Instructional design (ID) is the science of creating instructional materials. At its core, ID seeks to find efficient ways to educate people through physical and digital material, but the actual process can vary based on the audience, goals, and the designer’s ability to measure the outcome.
ID has its roots in 1950s academia, when philosophers and psychologists began to consider and taxonomize different types of learning. Government organizations, private industry, and military groups soon adopted these principles to improve training methods. Over the years, ID has evolved particularly with the advent of digital learning tools.
ID is an attractive career for many people because it enables designers to draw from a wide range of sciences, skills and disciplines. Additionally, ID professionals use design, psychology and statistical analysis, as well as “soft” skills such as empathy, collaboration, and understanding interpersonal relations.
If you’re considering pursuing a degree in instructional design, here are some of the key skills you will learn:
- Research Skills
- Material Design and Implementation
- Evaluation
- Specialization and Technology
1. Research Skills
Compile academic and industry research.
Designing an instructional program typically starts with extensive research. An ID degree provides training on conducting research both in academic settings and industry-specific applications. For example, an ID professional working for a pharmaceutical company would explore past instructional programs in the industry as well as the broader academic landscape around creating pharmaceutical instruction programs.
Conduct needs assessments.
Instructional designers must identify and analyze learning needs. Through an ID program, students learn to conduct needs assessments by gathering input from stakeholders, defining goals and determining what success looks like in a training program.
2. Material Design and Implementation
Create instructional materials based on best principles.
A major focus of your ID studies will be the planning, drafting and designing of instructional materials based on proven principles. You’ll learn about project management, visual design, and writing in order to create engaging and effective programs.
Educate stakeholders on the materials and methods.
Leadership and interpersonal skills are crucial for instructional designers because you need to gain buy-in from others for your research and work. ID programs teach students how to communicate research findings effectively so that stakeholders can invest in your program.
3. Evaluation and Feedback
Learn to collect assessments and evaluate effectiveness.
The other side of implementation is setting up tools and reviews to check the effectiveness of your instructional program against the goals you set out to meet. An ID degree will help you think through the best ways to gather feedback, analyze data, and assess your program based on measurable outcomes.
Learn to work with stakeholders and administrators to incorporate feedback.
Even if your assessment is largely positive, you will need feedback from people using your instructions or the teachers who are administering your program. Encouraging and working with this form of feedback is critical because it will improve the outcomes of your instructional program. You’ll also develop closer relationships with the people who can give you actionable insights to strengthen your program.
Specialization and Technology
Explore specialized career paths.
Another key benefit of an ID degree is the exposure to new tools and perspectives on industry trends. It also gives you valuable information on the expectations and duties of instructional designers in different industries, enabling you to make an informed choice about whether you want to specialize in a particular industry.
Learn about innovations to fuel your work.
The interface of learners with technology has been a key component of the last few decades of development in the instructional design degree. New changes such as remote learning, interactive learning through VR, and other interactive digital tools are likely to create further changes. Your studies will enable you to learn about these changes in depth and use them throughout your career.
Earn a Master of Science in Instructional Design From CSU
Here at Columbia Southern University, our ID master’s degree program includes courses such as:
- Assessment, Learning, and Action Research
- Digital and Emerging Technology Strategies
- Online Learning and Learning Management Systems
Our degree programs are designed to accommodate working professionals, parents and anyone else who is balancing school with other life commitments. If you’re interested in learning more, take a look at our program page.
