective collaboration with your SMEs is paramount for making the eLearning development process a joy, rather than a chore. In SessionLab, you can tag your SMEs in your storyboard directly and make requests for content with ease. It can really help save time during development and make content sourcing and implementation a simple, systematic process.

Set clear learning objectives (and share them with stakeholders)

The learning objectives of your course are your north star while designing and developing your learning solution.

Everything you put in your course should be developed with these in mind and as such, they need to be good! There are a heap of ways to set an effective learning objective: using Bloom’s taxonomy (and the verbs and questions therein) and a proven method, though you might also find that asking your stakeholders and participants what they would like to achieve is a good place to begin.

Ensure your learning objectives are measurable (either through learner assessment or the tracking of business goals) and that you clearly reference what learners should come away with or be able to do by the end of the instructional program. Whatever you come up with, get feedback from stakeholders and where possible, your ideal participants too. When designing learning objectives, I like to think of Einstein’s assertion that if you can’t explain something to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it deeply enough.

I’ll always try to aim for simplicity in the final version. If what I’ve written is too complex, confusing or isn’t clear to all stakeholders, it likely needs another draft.

Create a storyboard (before going into your content authoring tool)

So this advice comes in two parts. First, I’d absolutely recommend creating a storyboard for any eLearning project or online course.

Creating a storyboard will not only help you create an engaging learning flow –it’s also a vital part of an instructional design process and you’ll often use it to communicate your design to stakeholders, SMEs and developers.

Skipping this step can lead to wasted time creating content you don’t actually need or later realizing you have an imperfect flow that won’t satisfy your training needs.

Secondly, I would recommend creating a completed storyboard before moving into your content authoring tool or LMS. In my experience, as soon as you start working in your content authoring tool, it’s easy to get lost in page design, button interactions and the technical nuts and bolts of your course. While these are all important, they don’t guarantee a well-designed and structured learning flow.

I always create a storyboard and review it multiple times to ensure I’m meeting the desired learning objective of the course before I get started in an eLearning authoring tool. It’s easier to overview the learning experience from start to finish and ensure the training material I’ve designed follows a logical flow.

Use an instructional design template

Most instructional designers have their own preference of storyboard format . I’ve seen dozens of variations in storyboard templates that factor in everything from the eLearning format to chosen learning theory or the knowledge and skills being applied by learners.

Save time in your development process by copying what works, reusing a proven template or even creating your own template from your favorite storyboard design. Personally, I favour storyboard templates that have a repeatable slide structure for easy iteration and have some implicit structure based on an instructional design model. See a sample storyboard using Gagne’s principles here . In SessionLab, you can create a library of your best storyboard templates to reuse whenever you need. I tend to have a heap of variations based on the kind of project I’m working on and even the choice of platform of LMS my client might be working with.

Keep your training materials organized and label them diligently

Online courses can easily become sprawling projects with pages and pages of content, storyboards and assets. Dumping everything in a single folder called My great online course is a recipe for wasted time and frustrating collaboration. Take the time to file, name and organize your materials for a more effective process and to ensure you don’t lose anything important. In SessionLab, you can attach course materials directly to the relevant slide in your storyboard so its easy to find and keep organized. Settle on a slide naming and numbering convention with your development team so it’s easy to follow and implement later.

Account for limiting factors like course platform or development time

With all the time and resources in the world, many instructional designers would go to town with bespoke interactive games, professional quality video and more. In reality, the turnaround for a project or the course platform being used can create constraints or caveats the instructional design must consider when design their content.

Ensure you know what tools you or your developers will be using to create and implement your course content and design accordingly. Scope out the key logistical details of project at the outset and get a clear sense of what’s possible. Nothing is more gutting than having to go back to the drawing board because your vision simply can’t be implemented with the time and resources available.

Bring learning theory and instructional design principles to your course design

When putting together this list, so many small tips came to mind regarding cognitive psychology, human learning design and instructional design theory. Learning theorists and instructional design experts have charted this territory far better than I ever could and my advice here is to learn from them, borrow from them and use those principles to inform your course design .

Going it alone or using your gut can get you so far, but you run the risk of creating disengaging courses or failing to satisfy training needs. Do your research, commit to your own learning and use everything from instructional design models to adult learning theory to ensure your materials are the best they can be.

Conclusion and next steps

Instructional design is a dynamic field that blends learning principles and educational theory with technology and creativity to create effective learning experiences and instructional materials. It’s also a skillset and methodology that can be used by everyone from instructional designers to trainers, facilitators and educators.

It’s an exciting profession that is only likely to grow as more companies use eLearning to train employees and resolve skills gap in their teams and organizations.

We hope that we’ve helped you understand the fundamentals of instructional design and gain some insight into how you might improve your practice and design even better online courses and training sessions.

Want to learn more? See how Vlerick Business School deploys instructional design practices across their team and how they use SessionLab to improve instructional systems design at scale.

Developing an eLearning storyboard? Check out our post on how to create an instructional design storyboard to better understand how it fits into instructional design processes and create more effective storyboards too!

Designing instructor-led training? Explore our guide on creating an unforgettable training session to ensure your next course is an engaging experience for all participants.

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.

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• Certified Instructional Design Practitioner's Course

The course aims to equip you with a strong foundation in instructional design and the skills required to create impactful learning solutions.

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Virtual classroom

Delivery format

Course duration 

Learning hours

11 Sept 2024

Upcoming batch start date

Programme overview

Join us on a journey to develop your instructional design acumen and cultivate the skills crucial to craft immersive and impactful learning solutions. The course will help you build a robust foundation in the art of instructional design, enabling you to curate transformative learning experiences that resonate with your audience. 

With a focus on practical application, you will gain hands-on experience through assignments and feedback from experienced facilitators. The course is led by industry experts from KPMG in India who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in curriculum design, capability development, and learning transformation.

Programme highlights

• 100% live virtual classes

• KPMG in India practitioners as faculty

• 36+ hours of live sessions

• Hands-on experience through assignments at every step

• Option to enroll for post programme coaching

• 10+ hours of capstone project

• Completion certificate from KPMG in India

What’s in it for you?

A comprehensive, job-oriented course Build a strong foundation for practical application of instructional design concepts in your role as an instructional designer.

A course for practitioners Work on live assignments where you apply the concepts you learn in class and receive feedback from experienced facilitators.

Learn straight from the business Interact with industry practitioners from KPMG in India through dedicated project experience and job coaching.

Peer-to-peer learning Build a new and meaningful network as you engage with learners across industries and geographies.

Why instructional design is the need of the hour?

Learn accounting from practitioners, skilled instructional designers are required across sectors.

The demand for ID is becoming industry agnostic. Apart from corporates, government agencies, universities, non-profits, and various charities are now waking up to the need to hire skilled instructional designers to work on more educational and cutting-edge trainings.

An essential skillset that is high in demand

More online programs, high-impact job-tech practices, experiential learning, and digital transformation have all made instructional designing an essential skill that requires experienced and well-trained professionals.

A wide array of available roles and career options

As an instructional designer, you can get hired as a curriculum designer, learning experience designer, eLearning developer, authoring tool specialist, and learning management system specialist.

Who is this programme for?

• Freshers who are interested in pursuing a career in instructional design.
• Technical writers and content developers who are interested in transitioning to instructional design to further their career prospects.
• Educators, trainers, and facilitators who want to augment their training development and delivery expertise or transition to corporate L&D. 
• Fresh and experienced HR professionals who want to build their skills in training design and development. 
• Professionals from any other domain who are in roles that require them to design learning content.

Course outline

• Module 1 | Fundamentals of Instructional design
• Module 2 | Learning needs analysis
• Module 3 | Designing the curriculum
• Module 4 | Creating the design document
• Module 5 | Developing learning content
• Module 6 | Basics of authoring eLearning content using Articulate
• Module 7 | Effective assessment strategy
• Module 8 * | Generative AI in ID
• Module 9 | Advanced authoring using Articulate (Optional)
• Expert Talk | Careers in instructional design
• Contractual risk and risk management over the project lifecycle
• Risk management over the project lifecycle
• Business communication and presentation skills
• Stakeholder management and relationship building

Meet the faculty

Amrita Paul

Associate director kpmg in india.

Amrita is a learning designer with more than fifteen years of experience in curriculum design and capability development for large learning engagements and business transformation projects. She has designed, developed, and managed blended training programmes for several clients in the finance, manufacturing, sales and marketing, healthcare, and human resource industries. Amrita holds a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Leeds and is a Certified L&D Manager from MiddleEarth HR.

Amanpreet Chawla

Manager kpmg in india.

Tarun Tomar

Tarun is a learning transformation professional with over seven years of rich experience designing end-to-end large scale digital and human capital transformation programs. He has been designing, managing, and deploying learning programs focused on technology enablement, capability development, and cultural change. Tarun is an expert Articulate 360 facilitator.

Apoorva Buttan

Assistant manager kpmg in india.

Sachin Sharma

Sachin is an L&D professional with 14+ years of experience in instructional design, learning design consultation, training content development, skill building, content writing and content management. As an ID lead, he has effectively contributed to setting-up comprehensive learning design processes, mentoring ID teams and successfully leading projects for leading organisations. Sachin has led several large-scale design consultation projects for leading corporates and educational institutes in APAC, India and US regions

Shashwat Biswas

Programme success stories.

It provided me with the necessary knowledge and tools to create a certification course. I created GenAI certification for my existing company post taking the programme.

Asma atiq, batch 9, the programme helped me connect the on-the job learnings to a formal structure as i had worked in bits and pieces of id related work in last few years., minakshi sharma, batch 8.

Expertise: Capital Markets

The brand of KPMG in India helped me in getting the current role. The employers were happy with the topics covered and considered it as relevant to the field.

Manju binu, batch 4.

Expertise: Forensics, Risk Advisory, Finance

The programme helped me grow in my career. It gave lots of insights on e-learning creation, designing the learning, and implementing them. Very efficient trainers who helped us build it. The assignments helped us to apply what we learned.

Johny asha, batch 5.

Expertise: Investor Relations, Governance

This programme helped me learn about different aspects of ID, which helped me understand job descriptions of an instructional designer’s role. It gives me clarity of writing assignments which is also an important step in the interview selection process. It boosted my confidence to appear for my ID interviews, I got 3-4 job offers even before receiving my formal KPMG in India certification. What better results can one expect!

Gauri, batch 5.

Expertise: ESG

During my learning journey, I learnt about the questions asked during interviews which was an important aspect of the programme.

Shubhangi maheshwari, batch 8, download brochure.

To register

Programme fee

Professional & Continuing Studies

Innovation for instruction.

August 15, 2024

UD PCS Instructional Design Certificate supports instructional excellence in higher education

Mohsin Siddiqui, University of Delaware associate professor in construction engineering and management, has used technology to create innovative teaching strategies for more than a decade. Now, with the expertise he gained in UD PCS’ Instructional Design Certificate program , he’s working to fine-tune that innovative approach and share it with his fellow professors.

The Instructional Design Certificate gives students the skills needed to create engaging digital learning experiences and comprises three courses offered each year. For Siddiqui, the certificate also allowed him to share his newfound knowledge with receptive faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering .

“Faculty have always consulted with instructional designers and web developers to create online materials,” he said. “I thought ‘Wouldn’t it be great for faculty themselves to be able to do it?’ That would minimize the time and effort needed to develop new courses.

“So, I took material that I needed for a civil engineering course, and over the first two courses in the instructional design program, really quickly, I learned how to create modules that were visually appealing and appropriate for my audience. My work toward the certificate had an immediate impact on the undergraduate courses that I teach.”

A department dedicated to innovative teaching

He quickly shared his lessons with fellow faculty in the department, where innovative teaching ideas were already highly valued.

Associate professor Jennie Saxe sees Siddiqui’s new knowledge of best practices in instructional delivery as a resource for the department. An example is their work on the department’s prep course for a national exam undergraduates must pass to become professional engineers.

“It’s useful to learn from someone who’s done what you’re trying to do,” she explained. “Mohsin shared what he learned with us as we moved our Fundamentals of Engineering exam prep course from a Google Drive to Canvas, UD’s learning management system. In that transition, we created a much more engaging platform for students to access review materials. We know students who are more engaged are more likely to succeed.”

Saxe applied the lessons learned to her own course in Canvas as well. “At first, I was intimidated by the Canvas design tools, but my conversations with Mohsin inspired me to give them a try. Making my Canvas sites more student-friendly was surprisingly easy.”

Siddiqui said that the mindset of constantly improving excellence is part of the department’s DNA.

“UD’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has many faculty members involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers ExCEED [Excellence in Civil Engineering Education] program as fellows and mentors,” he explained. “And we have several UD Excellence in Teaching Award recipients. Our department head, Jack Puleo, who received one of these awards in 2007 and 2019, emphasizes collaboration and support for instructional excellence, so we work together to provide the best instruction possible.”

He continued, “In addition to the work at UD, I am actively involved in curricular development and accreditation through the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission, a part of ABET [Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology]. I serve on the executive committee as a volunteer and I lead training development for team chairs and program evaluator volunteers.”

Siddiqui values the opportunity to share what he learned while earning his certificate. He said, “The Instructional Design Certificate courses took us through an incremental process of understanding learning, from breaking down the subject matter to achievable and measurable goals to using proven instructional techniques and ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as accessibility, in delivery and content. I can see a useful learning community developing from this experience.”

Department chair Puleo recognized Siddiqui’s efforts to share his expertise. “For years, Mohsin has been a go-to source for faculty regarding Canvas and other IT needs for course delivery. He was especially sought out during the COVID-19 shutdown when we had to switch rapidly to online course instruction. Beyond Canvas, I am confident that with these new skills learned through earning the certificate, he will be able to assist more faculty within and outside the department hone their educational delivery.”

Projects customized for each learner

Like Siddiqui, many participants in the Instructional Design Certificate program say that the project-centered instruction and personalized feedback from the course facilitators make their learning experiences immediately useful.

“We want the learners to leverage the program for their own professional needs and goals,” director Aviva Heyn said. “That’s why we have them choose their own topic and scope for their projects. Throughout the certificate’s three courses, they will build, modify and improve their instructional design, getting personalized feedback from different course facilitators along the way who bring a lot of great know-how and experience to their teaching.”

Angela Greco, who teaches courses in the certificate program along with Tim Danner and Olivia Pollard, agreed. “As a course facilitator and experienced instructional designer, my focus is on offering supportive mentorship and timely, actionable feedback to guide learners in applying their learning and aligning our coursework with their professional goals.”

The UD PCS Instructional Design Certificate program requires the completion of a three-course series that covers foundational knowledge for instructional designers, including learning theory principles, learner needs analysis and authoring tools. The first course in the series, Foundations of Instructional Design, starts Sept. 9. You can learn more about this program on the UD PCS website .

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• Support for Instructional Design Professionals at Penn
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For Online Program Teams

CETLI’s Instructional Design & Technology Team offers professional development experiences, resources, and community-building opportunities for instructional design professionals who support online and technology-enhanced learning at Penn.     

Professional Development

Instructional design working group   .

Our team hosts the instructional design working group (IDWG), which provides monthly meetings for instructional design professionals from across the University. IDWG members consider best practices, discuss emergent strategies and technologies, and continuously develop the capacity to support the production of online offerings that align with the University’s standards of excellence.    

Additionally, IDWG members have access to a Slack community for continuing conversations, posting meeting notes, and sharing resources.

Professional Learning Opportunities   

CETLI offers the opportunity to participate in fully funded IDWG learning cohorts. As part of the cohort, you will attend curated workshops and collaborate on ways to apply effective instructional design and online learning practices to Penn-specific contexts.    

We also fund Penn’s Online Learning Consortium  membership, providing IDWG members with exclusive content and access to discounted professional courses and workshops.     

Mentorship for New Hires   

If you are new instructional design staff, we can connect you with experienced instructional design professionals to provide extra support — whether you are just getting started in a formal instructional design roles or would like guidance in transferring prior experiences to Penn’s culture.     

Over the course of six months, through regular meetings and emails, mentors provide resources, advice, and networking opportunities to enhance your onboarding process.  

Online Course Design Resources

Course design tools and approaches   .

Through collaborations with program- and school-based teams, we develop and curate tools, templates, and resources to foster effective online course design and development processes, such as:    

• Course design timelines and key milestones.   
• Design templates for online courses and programs.   
• Instructional equivalencies chart and implementation support.   
• Collection of course and program quality checklists.   
• Support for using Canvas and Coursera to meet instructional goals.  

Assistance with the Selection of Appropriate Instructional Technologies   

Additionally, our team maintains a list of approved instructional technologies used centrally and at the school and center levels at Penn, to help staff identify appropriate tools to meet instructional needs.   

If you are interested in trying innovative solutions or want to learn how to meet the unique needs for your team, we also compile and curate lists of promising technologies and suggest processes for selecting third-party tools and vendors that comply with Penn’s accessibility, security, and procurement policies.    

One-to-One Consultations & Workshops for Instructional Designers  

Our team members are available to meet individually with faculty in your program, work in collaboration with dedicated instructional designers, or provide custom workshops on instructional design.   

In addition, we can meet with instructional designers and program teams to discuss strategies for Coursera MOOCs and non-credit offerings hosted on Open Canvas. CETLI can also provide ongoing project management and instructional design consultations during the course development process.   

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