Instructional Design Best Practices

April 11, 2016

Using The Waterfall Model In Instructional Design: A Guide For eLearning Professionals

Are you looking for a Project Management approach that focuses on in depth analysis and detailed planning to facilitate your Instructional Design process? If so, then the Waterfall approach might be just what you need. In this article, I'll share 4 benefits of the Waterfall approach in Instructional Design, and I'll highlight each of the 6 steps involved.

by Christopher Pappas

April 10, 2016

7 Branching Scenario Techniques For Instructional Designers

Real world experience is often the best teacher, especially when that experience doesn't come with any real world risk. In this article, I'll share 7 branching scenario techniques that Instructional Designers can use to create dynamic, immersive, and highly effective branching scenarios for their corporate learners.

by Christopher Pappas

April 6, 2016

Explanation And Argument: Instructional Designers, Know The Difference

It’s the small things that make a big difference. Not knowing when a discussion is an explanation as opposed to an argument can have dire consequences. Knowing the difference between explanation and argument can radically change the outcome of an instructional session. And by argument I do not mean having a dispute, I mean laying out a reasoned explanation.

by Alex Terego

April 5, 2016

4 Storytelling Strategies To Capture Learners’ Attention

Let’s take 4 principles from the storyteller’s playbook and explore how they apply to eLearning in order to capture learners’ attention.

by Ellen Burns-Johnson

March 27, 2016

Instructional Designers: May The Force Multiplier Be With You (Part 3)

In the third part of this article, I will share my insight into the network effect of teams and also a contract you can use with your team to reach force multiplier achievement.

by Alex Terego

March 23, 2016

5 Steps Towards Empathic Instructional Design In Online Training

Putting yourself in the role of the corporate learner gives you the ability to sympathize with their needs and understand their motivations. This involves a healthy dose of good old-fashioned empathy. In this article, I’ll explore the Empathic Instructional Design process, which allows you to create learner-centric online training that focuses on the feelings and perspectives of your corporate audience.

by Christopher Pappas

March 23, 2016

Instructional Designers: May The Force Multiplier Be With You (Part 2)

There are two styles by which an enterprise can be managed, and two very different views of these styles by the participants: Top down and bottom up. Most enterprises are probably governed in a blend of these two styles, but it makes sense to understand the characteristics of both. In this article we will also examine which management style you need to implement in your team in order for it to become a kind of a force multiplier.

by Alex Terego

March 20, 2016

Instructional Designers: May The Force Multiplier Be With You (Part 1)

If you are a member of a team or a leader of a team in any kind of enterprise –including schools, non-profits, business, the military, government– you and your fellow team members are the best option your organization has to deploy a force multiplier.

by Alex Terego

March 9, 2016

For Instructional Designers: Socratic Inquiry Version 2.0.

Sometimes the best way to make a point is by storytelling. This story is mine. And it is true. And I’m happy it happened to me. It should happen to everybody, and it doesn’t; and it’s my mission to remedy that. Here is some insight into developing critical thinking through Socratic Inquiry and why Instructional Designers should pay attention to such an approach.

by Alex Terego

March 4, 2016

Why Instructional Designers Must Teach Innovative Thinking

Bill Gates made these pronouncements recently in an interview: 1) “Artificial Intelligence is on a faster learning curve than human intelligence.” 2) “Artificial Intelligence will lead to labor substitution (lobs losses) for the next twenty years.” 3) “Innovation is the key to solving all problems.” It’s hard to argue with Bill. So, let’s connect the dots. What is the relationship between Instructional Design and innovative thinking?

by Alex Terego

February 28, 2016

Knowledge Mining: Instructional Designers Note That Data Is Not Knowledge, Just As Crude Oil Is Not Rocket Fuel

Today’s employees are knowledge miners. Because data are just that – data. Data has no intrinsic meaning or usefulness. Like buried coal or oil, it is inert; it is static, useless to us. It does, however, have enormous potential. In fact it has incalculable possibilities. And that is where Instructional Designers can play a crucial role. Let me explain.

by Alex Terego

February 27, 2016

Gamifying Instructional Design With Learning Battle Cards

Gamification has always been in, but there was no one to call it the name it now boasts. Games engage our attention; make us feel a bit like kids. Even “serious” games drive us to compete with one another. Same thing with Learning Battle Cards, which are currently being launched globally.

by Piotr Peszko