The difference between information and instruction. How to make learning stick.

Interested in becoming an instructional designer? In this video, Nicole Papaioannou Lugara shares her journey and breaks down what an instructional designer is, what an instructional designer does, and the skills and education necessary to succeed. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/g-mcF-Db

Some hard truths every Instructional Designer eventually accepts…🥲 1. We rarely get to use all the principles of ADDIE or SAM. 2. Client requirements often override our best design intentions. 3. Tight deadlines don’t just test our creativity — they sometimes completely crush it. 4. The “need” that SMEs convey and the actual learning need are usually miles apart. 5. We spend more time aligning expectations than designing learning. 6. Feedback rounds can feel endless — yet somehow, the final version is due “yesterday.” Despite all this, we still manage to create experiences that engage, educate, and inspire learners.😌 Because at the end of the day, we’re not just following a model — we’re solving human learning problems under real-world constraints. What are your thoughts?🫠

🎬 Episode 1: Becoming an Instructional Designer. Let’s Talk About Presentations! Perfection is the enemy of progress. I have often found myself chasing the “perfect” outcome, the flawless design, the impeccably polished final look. But over time, I have realized that perfection only slows me down. True progress lies in growth, not in perfection. On my journey of becoming, I began exploring visual thinking and grew deeply fascinated by visual metaphors. I was drawn to how people craft intelligent, meaningful visuals from everyday things. That curiosity eventually led me to create a few of my own ideas in Adobe Illustrator. For the longest time, I kept those designs tucked away on my local drive, held back by the fear that they weren’t “perfect” enough to share. Yet growth requires stepping forward, learning, and embracing imperfection. So today, I am taking that step. These visuals tell the story of what I believe to be the essence of instructional design: how creativity and clarity come together to shape powerful learning experiences. Here’s to progress, not perfection. ✨ #instructionaldesign #storytelling #visualmetaphor #visualthinking #presentation #Becoming

Every instructional designer has a dream client who knows learning is more than a deliverable. Let’s test your priorities. You have $15 to build the perfect instructional design client. Choose wisely! $4: Defines clear, measurable learning goals in the project brief $4: Connects IDs with responsive, invested subject experts $4: Provides real learners to test and review the prototype $3: Invites design input before content is finalized $3: Recognizes and manages scope change collaboratively $3: Balances creative vision with organizational priorities $2: Respects realistic timelines and iteration cycles $2: Understands that engagement means interaction, not just animation $2: Celebrates meaningful outcomes, not just course completion What’s in your cart? If you’ve worked with a client who’d break the budget, tag them; they deserve some credit!

Should headers be sentence case or title case? In exploring how we communicate instructional design work, I was struck by Craig Howard’s “Writing and Rewriting the Instructional Design Case”—an article that delves into the fine balance between form and substance in reporting design cases. Howard argues that clarity in structure is essential: design cases must situate the design, describe the design, depict the experience, develop trustworthiness, and remove confounding elements. When our headings shout in title case, we risk diminishing that clarity, turning what should guide the reader into a visual barrier. Switching to sentence case for headers is a small but meaningful tweak. It reduces the perceptual noise and improves readability, letting the content take center stage rather than typographical emphasis. When paired with a solid instructional design narrative, more thoughtful header styling helps preserve the integrity of the design story—and invites readers to engage rather than skim.

Day 26 – Instructional Design Takeaways As an instructional designer, my biggest lesson from this research is that motivation can be designed. By intentionally applying models like ARCS-V (Keller, 2010) and principles of authentic learning environments (Rule, 2006), we can shape environments that: • Capture attention • Build relevance • Scaffold confidence • Reinforce satisfaction • Support persistence This isn’t theory — it’s practical design. When done well, it transforms learning outcomes. 👉 What’s one design principle you rely on to keep learners engaged?

Frameworks like TPACK and SAMR provide structure, but true design happens in the flow --> where theory meets curiosity and creativity. Instructional design isn’t about boxes and checklists; it’s about crafting experiences that engage minds and hearts. When teachers become designers, learning becomes transformative. Which design framework helps you bring structure without limiting creativity? #InstructionalDesign #LearningInnovation #EdTech #DesignThinking #LetsConACT

Yes, Totally agree with this! Instructional design requires strategy, empathy, and a deep understanding of how people learn not just aesthetic skills. Creating meaningful learning experiences takes time, collaboration, and a lot of invisible effort that often goes unnoticed. Being an instructional designer is so much more than just “making slides pretty.” It’s about navigating undervalued roles, endless scope creep, broken tools, disengaged learners, and the constant pressure for “innovation” that misses real learning goals!

Instructional designers aren’t burned out because of “too much work.” They’re burned out because of broken systems and misplaced expectations. I made this carousel with 5 survival tips for IDs dealing with chaos: - Scope creep - Tech headaches - Disengaged learners - Stakeholder drama - Devalued roles 👉 Save this for the next time you feel stuck in the cycle. ♻️ Repost if useful and connect Bojan Savic #LearningAndDevelopment #InstructionalDesign #LearningProducts #CorporateTraining

As instructional designers, our job isn’t to know everything about every topic. It’s to take something complex, unfamiliar, or overwhelming—and make it clear, simple, and learnable. That’s the real value we bring. We don’t just teach. We translate. We don’t just design. We simplify. And that’s why instructional design works across industries—because clarity is universal. 👉 How do you approach breaking down complexity in your own design work?