How to become an Instructional Designer

Summary

The video introduces instructional design as a field open to individuals from diverse educational backgrounds. It highlights the skills needed to pursue a career in this area, including proficiency in English writing, comprehension, and familiarity with authoring tools and learning management systems (LMS). The video outlines two career paths in instructional design: becoming a content expert or managing projects and teams. It emphasizes the importance of certification, practical experience, and mentorship, while recommending building a portfolio to enhance job prospects. Commonly used instructional design theories like ADDIE and Bloom's taxonomy are also discussed.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Instructional design is a versatile profession where your educational background doesn't necessarily determine your suitability.
• 📜 You can pursue a career in instructional design from any field by learning the fundamentals and earning a certification.
• ✍️ Essential skills for instructional design include strong English writing and excellent comprehension abilities.
• 🏦 Instructional designers can work in various industries, including banking, IT, hospitality, healthcare, and academic publishing.
• 🚀 The demand for instructional designers, particularly in India, is growing rapidly due to the rise of online and self-driven learning.
• 🖥️ Instructional designers don't need to know programming but should be proficient with computers and tools like authoring software and Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• 📈 Career growth in instructional design can follow two paths: specializing in the field or progressing hierarchically by managing projects and teams.
• 📚 To succeed, instructional designers must have a deep understanding of learning science and stay updated on technological advances.
• 🛠️ Practical experience, such as creating storyboards and sample work, is critical in certification programs for instructional design.
• 🏆 Building a portfolio with storyboards in Word and PowerPoint formats is essential for securing instructional design jobs.

Q & A

What is the main point of the video?

The video explains that instructional design (ID) is a versatile field that does not require specific educational qualifications, and anyone with strong English writing and comprehension skills can pursue a career in it.

What are the two main skills required to become an instructional designer?

The two main skills required are strong English writing skills and excellent comprehension skills.

Is a specific educational background necessary for a career in instructional design?

No, instructional designers can come from diverse educational backgrounds, and specific qualifications are not a requirement for getting a job in this field.

What industries hire instructional designers?

Industries such as banking and finance, IT, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, academic publishing, consulting firms, and companies focused on learning material design hire instructional designers.

What is an authoring tool, and why is it important for instructional designers?

An authoring tool is software similar to PowerPoint but with more features, used for creating learning materials. It is important because instructional designers use it to create digital content.

Do instructional designers need programming skills?

No, instructional designers do not need programming skills, but they need to be proficient in using computers and specific software, such as authoring tools and Learning Management Systems (LMS).

What is a Learning Management System (LMS), and why is it important?

An LMS is software that hosts online courses, tracks learner progress, and stores course completion data. It is important because it helps instructional designers manage and deliver their courses efficiently.

What are the two career paths an instructional designer can take?

An instructional designer can pursue a vertical path, focusing on expertise in the field, or a horizontal path, focusing on team leadership and project management.

What should you look for in an instructional design certification program?

An instructional design certification program should balance theory and practical application, provide structured practice under expert mentorship, and cover commonly used theories such as ADDIE, Gagne's Events of Instruction, and Bloom's Taxonomy.

What should an instructional designer's portfolio include when applying for jobs?

An instructional designer's portfolio should include sample storyboards in both Word document and PPT format to demonstrate their practical skills.