Ever notice that you can’t spell “instructional design” without “T-R-E-N-D?” No really, you can’t— check it out. As an ID freelie, it’s your job to stay on top of up and coming instructional design trends in the biz to keep yourself at the forefront of what’s fresh and happenin’.

While some trends may seem like a bit of fluff n’ stuff that aren’t here to stay, many of the instructional design trends we’ve been following are proven to be effective and groundbreaking in the field. And as a freelancer, it’s important that you push yourself out of your comfort zone professionally so you can compete in the marketplace and stand out amongst your peers!

So, let’s get trendy! Here’s a list of some instructional design trends we’re keeping our eye on in 2022 and beyond!

Learner Prioritization and Personalization

This one may seem a bit obvious, but always put the needs of your learner first! Learner prioritization is all about personalizing learning for your specific learner and their specific needs rather than expecting one methodology to work for a large swath of people. In other words, it’s personalized, adaptive learning. You want to build your eLearning and training around your learner so that it’s tailored to them specifically.

If you’re wondering how that’s possible, that’s where artificial intelligence comes in. New and developing technologies have made it possible for programs to be built in accordance with the way learners engage with information and what works most effectively for them.

Additionally, AI has made it possible to determine a learner’s current knowledge and tailor the eLearning course accordingly. While it’s a tall order to tailor an entire course to personalized needs, it’s definitely doable where quizzes, tests, or case scenarios are involved. For example, if a learner is stuck halfway through a quiz, you’d be able to provide a helpful hint.

The bottom line is, all people, whether they’re a learner or not, like to feel that they’re receiving a personalized experience when interacting with a business. Instructional design is no exception!

Gamification

Gamification is simple— be the first one to claim the Iron Throne as yours before the White Walkers attack. Wait…that’s Game of Thrones. Sorry.

Gamification is when you take a standard eLearning course and make it, well, like a game! That means adding elements like badges, avatars, rewards, and leaderboards. The main idea is to make the process of learning as entertaining and engaging as possible for your learner. Trust us, it will keep them coming back for more!

Mobile Learning

More and more eLearning is going the way of mobile learning so that learners can learn just about anywhere! The more accessibility you can offer your learners-on-the-go, the better. Just about everyone has a cell phone and/or tablet these days, and let’s face it, we’re all glued to them. It’s more convenient and way more interactive!

Social Learning

It’s been proven time and time again that social learning is a highly effective tool and one that most learners prefer! When we talk about “social learning,” we’re talking about peer-to-peer review, chatrooms, collaboration, and just generally learning as a connected network of people rather than as an individual. With social learning, learners can expect more feedback on their work from their peers, as well as a greater sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

Incorporating elements of social learning into your course design is a cool way to break down this concept of eLearning as this super solitary, computer-based, all-virtual, non-communal way of learning. The truth is, the two concepts can be bridged really seamlessly. Plus, it’s a great option for observational learners!

VR and Augmented Reality

To be clear, VR and augmented reality are two very different tools, but we’ve elected to clump them together into one category which we’re going to call, “ya know, future stuff.”

VR, or virtual reality, is something that’s been gaining speed in the instructional design world for a while now, and it’s only going to continue getting more and more popular as advances in technology make it more widely accessible. While it’s not currently accessible to just anyone (you need fancy schmancy equipment), it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with it a bit so you can be prepared for future application of the technology!

VR elements in your eLearning course could be anything from going “on a field trip” to a medical training simulation or sitting in a three dimensional computer-generated classroom. It’s all about making the experience as real and immersive as possible! We could be in a VR simulation right now! You never know…

Augmented Reality is a bit different in that it’s not a fully immersive, completely computer-generated environment. AR is when you bring interactive elements into a real world environment. Ya ever play Pokémon GO? That’s AR.

It’s a bit more accessible than VR to your average instructional designer, but still a ways off in terms of being widely accessible. However, like VR, it’s the future of eLearning and a concept you should familiarize yourself with so you’re prepared when it goes mainstream.

An example of an AR component in a course might be, the ability to learn how a particular tool works right in your own office— spin it around, look at it up close, practically hold it! Pretty cool stuff.

Just don’t get stuck in the Matrix. Well, unless Keanu Reeves is there.

Microlearning

Microlearning is a learning process that’s been around for a while but is always on trend! With microlearning, the emphasis is on breaking down a problem into smaller parts and then finding a solution to each of those smaller parts individually rather than as a whole.

Pretend I have a giant chocolate chip cookie and I’m offering it to you on a platter (dream scenario). You could try to shove the entire cookie into your mouth at once. I mean, we’ve done that. But, it’s much simpler, to break the cookie into pieces and digest it one bite at a time! That’s basically what microlearning is, but less delicious.

Plus, it’s way more efficient and easier for the learner to focus on given that it’s happening in small chunks of time. It’s much easier to learn when you’re doing it 10 minutes at a time versus an hour-long session. It’s all about compartmentalization, easy consumption, and increased retention!

Scenario-Based Learning

Scenario-based learning, or case study learning, is something you may already be integrating into your course designs. Case studies are real-life examples that create immediate, practical meaning to learners and are a tried and true methodology across the industry.

Anything you can do to make your content more tangible and relatable to the learner is a huge bonus. They’re going to understand what you’re teaching on a deeper level and retain it better than they would otherwise. Much like some of the other trends we’ve discussed so far, it’s active and immersive and helps cultivate problem-solving skills in your learners. If you can personalize it to your specific learners or client, well, that’s even better!

Banishing Imposter Syndrome

Alright, we snuck this one on the list even though it’s not really a trend and more like a guiding principle that we here at IDLance really want you to keep in mind throughout your journey in the biz. Banish. Imposter. Syndrome.

If this is something you struggle with, we feel you. If you’re not sure what it is, let us explain. Imposter Syndrome is the feeling that you are, well, an imposter in your field of work— a fraud and a phony that’s going to be exposed at any moment! It’s an overwhelming feeling that you do not deserve the position or recognition you’ve been given.

Imposter Syndrome is highly common in our field given that instructional designers are often expected to be a jack-of-all-trades. Freelie, we’re going to go all “Mom and Dad energy” on you for a second here and say— STOP IT.

You deserve this job. You are good at your work. You have worked hard for what you have and your clients trust and respect you. If you’re hesitant about a project, you will find the solutions, whether that’s through your own problem solving or by asking for help. You do not need to be an absolute expert on a subject to design and develop a totally kickass course on that subject!

Conclusion

Phew, ok! Those are just some instructional design trends that we’re keeping our eye on this year. We strongly recommend incorporating at least some of these into your rotation of tried and true ID tools. Of course, there’s no telling what new trends may pop up next.

We’ve personally got our fingers crossed for smell-o-vision and motivational Jeff Goldblum holograms!