In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the art of course design has never been more critical. The latest episode of Designing with Love podcast features an illuminating conversation with Dr. Catrina Mitchum, founder of Catrina Mitchum Learning Design, who shares invaluable insights about effective course creation and instructional design principles that can transform learning experiences.
Dr. Mitchum describes herself as a "recovering academic" who transitioned from higher education to helping course creators design effective learning experiences. Having taught her first online class in 2009, she recognized early that teaching online required different approaches than in-person instruction, which led her to study instructional design thoroughly. This journey eventually culminated in establishing her own learning design business, where she now helps course creators avoid common pitfalls that can sabotage their educational products.
One of the most significant revelations from the conversation is Dr. Mitchum's identification of the top five mistakes course creators frequently make. The primary error is a singular focus on content without considering how learners will engage with and apply that information. As she astutely notes, "Information without application is useless." Many courses are simply "video vaults" or "content dumps" that fail to facilitate actual learning. This insight strikes at the heart of effective instructional design—recognizing that presenting information alone doesn't guarantee learning outcomes.
The second mistake involves insufficient feedback collection. Dr. Mitchum emphasizes that course creators often focus on gathering testimonials for marketing purposes rather than soliciting constructive feedback that could improve the course. She recommends prioritizing comprehensive feedback before considering which positive elements might work as testimonials, creating a continuous improvement loop that benefits both creators and learners.
Another critical error is inadequate validation of course concepts before development begins. Many creators fail to confirm whether their intended audience actually wants or needs the specific goals and outcomes the course targets. Dr. Mitchum advocates for a backwards design approach, starting with clear learning outcomes and goals based on learner needs, then building the course from that foundation. This learner-centered approach dramatically increases the likelihood of course success and satisfaction.
The fourth and fifth mistakes involve poor course organization: many courses lack clear goals altogether, and even more fail to provide adequate navigation guidance through a cohesive "Start Here" module. Without these structural elements, learners become confused and frustrated, often abandoning courses entirely because they can't discern a logical learning path or progression.
When discussing the transition from one-on-one teaching to group content, Dr. Mitchum champions a hybrid approach. She suggests identifying repetitive elements that can be standardized while preserving personalized attention for particularly challenging concepts. This strategic balance maintains the personal connection that makes learning meaningful while leveraging efficiencies of scale.
The conversation also explored AI tools that support instructional design. Dr. Mitchum mentioned her preference for Claude for various writing tasks, Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing (particularly for captioning and pause removal), and Perplexity for research assistance. She noted that while AI tools can support course creation, they cannot yet replace the nuanced understanding that experienced instructional designers bring to the process.
For aspiring instructional designers, Dr. Mitchum offered sage advice: gain teaching experience to better understand content delivery challenges, explore unconventional industries beyond traditional educational settings, and approach subject matter experts with empathy regarding their content expertise. She emphasized the importance of teaching students how to write in discipline-specific ways rather than assuming universal writing competence.
The episode concluded with an inspiring affirmation about the growing importance of instructional design across diverse sectors. As Dr. Mitchum noted, this field shows no signs of diminishing relevance—in fact, its significance continues to expand as more organizations recognize the value of effective learning design in achieving their goals.
🔗Website and Social Links
Please visit Dr. Catrina Mitchum’s website and social media links below.
Catrina Mitchum’s LinkedIn Page
Catrina Mitchum’s YouTube Channel
🎯Call to Action: Free Course Maker Jumpstart
This jumpstart lets you get some initial feedback on early-stage ideas for a course without having to do a ton of work before seeing if people are interested in what you want to build. This can help you start the process in a way that feels less overwhelming.
Add comment
Comments