Overview

Google, IBM & Meta Certificates – 40% Off

One plan covers every Professional Certificate on Coursera.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to define what instructional designers actually do, write measurable learning objectives, run a needs analysis, choose the right training solution, and build, deliver, and evaluate learning experiences with confidence. You'll also know your way around the core tools of the trade, from authoring software to video, audio, and design. Whether you're a curious beginner, a teacher eyeing a career change, or an employee who keeps getting asked to "train the new hire," this course gives you a practical, no-nonsense foundation in the full instructional design process. You'll gain skills you can apply immediately at work and a clear roadmap for building the rest through self-study. What makes this course different is its honesty and its humor. Instead of drowning you in theory, your instructor walks you through how the job really works in the real world, wrapped in pop-culture references and terrible jokes that make the knowledge stick. If you've ever wondered whether instructional design is for you, this course is the friendliest, most useful place to find out.

Syllabus

Defining Instructional Designer

If you’ve ever struggled to explain what an instructional designer actually does, you’re not alone, and that ambiguity can make breaking into the field feel intimidating. In this module, you’ll map out the role, its many job titles, and the responsibilities employers look for, so you can read a job posting and turn it into a focused self-study plan.

Instructional Design for Everyone

Your training only works if it’s built on how adults actually learn and on the problems your business needs solved today. In this module, you’ll turn those insights into measurable objectives and well-chunked content so you can design learning experiences that stick and prove their worth.

The Process

Even a polished training is worthless if you solve the wrong problem or skip the planning that keeps a project on track. In this module, you’ll move through the full instructional design process from needs analysis to evaluation so you can deliver solutions that work and back them with evidence.

The Technology of ID

Choosing the right tools is what turns your solid plan into a learning experience people actually want to use. In this module, you’ll get oriented to the authoring, video, audio, and design tools of the trade so you can pick the ones that fit your project and start building with confidence.

What to Expect

Knowing the craft is only half the job; you still have to navigate real people, real rooms, and real delivery formats. In this module, you’ll work through collaborating with experts and designing for in-person, virtual, and asynchronous settings so you can choose the right approach and deliver it well.