Instructional design and technology go hand in hand, especially as technology and vocational education evolve in the post-pandemic Information Age. The rise in virtual learning paired with work-from-home environments has forced the instructional design industry to welcome technology to improve communication and productivity—and with good reason!

Studies suggest the COVID pandemic increased the need for instructional design via technology-based sources. Thus, a new breed of training has come alive. These are some of the most popular ways instructional design and technology work together to improve training and education.

Instructional Design and Learning Management Systems

At the very base of digital instructional design is technology providing a hub for all instructional content to live. Some may call these online learning platforms, online education platforms, learning management systems, or learning experience platforms. They serve as a user-friendly digital database for coursework, resources, and content without the need for outdated books, printers, notebooks, and folders. And they can be accessed anywhere, any time! Common online learning platforms include:

• Blackboard Learn
• Schoox
• Moodle
• Lessonly

Instructional Design and VOD

The importance of video must be addressed when discussing instructional design and technology. It’s reported that 83% of people prefer watching instructional videos to reading text or listening to audio.

Video on demand (VOD) allows instructional design course makers and instructors to create educational video series to be viewed whenever it’s most convenient for the student. This also creates convenience for the students; they can return to any video content on demand when they need a refresher.

Instructional Design and Gamification

Instructional design needs technology to create engaging learning environments, especially with more technology-focused students. Gamification is a learning strategy that uses gaming elements, such as leaderboards, points, and rewards, to encourage and motivate. Using games in instructional design can enhance learning by making coursework more fun and positively impacting students’ recall.

AR and VR in Instructional Design

One step further into the use of technology in instructional design and gamification is augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). This type of e-learning provides the utmost in immersive experiences as it allows students to engage in a simulated environment.

Role-playing enhances critical thinking and provides training on different situations, which can occur under a simulated AR or VR experience. Consider how these reality experiences are used for flight training—encouraging critical decision-making skills under real-life potential circumstances.

AR and VR experiences may be one of the final steps in instructional design coursework planning, as it puts all previous knowledge under practice. Software, professional programmers, and even artificial intelligence can be used to develop AR and VR experiences.

Instructional Design and AI

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been a hot topic in all technology areas (and beyond!) for the last few years. You may be most familiar with it playing a role in customer service as robotic live chat assistance. Still, there are opportunities for instruction design and AI to play together, too.

Artificial intelligence can be used to create course materials and automate test questions, create outlines and learning schedules, and even facilitate role-play practice. Using AI tools, you can develop coursework and assessments easily, quickly, and with personalization. Instructional design and AI work well together to optimize your time as the instructor.

Instructional Design and AI Tools

Try using these AI tools to see if AI suits your instruction!

• ChatGPT is a natural conversation chatbot that can help you practice conversational skills and answer real-time questions.
• Visme is a free AI presentation creator to help you design engaging presentations for coursework.
• Copy.ai has many features, including creating outlines, quizzes, and blogs, among other copy-related content pieces.
• DeepL Translator can translate your course material across many languages, ensuring students worldwide can access educational information.
• Canva offers AI graphic design tools that create stock photography and beautiful, professional-looking documents. Enroll in our Canva course to learn all of its helpful features!

If you’re serious about starting a degree in vocational design, you’ll learn to be an expert in all the latest instructional design and technology trends as the industry evolves. If this excites you, we encourage you to explore IDOL Academy, where we teach you how to become a top-notch instructional designer for an illustrious career. Enrollment is easy, and you can earn certification in as little as 24 weeks! No degree or experience is needed—we’ll teach you everything you need to know!