Instructional Design for Learning Nerds

Learn to design meaningful learning experiences

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🤔 Why Instructional Design Institute?

 

The purpose of Instructional Design Institute is simple: to help you create meaningful learning experiences. This is a 7 week-long instructional design bootcamp for learning nerds to provide you with what you need to know in the real-world.

Trusted by:

đź“™ The Learning Experience đź’»

What makes IDI different from other forms of professional development for instructional designers? It all comes down to the learning experience.

IDI was created for a hands-on experience with learning a new topic each week and then immediately applying this knowledge into designing your own course. You’ll also be given full autonomy and flexibility with how you choose to design your own experience. In a meta fashion, you’ll also experience how IDI was developed with exploring readings, videos, discussions, practice questions, journal entries, case studies, scenario-based assignments, peer-review based assessments, reflections, research, projects, and more. 

You’ll receive coaching and feedback along the way with each important submission to know you are on track. Each week, there will be a live workshop to build off of the learning material and of course, these will be recorded if you can’t attend live. IDI is also a cohort based program with strongly emphasizing the significance of a community and peer-feedback. Giving and receiving constructive feedback is an important part of an instructional designer’s world and this was included intentionally to help you on your instructional design journey.

đź“ť Curriculum

Below are the topics covered each week:

🧠 Andragogy and Analysis

How exactly do adults learn in the online learning environment? In the first week, you’ll discover the science and practice behind Andragogy. Additionally, you'll learn about the significance of analysis for your designs.

✏️ Introduction to Backward Design and Creating Learning Objectives

In the second week, you’ll be introduced to an instructional design model known as Backward Design. This model highlights the importance of starting with the end goals in mind and working your way backwards. You’ll also learn about how to create clear, concise, and transparent learning objectives.

⚒️ Developing Assessments and Learning Strategies

Learning strategies are what makes learning experiences so meaningful, relevant, and engaging! You can incorporate several different kinds of ideas into developing assessments that your students and learners will love. 

🗺️ Designing the Learning Experience

Just like how there are various ways to design assessments, there are a multitude of ways of thinking about learning activities and content. You’ll conclude this week by experimenting with a technique known as course mapping to visualize what every step in your learning experience looks like.

đź‘Ą Universal Design for Learning

Can you design learning experiences that everyone can enjoy? Absolutely and you should always strive for this goal. This week goes into the research behind Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how to apply known guidelines into your learning experiences.

đź’ˇ Evaluating Online Courses

There is no such thing as a perfect course and this is where the course improvement process begins. Collecting, analyzing, and applying student and learner feedback can and will enhance the learning experience. This week is all about following a framework to improve your learning experiences.

đź’­ Revising and Reflecting with Peer and Instructor Feedback

This week, you’ll incorporate the feedback from your peers and instructor into the final design of your own course. You’ll also reflect on the design process overall so you are better prepared the next time you are asked to create an online course for yourself or for your organization.

Benefits of Instructional Design Institute

COHORT

Join the community of lifelong learners. If you are passionate about education, you'll fit right in.

COACHING AND FEEDBACK

Receive guidance and feedback to make your online courses engaging and effective.

HANDS-ON EXP

Learn by doing. You'll develop tangible skills by practicing, applying, and reflecting on real-world problems.

WORKSHOPS

Attend weekly workshops. As always, they'll be recorded if you can't attend live.

COURSE PROJECT

Design your own learning experience. Each week, you'll be learning new skills to build your own course.

FREE E-BOOKS

Enjoy your free copies of Dr. Hobson's e-books, What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer and So, You Want to Become an Instructional Designer

👨‍🏫 About

The focus of Instructional Design Institute (IDI) is to teach how to create meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning experiences for individuals and organizations. 

IDI requires an application to be considered for enrollment and is limited to 40 students per cohort. For technology, we use Zoom as well as our learning management system. Students should expect to spend 5-7 hours per week on the content, activities, and assessments. 

As an added bonus, you'll receive both of Dr. Hobson's ebooks for free after 7 days of enrollment. 

To learn more, you can visit the FAQ section. 
You can also contact Dr. Hobson directly at [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning nerds. 🤓 

IDI was created for all educators who want to develop more within the instructional design space. We’ve had learners mainly in the higher education sector, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

Individuals in the corporate space can apply, but to be transparent, this is not the focused area of IDI. Additionally, IDI does not focus on e-learning or authoring tools that are more traditionally found within the corporate sector.

The focus is on designing learning experiences with best practices and guidelines for adult learners. If this is what you are looking to learn more about, then feel free to apply!

You can expect to dedicate 5-7 hours each week. IDI is mainly asynchronous with having the assignments and activities due at the end of each week. The workshops are also optional.

Within IDI, you’ll experience exactly how I design online courses and programs. You’ll see a variety of assessments, activities, and content. There will be readings, videos, podcasts, scenario-based problems, project-based problems, case studies, practice questions, discussions, reflections, journal entries, and more.

You’ll have lifetime access to the course and learning materials. 

Each week, we will host office hours on Thursdays evenings at 7 PM EST. There will be a Zoom link embedded in the course for you to follow. These office hours sessions will also be recorded and uploaded by the following day.

Requests for additional times will certainly be taken into consideration though for international learners.

The price for enrollment is $897.

Yes, it’s quite common for leaders at institutions and organizations to send their instructional designers to learn from Instructional Design Institute. If you need help with asking for funding to be used for IDI, please use this template as a guide.

Absolutely. If you aren't satisfied with the experience, you can get a full refund within 7 days of the course start. If you aren't happy though, please definitely let us know why and we'll do our best to find a solution! 

Meet Your Instructor

Hi 👋 

I’m Dr. Luke Hobson. I'm a Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager, a Lecturer, the author of What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer, and the Instructor for Instructional Design Institute. I started my career in higher education in 2013 and I've never left!

My passions are teaching, learning, and instructional design! My philosophy on learning comes from MIT, which is mens et manus or mind and hand. I believe in providing you with practical applications and helping you develop real tangible skills. I’ve been told that my superpower is being able to take complex ideas and translate them into simple takeaways for you to learn from. 

What I care about the most is creating meaningful and relevant learning experiences and providing every opportunity for my students.

On a personal note, I’m a husband, dog dad, musician, podcaster, and a health and fitness nut. 

I’m looking forward to meeting you!

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