Instructional Design and The Digital Transformation of Education

How a little-known profession is now helping transform the way we learn.

It was my first semester in Graduate School at the University of Central Florida, and I was grateful. One, grateful to be back in school instead of trying to justify to potential employers why I got my undergraduate degree in religious studies. Two, I was thankful to be back in my hometown of Orlando near a support system that can become a lifeline for first-generation students. However, as I began my studies, I was unaware of how impactful the decision I just made would be.

A belief exists within our industry that anyone can learn anything it just depends on the structure, design, and practice on whether they master it.

Combing through the degree catalog, a program captured my attention; my original hope was to work in education at some capacity, either as a teacher or within higher education. Then I saw a program I had not heard of until that point: Instructional Design & Technology. I thought to myself, “Technology is the future and I love education”, the perfect match. This story compares to many of my instructional design colleagues because many of us have stumbled upon this field by accident or just pure luck. Whether or not we have an official ID credential is not what unites the instructional design field- it is a passion for education and access that links many of us. A belief exists within our industry that anyone can learn anything it just depends on the structure, design, and practice on whether they master it.

We often focus too much on the courses themselves and not the ecosystem that surrounds it.

We are now confronting our biggest test as an industry. Never before has such a spotlight shined so brightly within the instructional design field. Plenty of people are propagating what the future of education, digital, and our entire society will be, but the truth is they don’t know, and neither do I. All I know is what I’m seeing today within my network. Higher education is pivoting to fully online, and corporations are trying to engage their employees via digital courses. At the forefront of all these changes is a group of individuals who combine the research of learning with the appropriate technology. Learning as a science is more than the sum of its parts, and we often focus too much on the courses themselves and not the ecosystem that surrounds it.

Online learning on its surface might seem to just need a few things to make it work:

• A learning management system to house the course and its content
• maybe a few assessments to gauge the learning of your audience
• if you want to go the extra mile incorporating live sessions where learners can ask questions to the instructor.

These are basic elements, but they only scratch the surface of the possibilities within digital learning. Some may often think of online learning as a “less than approach” to education, but what digital lacks in physical interaction it makes up for in virtual possibilities. Many of us spend an enormous amount of time online, whether through our phones or other devices, well before COVID-19. We can leverage this behavior to engage learners in a variety of methods that match the platforms they are already using.

But what digital lacks in physical interaction it makes up for in virtual possibilities.

What I see in our current state is an incredible opportunity to join the fray in the digital transformation of our society. This is not a task that is exclusive to programmers and traditional “tech” fields, but one that can involve those who are passionate about education. Who teaches the future programmers? The future start-up CEO? The angel investors who support them? Whether Silicon Valley admits it or not, the bedrock of our society is within education and maybe that is why so many of them are attempting to disrupt the industry. Instructional designers are central to this conversation and can serve as a bridge from passionate education to visionary technology.

Micro-learning, macro-learning, building digital communities of practice, and working our tail off to make sure that digital learning is not a solitary process- these are the transformative practices that are changing the way we view education. Instead of regurgitating what is said by the sage on the stage, we are challenging educators to allow learners to create knowledge instead of repeating it. Our biggest mistake would be to think we are done understanding our world, now more than ever we need to continue to push for discovery.

I’m a witness to the grand efforts of my colleagues across industries who are continuing to push the boundaries of learning science. We share resources on best practices, talk about our preferred development methodology, and continue to engage with new aspiring instructional designers who are looking to get their foot in the door. Let us continue to support and raise awareness of our unique role, because if we don’t promote ourselves and our profession, who will?

Allow learners to create knowledge instead of repeating it.

Education and Innovation are not mutually exclusive, and one serves as the conduit of the other. So although some will point to the newest application or augmented reality game as an example of digital transformation, I believe there is currently no better example than what we are witnessing now within the instructional design industry. A push to digital classrooms where people want to learn and still feel a part of a community, blending the way we use technology and interact with one another. These are transformative practices that will alter the way society views learning. It is imperative for every human to continue to learn to keep pace with the change we experience, and it is up to instructional designers to provide that learning where and when our society needs it.

To my fellow instructional designers, continue your path of discovery and don’t be afraid of trying something new and failing at it. We are pushing boundaries and comfort zones, but in doing so we are progressing the capabilities of human learning.