Instructional Design Posts
Posts covering instructional design concepts, frameworks, and real-world approaches for creating effective learning experiences.
Feb. 15, 2026
Designing Learning, Not Just E‑Learning with Connie Malamed
Breaking into instructional design can feel like standing at the edge of a maze made of tools, terms, and templates, but the path clears when you start with a simple truth: design for how people learn, not for what software can do. That framing sits…
Feb. 4, 2026
Beyond The Basics: A Practical Blueprint for Microlearning
Microlearning works best when it is small on purpose and built for a single job moment, not a shrunken course. The heart of the approach is clarity: define one moment where a performer needs help, name one move they should make next, and choose one …
Jan. 28, 2026
Gamification Strategies to Improve Learner Engagement
Many teams rush to add points and badges to their training, only to discover that nothing important changes. The reason is simple: mechanics cannot save muddled outcomes. To design gamified learning that actually works, start with a sharp performanc…
Jan. 25, 2026
People First, Tools Second with James Gilchrist
Compassionate, human-centered learning design sounds soft until you see what it does to performance. When projects stall, it is rarely because the storyboard was weak or the platform missed a feature; it is because the learning was dropped into an e…
Jan. 21, 2026
Mobile Learning Design: How to Create Courses for Any Device
Mobile learning succeeds when content meets the realities of time, attention, and context. The core shift is designing for mobile moments rather than shrinking desktop modules. These are the brief windows in a day—on a bus, in a hallway, betwe…
Jan. 14, 2026
Stay Ahead: The Learning Designer’s Playbook
Staying current in learning and development without burning out is a real challenge. The pace of tools, frameworks, and workplace change is relentless, yet the demand for measurable results only grows. This episode focuses on a practical playbook th…
Jan. 7, 2026
Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional Design
Emerging technology promises a faster, safer path to real skill, but only when we pair it with clear outcomes, tiny pilots, and simple metrics. In this episode, we explored five areas shaping modern learning design: spatial computing, generative AI …
Jan. 4, 2026
Rewiring Dyslexic Brains: The Writing-First Approach with Russell Van Brocklen
In a fascinating continuation of the Designing with Love podcast series on dyslexia, host Jackie Pelegrin welcomed back Russell Van Brocklen, a New York State Senate-funded dyslexia researcher, to delve deeper into practical strategies for helping y…
Dec. 31, 2025
How to Use Data to Improve Instructional Design
Data-driven design gets thrown around a lot, yet many teams still chase vanity metrics or implement sweeping redesigns that create risk without results. The heart of effective instructional design is clarity: define what success looks like in learne…
Dec. 24, 2025
Feedback Without Fear
Great learning products rarely come from a lone genius; they come from steady loops of clear, respectful feedback that aim at outcomes. When we treat reviews as collaboration instead of confrontation, teams move faster and learners benefit sooner. T…
Dec. 21, 2025
Beyond the LMS: Karen Nix's Instructional Design Journey
Karen Nix's journey into instructional design showcases the diverse pathways professionals take into this dynamic field. Starting with a journalism background, Karen found herself drawn to learning and development through an unexpected administrativ…
Dec. 17, 2025
Scope Creep Survival Guide
Projects rarely fail all at once; they slip one small “yes” at a time. That pattern is the heart of scope creep—expanded requirements that outgrow the original plan and drain time, budget, and focus. For instructional designers, it…
Dec. 14, 2025
Performance Beyond Training with Dr. Norina Columbaro
The recent episode of the Designing with Love podcast featuring Dr. Norina Columbaro offers a compelling exploration of modern instructional design practices that focus on performance rather than just creating training materials. As an instructional…
Dec. 10, 2025
The SME Connection: Your Roadmap to Success
Strong learning starts with strong partnerships, and the most important partnership in corporate training is the one between instructional designers and subject matter experts. When that relationship is grounded in clarity, respect, and a shared des…
Dec. 3, 2025
The Secret Sauce of Learning Experience Design
Learning experience design often gets framed as a matter of software choices, templates, and timelines, but the work that truly moves learners' lives at a deeper level. The through-line of effective design is not a tool—it’s a point of v…
Nov. 26, 2025
Click, Swipe, Learn: Crafting Interactive Content That Works
Great learning design starts with intent, not with widgets. Before adding a single hotspot or video, define what learners should be able to do. Clear, measurable objectives anchor every interactive element to a purpose that matters on the job. Use a…
Nov. 12, 2025
From Theory to Practice: Bringing Learning Theories to Life in Instructional Design
As instructional designers, we often encounter various learning theories during our education and professional development. However, understanding these theories conceptually and applying them effectively to our design projects are two different cha…
Nov. 9, 2025
Think, Do, Reflect: Using Constructivism in Instructional Design
In the ever-evolving landscape of education and training, instructional designers are constantly seeking approaches that create meaningful, lasting learning experiences. Among these approaches, Constructivist Learning theory stands as a powerful fra…
Nov. 5, 2025
Designing with Layers: Exploring Elaboration Theory
Charles Reigeluth's Elaboration Theory has transformed the way instructional designers approach content sequencing since its development in the 1970s. Unlike traditional methods that often overwhelm learners with complex information, this theory adv…
Oct. 29, 2025
Training with Heart: Where Science Meets Inclusive Design with Tracy King
In a recent episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin welcomed Tracy King, a learning strategist and the founder and CEO of InspirEd, to discuss the evolving landscape of instructional design and learning development. Their co…
Oct. 26, 2025
Start with the Core: Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction
In the world of instructional design, countless models and theories promise to enhance learning outcomes. However, few have the enduring power and versatility of Merrill's First Principles of Instruction. Developed by Dr. M. David Merrill, this fram…
Oct. 22, 2025
Designing on the Fly: How Rapid Prototyping Speeds Up Smarter Learning Design
In today's fast-paced educational and corporate environments, instructional designers face mounting pressure to create effective learning experiences under tight deadlines and with evolving requirements. Traditional linear design approaches often fa…
Oct. 19, 2025
The Power of Just-in-Time Learning with Grant Fuellenbach
In the latest episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin engages in an enlightening conversation with Grant Fuellenbach, founder of GO First Consulting. The episode explores the fascinating intersection between construction met…
Oct. 15, 2025
Designing Effective Learning: A Deep Dive into the Dick and Carey Model
The Dick and Carey Systems Approach Model has remained a cornerstone of instructional design since its introduction in 1978. Unlike linear approaches to creating learning experiences, this model embraces a systematic perspective where each component…