A brief presentation comparing how instructional design differs from designing lessons as a teacher. Although the two fields share some things - and it would be good for each to know something about the other field - they have different skills and goals. Presented online to a converged class at NJIT; video available at http://relayfiles.njit.edu/Converge/lipuma-4-8-15.mp4

1. INSTRUCTIONAL
DESIGN
IN EDUCATIONAL
SETTINGS
Kenneth Ronkowitz
NJIT

3. INDUSTRY : EDUCATION
Instructional Design
▪ "The term instructional design
refers to the systematic and
reflective process of translating
principles of learning and
instruction into plans for
instructional materials, activities,
information resources, and
evaluation. An instructional
designer is somewhat like an
engineer."
(Smith, Patricia L., and Tillman J.
Ragan. Instructional design. New
York, NY: Wiley, 1999.)
Teachers
▪ Teachers focus on tasks/learning
opportunities for students.
Educational learning designers
design “documents and describes a
learning activity in such a way that
other teachers can understand it
and use it in their own context.
Typically a learning design includes
descriptions of learning tasks,
resources and supports provided by
the teacher”
(Donald, Blake, Girault, Datt, &
Ramsay, 2009).

4. AREN’T ALL TEACHERS
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNERS?
Teachers Designing Lessons
(Learning Design)
▪ Focus on the individual
lesson/session -> week -> unit
▪ Often not involved in the
decision-making process of what
the content will be (textbooks,
units etc.)
Instructional Designers
▪ A more global focus, often driven
by performance goals
▪ Works with subject matter
experts (SME). (In some smaller
companies, the ID may be considered
the SME.)

5. Lesson Planning: The Missing Link in e-Learning Course Design
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/188/lesson-planning-the-missing-link-in-e-learning-course-design/
Lesson planning is not a typical topic in instructional design courses and programs, although education
courses and programs always include it. Consequently, few IDs without education backgrounds know
how to develop lesson plans. Though developing a lesson plan for e-Learning is similar in many ways to
developing a lesson plan for instructor-led learning, there are also differences. IDs need to remember
that there is no instructor present in self-paced e-Learning, and simple as this sounds, it does take
some getting used to. This concept is especially difficult to grasp for experienced stand-up trainers and
facilitators who are new to designing instruction

6. ID RESPONSIBILITIES
▪ Participate in product ideation, innovation, and iteration (20%)
▪ Synthesize and apply academic learning theory to product features
(20%)
▪ Create design schematics in conjunction with UI designers (30%)
▪ Participate in the learner validation, and subsequent iteration, of
schematics into design specifications and patterns (15%)
▪ Contributing to other design, development, research, and evaluation
tasks, as needed (15%)
What is not part of the ID’s responsibilities?

7. SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES
Identified by levels and by viewable projects and products
▪ Deep and demonstrated knowledge of learning design principles
▪ Demonstrated experience synthesizing and applying research from the
learning sciences to product design in clear, tangible, documented ways
▪ Demonstrated understanding of various adaptive models and
characteristics and their impact on learning
▪ Demonstrated understanding of evidence-based, learner-centered
design processes, techniques, and tools
▪ Demonstrated experience participating in the design of learner
interfaces and learner experiences

8. SKILLS
▪ Job ads are often specific – “Captivate 6+” - but resumes should always
be specific
▪ “Experienced in using Agile/Scrum methodologies in dispersed, cross-functional
teams”
▪ (anticipating interview questions) What would you use for:
▪ creating design schematics & specifications
▪ conducting validation testing with learners, instructors, administrators, and
experts
▪ conducting formalized acceptance testing, usability testing, and pilot testing
▪ increasing participation in a complex technology systems with numerous
stakeholders and requirements
▪ In smaller companies, you may have responsibilities for managing a content
management system or graphic design, video and visual design elements.

9. QUALIFICATIONS - FORMAL EDUCATION
OR EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE
▪ Graduate degrees in INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
▪ Significant knowledge of software and UI design practices
▪ Significant experience gathering and applying peer-reviewed scholarly
research and user research
▪ Previous instructional design and UCD testing experience preferred
▪ Previous classroom teaching or training experience preferred
▪ OR…

10. QUALIFICATIONS - FORMAL EDUCATION
OR EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE
OR…
▪ Learning Science, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Educational
Technology, Educational Psychology, Human Factors, Instructional
Design, Artificial Intelligence, or learning analytics or related field
▪ Experience in the research-based design of adaptive technology,
software, or digital learning products (adaptive learning systems e.g.,
Bayesian Nets, cognitive modeling, machine learning)

11. In an ideal world…
• Teachers would have a background in learning
theory and instructional design theory, practice
and tools
• and have input into the higher levels of
curriculum design
• Instructional designers working in industry
would have more than a student view on how
learning is designed in academia
• and be able to bridge the learning styles
established in K-12 with those of
undergraduate courses, to graduate to
professional learning.