What would eLearning be without instructional design? Boring. Ineffective. Outdated.

eLearning without instructional design would be like delivering a 100-page training manual typed in Times New Roman font on white paper with no graphics, charts, or imagery. It is just stale information that students must simply read to absorb. Would you be able to learn effectively using this training method?

We don’t think so. That’s why we’re such huge fans of instructional design for eLearning. 

If you’ve ever been bored to tears reading through plain training manuals or sitting through a long, drawn-out lecture, you’ll know just how ineffective the old way of eLearning is. That’s where instructional designers come into the picture.

Why Instructional Design is Important for eLearning

Instructional design for eLearning completely changes the game for students. Its highly student-focused strategies deliver more effective experiences while creating more engagement. In other words, it makes eLearning easier and more enjoyable. Plus, it’s cost-effective when measured against achieving goals and impactful education moments.

Instructional Design is Student-Focused

Instructional design for eLearning creates a better learning experience for students. Modules created by an instructional designer are explicitly designed for learners to retain the information. In fact, instructional designers analyze their students' needs and abilities before designing modules to appeal to their strengths and weaknesses.

Instructional designers use visuals, such as graphics, videos, and animations, to help students connect with the information. They understand what graphic design helps students learn and engage, and they use that knowledge to create more effective modules explicitly designed for the students.

Instructional designers understand how the human brain works. Therefore, all learning materials designed by instructional designers use the best, most up-to-date psychological strategies for eLearning. 

Instructional Design Makes eLearning Highly Engaging

In addition to graphics, videos, and animations, the instructional design used for eLearning utilizes other highly engaging tools. Gamification is one of these practical tools; it creates a competitive learning environment for students using interactive gaming.

Gamification motivates students by using leaderboards, competitions, rewards, and point systems. Not only does it make the eLearning process more interactive, but it also makes it more enjoyable. These tools help improve understanding of course knowledge and thus improve retention.

Instructional Design is Cost-Effective

When it comes to the cost of instructional design compared to its effectiveness, it’s incredibly productive. The value of hiring a great instructional designer to design eLearning courses can be more cost-effective than many other training strategies, primarily due to the personalized nature of their role in designing materials specifically for their students.

Instructional designers are trained to seek the best eLearning strategies to achieve students’ learning goals and ROI for the company. Hiring an instructional design professional for eLearning helps businesses avoid spending unnecessary budgets on ineffective learning and training.

Instructional Design is Flexible for eLearning

Depending on the company's needs, instructional design for eLearning is flexible regarding hiring. Companies can hire instructional designers as full-time staff, or they may choose to hire contract instructional designers on a project basis. 

With the rise in the freelance instructional designer industry, companies can seek outside help for instructional design projects as they arise, saving money and time in the long run without hiring new staff members.

Instructional designers are also flexible in their understanding of creating up-to-date and personalized instructional materials. They support offering different training modules and materials depending on the student’s learning methods and place importance on updated materials, especially regarding eLearning materials, rather than traditional in-person training opportunities.

How to Hire an Instructional Designer for eLearning

If you need new online training courses, hire an instructional designer to create the most effective eLearning materials and modules! Before you waste time, money, and energy using your old training methods, look for the best and brightest instructional designers to bring your eLearning modules to life.

IDOL Academy trains the best up-and-coming instructional designers. IDOL students become experts in Learner Experience Design, social learning, and impactful training solutions. Through the IDOL certification program, they gain real-world experience developing eLearning modules for some of the most well-known companies in the world, including AT&T, Microsoft, Pinterest, and Amazon, to name a few.

One peek at our students’ jaw-dropping portfolios will show you they know exactly what they’re doing! With the knowledge, expertise, and practical experience gained from IDOL Academy, you won’t waste a single cent or second hiring an IDOL for your eLearning development.