As Dr. Suess said, “The MORE that you READ, the more things you’ll know. The More you’ll LEARN, the more PLACES you’ll Go.” This saying holds true for eLearning designers especially instructional designers. The most important quality for an eLearning professional would be “the appetite to Read and Learn more” while staying updated with the current eLearning trends. In my research, I discovered the following 4 eLearning books that are must-read to design eLearning courses effectively. What is your favorite eLearning/Instructional Design book? Is it a part of top eLearning books. Check this out to know.

1. Top 4 Books Every Elearning Professional Must Read
As Dr. Suess said, “The MORE that you READ, the more things you’ll know. The
More you’ll LEARN, the more PLACES you’ll Go.” This saying holds true for
eLearning designers especially instructional designers. The most important quality
for an eLearning professional would be “the appetite to Read and Learn more” while
staying updated with the current eLearning trends. In my research, I discovered the
following 4 eLearning books that are must-read to design eLearning courses
effectively.
Book #1: The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based
Methods and Strategies for Training and Education – By Karl M. Kapp
Gamification in eLearning is something you can’t afford to ignore as an eLearning
professional. If you want to create game-based eLearning and don’t know where to
start, this book can be of great help as it is power-packed with useful advice and
gamification examples. And if you think gamification in elearning is just about
adding reward points, badges and levels; then you might have to rethink. Karl Kapp
in his book explains how to use gamified eLearning to create meaningful learning
experiences. It also focuses on modern trends where learning processes work and
meet the needs of today’s learners.

2. This book will be a perfect find for those who would love to do something out of box
to engage the learners with interesting game-based approaches.
Book #2: Design for How People Learn (Voices that Matter) – By Julie
Dirksen
Want to design a great learning experience, then you should definitely read this
smart and insightful book by Julie Dirksen. This great read on learning design
HELPS you:
 Figure out how people learn and design effective learning experiences
accordingly
 Understand what an instructional designer needs to know before designing
eLearning
 Create strategies for meaningful learning interactions
I strongly recommend this book for both newbies and seasoned instructional
designers.
Book #3: E-Learning by Design – By William Horton (2nd edition)
“E-Learning by Design” written by William Horton which is one of the best-selling
books on Amazon for designing web-based training or eLearning. William uses his
thirty-five years hands-on experience to provide a practical guidance to create
effective eLearning. This book covers all aspects of e-Learning design focusing on
latest instructional design strategies ranging from – developing meaningful
activities, creating online assessments, designing meaningful games to implement
eLearning courses. William also touched on aspects of Social learning, mobile
learning and virtual classroom.
Dissimilar to other books, William briefs on variety of activities in eLearning where
he covers different types of learning activities that fits to Absorb, Do and Connect.
These special features made me to include this book into my list of top 4 books.
Book #4: The Accidental Instructional Designer – By Cammy Bean
Accidental meetings may sometimes end up making the most beautiful experiences.
According to the author, Cammy Bean, this sentence might hold true for

3. instructional designers who chose this profession unwillingly or unintentionally.
Cammy in her 202-page book beautifully explains:
 How to design eLearning that works?
 The essentials of creating scenario-based eLearning, building meaningful
eLearning interactions, designing visuals, and working with SMEs.
 How to avoid instructional design mistakes?
 How to move forward in instructional design career?
Well, if you want to transform your journey from an Accidental Instructional
Designer to an intentional one then this book has to be your choice.
The instructional design concepts discussed in the books has helped us devise
instructional sound eLearning course strategies for varied types of learning
problems. Following are a few eLearning courses developed for your review.
Source: http://www.swiftelearningservices.com/top-4-books-every-elearning-
professional-must-read/