Instructional Design Episodes

Ever watch a promising writing class lose steam by midterm? We’ve been there, and we built this conversation to flip that script using the ARCS model—Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction—as a practical blueprint for motivated, higher-quality writing across live and online courses. With award-winning author and curriculum developer Ruth A. Douthit, we unpack what actually keeps students engaged, why “busy work” backfires, and how to design assignments that feel purposeful from the first...

Training that doesn’t change behavior is just content, and content alone won’t move a business metric. Jackie sat down with Dr. Steven Linley, a learning strategist and adult learning expert, to unpack how to turn “we need training” into performance that lasts. From the first stakeholder request to the final coaching touchpoint, Steven shows how to investigate like a detective, separate red herrings from root causes, and design solutions that fit the real constraints of work. If you’re ready to ...

AI can generate outlines, scripts, quizzes, scenarios, and slide drafts in minutes. That sounds like freedom, until you realize the real danger is volume: more content, more assets, more “resources” that don’t actually change what learners do. We’re making the case for a different kind of value in the AI era of instructional design and learning experience design: becoming the learning architect who decides what belongs, what gets left out, and what actually supports performance. We break down th...

AI can help you generate course content in minutes, but if you’ve ever looked at the output and thought, “This doesn’t sound like me,” you already know the hidden cost: inconsistency. When tone changes, terminology drifts, and structure varies across modules, your work stops feeling recognizable and trustworthy even if the content is technically correct. We walk through a simple fix that doesn’t require a massive system or 100 documents: an Instructional Design Knowledge Vault. I explain why the...

Curiosity turns into clarity when a seasoned teacher names the practices that work. Jackie sits down with Caroline Amberson, a K–12 demonstration teacher who completed her M.S. in Instructional Design at Grand Canyon University, to unpack how research transformed instinct into intention. She walks us through the moment Mayer’s multimedia principles gave her a common language, how UDL and cognitive load theory run alongside them, and why the Kirkpatrick model finally made evaluation feel practica...

Ever wondered how a teacher’s instincts translate into real business value? We sit down with Jessica Smith, a former secondary Spanish teacher turned corporate instructional designer at ADP, to unpack the exact moves that make the leap from education to L&D not just possible, but powerful. From scoping with SMEs to beating scope creep, Jessica shows how to define clear performance outcomes, audit existing materials, and pick formats that fit the workflow instead of slowing it down. If you’re cur...

AI can generate outlines, quizzes, and scripts in minutes, but that doesn’t mean your learners will do the right thing on Monday. We zoom out to see what AI is really changing in instructional design and what remains stubbornly, beautifully human: context, empathy, trust, and accountability for results. I walk through the pressure many of us are feeling as stakeholders start to assume “content equals training” and “AI equals instant course.” Then we get honest about the risks of moving fast with...

What if the fastest route to clarity is the one we usually skip—where are you, when is it, and who are you—before asking what to do next? In this episode, Jackie sat down with Tommy Kilpatrick to explore his book, Human Occidental Owner’s Manual, and translate big human questions into practical habits for teachers, creators, and lifelong learners. Using a crisp computer setup analogy, we reset our defaults: location determines time, identity shapes action, and context beats assumptions. From the...

Ready to move beyond one-size-fits-all courses? We explore a practical path to adaptive learning that uses the content and tools you already have—no massive rebuilds, no mystery AI required. By focusing on three simple levers—sequence, pacing, and practice—we demonstrate how to direct learners to the right support at the right time and convert feedback into fuel for mastery. The goal is simple: design smart checkpoints, not clones, and honor learner differences without inflating complexity. If y...

Think AI can do everything? We put that assumption under the microscope with AI engineering leader and author Sairam Sundaresan, and walk away with a playbook that’s practical, ethical, and built for real classrooms and design teams. We break down why narrow, well-scoped tasks are where AI shines, how to turn prompting into a repeatable workflow, and what it looks like to treat a model like a new hire you’re onboarding—clear roles, examples, and tight feedback loops. We dig into the big wins for...

What if a fifth grader could turn a pile of ideas into a clear, grounded paragraph—every time—without leaning on AI? We bring back dyslexia researcher Russell Van Brocklen for part three of our series to show exactly how: start with a hero, a universal theme, and a villain; distill three good reasons into one-word themes; and anchor everything to a real quote. The result is a body paragraph that’s honest, teachable, and repeatable—plus a writing process students can explain step by step. We also...

Forget the headset hype: real learning impact starts with a clear problem, a focused outcome, and a modality that actually fits the job. We dig into how to choose between VR for safe practice, AR for in-the-flow guidance, and MR for complex 3D collaboration—then show exactly how to design the actions, decisions, and feedback loops that change behavior on the job. No fluff, no jargon, just a practical roadmap for building immersive experiences that matter. If you’ve been looking for a practical p...

Want to design learning that actually sticks—and gets you hired? Jackie sits down with Connie Malamed, publisher of The eLearning Coach website and podcast, author of Visual Design Solutions and Visual Language for Designers, to unpack how newcomers can skip the noise, master the essentials, and build a portfolio that proves real instructional design skill. We dive into the mindset shift from “make e‑learning” to “design for how people learn,” then get tactical: reducing cognitive load with whit...

Projects stall when one expert carries the content, decisions, and approvals. We flip that script with a clear, usable playbook for building a stakeholder highway—bringing sponsors, learners, frontline leaders, operations, tech, and compliance into the right moments so training actually lands in the real world. You’ll hear why SME-only pathways create bottlenecks and blind spots, how to map the roles that matter, and when to loop each voice in across discovery, design, development, implementatio...

Most training fails not because the storyboard is weak, but because the learning lands in an environment full of competing priorities and fuzzy signals. That’s the tough-love truth James Gilchrist brings to our mic as we unpack how people-first design—and authentic leadership—turns content into real performance. James’s winding path from actor and musician to L&D leader sharpened skills we often overlook: presence, narrative, and connection. Those talents power the “lightbulb moments” when knowl...

Ever try to squeeze a desktop course onto a phone and wonder why learners bounce? We reframe the challenge and share five essentials that make mobile learning fast, clear, and genuinely useful in the moments people actually have. From finding mobile moments to building microlearning mile markers, we walk through patterns that turn scattered minutes into meaningful progress and show why one crisp outcome per lesson is the antidote to overload. A practical case study ties it together: a 45‑minute ...

Five new tools are reshaping how we design for real skill: spatial computing, generative AI co‑pilots, learning analytics with xAPI, adaptive learning, and immersive simulations. In this episode, Jackie walks through practical use cases, tiny starter activities, and simple design rules so you can test what works without overbuilding or overspending. The goal is clarity over flash—short experiences that improve a behavior you can measure and explain. Subscribe for more practical learning design s...

What if everything we've been taught about teaching dyslexic students to read and write is backward? In this eye-opening second installment of my conversation with Russell, we discover how the dyslexic brain's unique wiring demands a completely different approach to literacy. Russell reveals the science behind his revolutionary method, showing us brain scans where dyslexic students have 2.5 times more activity in the front part of their brains compared to typical students. This neurological ...

Good design starts with a clear goal and ends with a real-world result. We walk you through a practical, human-centered approach to data-driven instructional design that turns scattered metrics into confident, ethical decisions. From writing a sharp creative brief and instrumenting your learning ecosystem to analyzing patterns and testing targeted fixes, you’ll get a repeatable playbook built to reduce risk and improve outcomes without burning time or trust. Ready to turn evidence into impact? F...

The fear of AI taking over jobs has dominated headlines, but what if we're missing the opportunity to harness this technology as a powerful ally? In this enlightening conversation, T. Renee Smith reveals how artificial intelligence became her unexpected partner in navigating the challenges of raising a neurodiverse child and eventually led to her book, "She Leads with AI." Whether you're an instructional designer, educator, entrepreneur, or simply curious about integrating AI into your life ...

Karen Nix's journey from journalism to instructional design showcases how diverse backgrounds can create exceptional instructional designers. After stumbling into professional development as an administrative assistant, Karen discovered her passion for transforming complex information into engaging educational experiences. Now, working as a Design Strategist and Communications Lead at Orbis Education, her recent master's degree from GCU has added theoretical foundations to her practical exper...

Dr. Norina Columbaro brings nearly three decades of instructional design wisdom to this thought-provoking conversation about performance-focused learning. Drawing from her extensive experience across 60+ organizations worldwide, she reveals how the most successful learning initiatives prioritize measurable performance outcomes rather than just creating training materials. Whether you're new to instructional design or a seasoned professional, you'll appreciate Dr. Columbaro's practical insights a...

Ever wish SME reviews didn’t drag on forever? We map a simple route for turning expert knowledge into learner performance—without meetings that sprawl or feedback that never lands. We’re talking clear roles, crisp outcomes, and a steady cadence that keeps momentum high and stress low. Grab the one-page route card at the end: destination, three must-do tasks, two artifacts, a short cadence, and an alpha–beta–gold review plan. If the framework helps you ship faster and teach better, subscribe, sha...

What makes a learning experience stick long after the course ends? We pull back the curtain on the “secret sauce” of Learning Experience Design , also known as LXD, and break it into five essential ingredients—empathy, storytelling, interactivity, accessibility, and feedback—that you can apply right away to elevate any course, workshop, or training program. In this episode, you’ll get practical reflection prompts, examples you can copy, and a focused action step to build momentum this week. Alon...