PRESENTATION OUTLINE
This Haiku Deck explores what Instructional Design is, the role of an Instructional Designer, and how to create a meaningful, learner-centric experience online.
Instructional Design in online learning is the intentional planning and creation of digital learning experiences that effectively engage learners and help them achieve specific outcomes.
Online learning environments provide the conditions for participants to interact with an online platform, learning content, an instructor, and other learning participants.
The Instructional Designer (ID) is responsible for creating the conditions of the online learning environment. They identify opportunities and touchpoints that humanize the learning experience through meaningful connections between learners and the instructor.
ID’s have both the technical skills to create an interactive and engaging learning environment, as well as understanding the psychosocial aspects of community building.
ID’s partner with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to elevate course content by harnessing their specialized expertise, knowledge and resources.
ID's often use the ADDIE model to guide the creation of effective online learning experiences through five phases: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate.
When designing the learning journey, it can take different paths. It might progress from simple concepts to complex ones, or start with the complex being simplified.
Jerome Bruner would suggest it’s best to move learners from a fixed learning to more open, learner-centered options, once it’s been determined that they understand the basics.
It's common to start by identifying the desired objectives (outcomes) and determining what evidence would prove the outcome is achieved, before planning the experiences and instruction.
A good objective clearly states the ABCD's: Audience, Behaviour, Condition and Degree of performance.
It's important to ensure ID's understand the context for learning: What is the need for this learning? Is there a problem to solve? Is there a specific skill to build or knowledge gap to address?
ID's also need to understand the learner's context: Who are they? What is their age? What is their educational diversity? What languages do they speak? What is their current knowledge, skills and levels of understanding? How will they consume and engage with content?
When planning the curriculum design - How can the content be sequenced to set learners up for successful learning? How will the information be chunked? How can the experience be varied to maintain engagement? What level of interaction is possible?
Edgar Dale proposed that learners will remember 10% reading, 20% listening, 50% watching, 80% experimenting, and 90% teaching. How will learners progress from passive to active learning?
Learner-centered instruction offers open, creative strategies that meet a variety of possible situations.
Learner-centric online environments draw out the lived experiences and expertise of the learners, increasing relevance, engagement, and motivation, while enriching the community.
Effective online learning is built on a dynamic interplay between content delivery, study, practice, and assessment. These elements are most impactful when designed as an integrated cycle that supports active engagement, reflection, and feedback.
Integration strategies might include group discussions, collaborative projects, role-playing, games, simulations, discussion prompts, and shared assignments—each designed to enhance interaction and deepen learning.
When these elements are intentionally connected, they create a learning loop that reinforces understanding, supports skill development, and fosters meaningful engagement. Content becomes more than information—it becomes an experience.
ID's integrate text, illustrations, charts, pictures, video and podcasts to create an engaging and varied experience that supports all learning styles.
Relevant, visually appealing designs support the learning experience and influence intrinsic motivation. ID's need to consider the overall aesthetic, brand, and tone of the learning experience.
Learner-centric environments allow some flexibility on how learning can be demonstrated, through different methods of assessment.
HOW learning is assessed is as important as WHAT is assessed. Using ongoing and various methods of assessment (formal and informal) ensure the evaluation is balanced and fair.
Using the learners context, the ID should challenge learners through real-world tasks, scenarios and case studies, so they can integrate and apply concepts to their studies, work and personal lives.
Ensuring variety in the types of content contributes to the pace and experience. Starting slower and building towards reflection at the end, allows learners to orient themselves, engage with the content, and reflect on what has been presented to them.
In summary, ID's must consider the holistic learning experience to keep learners engaged and in a position to meaningfully achieve the desired learning outcomes.
This Haiku Deck was created by Leigh-Ann Harper for the S25 Instructional Design for Online Learning Course at Durham College.
