In a study examining more than a thousand unique job announcements, Wang et al. (2021) identified the professional competences that learning designers are expected to possess. They are categorised as knowledge, skill and ability competences as illustrated below.
In addition, it is important for the learning designer to acquire knowledge and experience with eLearning authoring software such as Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline or Lectora (Klein & Kelly, 2018).
Some of these authoring tools are discussed in the Tools for engagement module.
The pandemic has catapulted learning design to the forefront as it continues to be today one of the most important buzzwords in higher education and beyond. Careers in the field of learning design are flourishing, the demand often surpassing the supply. It is an unprecedented time to consider a career in learning design. Training in this field can open the doors to a range of related careers.
Examples of careers related to learning design
- Instructional developer
- Learning developer
- Instructional systems developer
- Multimedia designer
- Instructional technology designer
- Learning experience designer
Reflection Point
Those trained in learning design can evolve to take on more leadership or consulting roles as they gain more experience and knowledge in the field. Visit the following job portals and use key words such as "eLearning" and "digital" to explore some of the leadership and consulting roles that are currently being advertised.
From what you have read from various job postings, consider some answers to the following questions.
- How would you describe the day in the life of an instructional/learning designer?
- What types of institutions are looking for learning designers?
- What is the current career outlook for those trained in learning design?
There are several ways to prepare for a career in or related to learning design. Some of the main steps are outlined on this page:
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Establish a foundation of learning design knowledge by expanding your skill set in the field. This can include taking a formal course in particular topics or even watching relevant videos on YouTube or similar platform. There is a lot of information available online, no matter what skill set you currently have, there will be information available that is pitched at your level (e.g. beginner, intermediate or advanced). |
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Research about learning design jobs to understand the skill set that learning designers are expected to possess. Read the position descriptions (PD) and the essential skills listed for each job, this can provide good insight into the common requirements for each job. Whilst researching, consider whether there is a difference between the education sector or corporate sector for the advertised jobs and if so, if this influences your interest. |
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Reflect on your own skill set and identify which skills you need to develop further. This can be done by using some of the PDs from step 2 as skill checklists. Do you have 40% or 90% of an essential skill? Are there common key areas that you need to upskill in? |
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Once you have identified your skills gap, create a plan to upskill and/or consolidate your existing skills. Use the SMART framework to create these learning goals to ensure an efficiency with your planning.
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Step 5 |
Develop a portfolio of your work to showcase your skills. Include the link in your CV. The next section, Building a portfolio, outlines the process for this. |
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Step 6 |
Network extensively to form connections in the field. This can be done by attending conferences or events on relevant topics. Once you have a job in the field, identify the other people in the business that also work in a similar capacity, connect through LinkedIn to maintain these relationships. |
Step 3
Reflection Point
Watch the video below by Dr Luke Hobson on what he wished he knew before becoming an instructional designer (ID) and then consider the questions that follow. Select the play button to start.
Although this video is aimed at IDs, much of the content is relevant for a learning design (LD) position also.
- Did any of the points outlined in the video surprise you? If so, what specifically did you not expect to be a challenge that was mentioned?
- Are there desired skills required for an ID or LD role that you may need to develop?
The next section will focus on an important step, developing a portfolio, which can help job searchers land a learning design position.
The purpose of a learning design eportfolio is to provide an overview of eLearning experience, talents, and work history while showcasing relevant digital artefacts in a visually appealing way. A quick search on Google will offer numerous examples of learning design portfolios, ranging from hodgepodges of graphics and interactions to a few high-quality showcases of learning design excellence. While a carefully designed portfolio is an essential tool in the learning designer’s toolkit, knowing what to include and how to format it can be quite challenging.
Learn how an eportfolio can be beneficial to a career in learning design:
According to Hobson (2021), there should be some specific elements included in a portfolio.
Learn about these portfolio elements
- Introduction to the Project
- This is the "about" page of the portfolio and should include details such as a short brief about the project, the timeline, and the involved stakeholders.
- Your Role on the Project
- In this section, the duties and tasks that the learning designer was responsible for in the project should be described.
- Problem Statement
- Explain what the problem was and the strategies implemented to address the issues and in doing so, highlight the value brought in addressing the problem.
- Research (Analysis)
- Using research evidence to inform various aspects of a project increases credibility. Explain how research guided the project. Provide details about the analysis phase and how they informed the project goals.
- Project Goals
- In this section, highlight learning design goals in a SMART way. An example: develop a course to support people interested in transitioning into a learning design career to learn the basics of the field at a low cost.
- Design Process
- Some of the information which may be included in this section are:
- frameworks used (e.g. ADDIE);
- tools used; and
- any artefacts produced (ensuring no breach to copyright/organisation policies).
- Design Principles (Learning Models)
- Specify the learning techniques and strategies that were used to design the learning experience for the learners. Examples include:
- problem-based learning;
- scenario-based learning; and
- collaborative learning.
- Learnings / Next Steps
- Include a reflection on the impact of the course design on the learners and how this data will inform future course development.
- Without learning design experience, connect and volunteer at local organisations or community service groups to gain experience.
- With some learning design experience, including relevant content, the showcase process can begin with building the eportfolio.
- There are free tools available such as Wordpress, Googlesites, Wix and Weebly that can be used to build an eportfolio. With access to a Microsoft 365 account, there are additional options such as Microsoft Sway or SharePoint.
Without learning design experience, connect and volunteer at local organisations or community service groups to gain experience.
With some learning design experience, including relevant content, the showcase process can begin with building the eportfolio.
There are free tools available such as Wordpress, Googlesites, Wix and Weebly that can be used to build an eportfolio. With access to a Microsoft 365 account, there are additional options such as Microsoft Sway or SharePoint.
As we have discovered, there are many opportunities for an exciting career in learning design. Whether a writer, developer or trainer, learning design offers stimulating work with scope for attainment of new skills as well as career advancement.
In the next module, we will introduce some of the technologies used in learning design.
Complete the activity and knowledge checks below to assess your understanding.
Activity
Have you already constructed your eportfolio?
If so, identify any missing elements and evaluate the content of your eportfolio using the 'Assessing eportfolio rubric' below.
If not, choose one of the following eportfolios and evaluate it based on the rubric.
- Jackie’s website: https://jackievannice.com/?page_id=175061188.
- Christy Tucker’s eportfolio: https://www.syniadlearning.com/portfolio/.
- Cath Ellis’ portfolio: https://www.cathellis.com/about/.
Details of what to include in an eportfolio are provided in the following text file.
While the above rubric helps you evaluate the content of your eportfolio, what other criteria do you think should be taken into consideration when evaluating an eportfolio?
Examining the eportfolio examples provided above for Jackie, Christy Tucker and Cath Ellis, which ones do you think would rate more highly based on the content and other criteria you have identified?
Knowledge Check
Research has identified that learning designers must be competent in three main areas. Separate the following nine competencies into the correct classification by selecting each card and dragging it to the correct space.
