What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer
The guide for how to become a successful instructional designer – no matter where you are currently at in your career.
The field of instructional design is dynamic and exciting but that also makes it a bit intimidating. A guidebook like this will help you avoid mistakes, focus your efforts and achieve your desired level of success with fewer headaches, wrong turns and mis-steps.
— Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D.
Professor of Instructional Technology, Bloomsburg University
Founder of the Learning and Development Mentor Academy
What’s inside
Are you thinking about becoming an instructional designer? You’re not alone! Instructional design is one of the fastest growing fields, but it’s also a bit confusing. Many of the best instructional designers you know of fell into the role by accident and didn’t have dreams or ambitions of designing learning experiences for a living. Other instructional designers pursued years of education to make this job a reality. The differences in how to become an instructional designer have created a need for an ID guide to help you with your career.
This ebook is your guide on not only how to become an instructional designer, but how to advance in the field. It answers the age old question, “If I could go back in time and tell myself one thing, what would I say?” Instead of one thing, you are getting 18 chapters of tips, strategies, and recommendations on how to navigate the instructional design field.
Learn the Answers
Everyone has questions about the instructional design field. What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer answers:
What does an instructional designer do?
What are the pros and cons of instructional design?
What kind of instructional designer do I want to be when I grow up?
How do I build a portfolio?
How do I make connections in the field?
How do I teach myself a new skill?
How do I work with SMEs?
Is an instructional design degree right for me?
What do students actually do in a course?
Practice and Reflect
At the end of each chapter, you’ll participate in activities to help you practice and reflect upon what you learned. Taking action is important to the learning process and you’ll know exactly what step to take with each point in your progress.
I remember staring at the job description for Instructional Designer, thinking "What is that? I think I could do that. Could I do that?" No one I knew had any clue what an Instructional Designer was. So I took a gamble and landed a job that I'd spend the better part of the next decade explaining over and over again, discovering and sometimes failing as I went along. There was just so much I wish I knew sooner. How I wish I had something like Dr. Luke Hobson's What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer to guide me back then. Luke's book is a great primer for anyone wishing to enter the field. It goes beyond describing job tasks (which you probably know are many) and getting to the heart of what it means to think and to operate as an instructional designer who creates meaningful learning. Furthermore, it goes deep into what it means to develop yourself as a professional and build the types of professional relationships that will help you continue to grow in your career. If you're just starting out, give this book a read and get yourself ahead.
— Dr. Nicole Papaioannou-Lugara
Yourinstructionaldesigner.com
What People Are Saying About the Book
You will be hooked from the forward. Karl Kapp had me at "The Willy Whistle Safety Initiative” and his "on-screen" talent and it kept getting better from there. As I read, I especially liked the distinction between an instructional designer and a subject matter expert (SME) and how instructional designers can best work with SMEs. After reading this book, anyone would have a better understanding of how to become an expert in learning and design without having to become an expert in every subject matter they design for. Also, the activities were really practical.
My favorite: Conduct a job search for “instructional designer” on LinkedIn Jobs and compare and contrast what you find. Write down their similarities and their differences. Which one do you think would give you more of a sense of purpose? What a cool reflection!
— Dr. Katie Novak
Author of UDL in the Cloud and UDL and Blended Learning: Thriving in Flexible Learning Landscapes
Maybe it’s going too far to say that Instructional Design is trendy. But an increasing number of people are seeking a way to enter the field and they need guides to help them down the convoluted path. Luke Hobson has written a guidebook that shines a light on how to start a career in instructional design.
In a breezy and informal style, Hobson answers many of the most common questions a curious seeker will have. The book covers topics for those who are early in the process, such as what instructional designers do, the different sectors where one can work, planning for the future, upskilling, building a portfolio, making connections and whether to get a degree. Hobson also walks through what you may need to know when working as a new instructional designer.
This book is bound to help many people get clear on what they need to do to prepare for their next career step.
— Connie Malamed
Founder of the eLearning Coach
Dr. Luke Hobson's book, "What I Wish I Knew Before I Became an Instructional Designer," is a must-read for everyone considering, entering, and new to the field of instructional design. This book is comprehensive and consumable. It's such an easy read that still shares all the details you want in a book. Not only does Dr. Hobson share information about instructional design, the different sectors, and how to become an instructional designer, he also challenges you to take small action steps along the way through prompts and activities. I truly love his kind tone of voice and his advice for current and future IDOLs. You won't find a better overview and clarity about instructional design and the work we do than this! This book is so special I give away copies to my own students in the IDOL courses Academy. Thank you, Dr. Luke Hobson, for contributing such an incredible resource for our industry.
— Dr. Robin Sargent
Founder of IDOL courses Academy
Luke Hobson has written a text that not only focuses on the fabulous world of instructional design but also weaves in his own personal struggles with education and how instructional design has changed his life. If you are an educator, current ID, or looking to jump into this field Luke's book needs to be on your bookshelf. It has staying power and you can continue to go back to it for advice for years to come. As a passionate educator, and faculty in higher education my favorite chapter in this book is Chapter 12 "What are students actually doing in the course?" it really makes you consider what you are doing in your courses and how to continually reflect on the experiences and activities you are providing to your students. You need to buy this book! #IDNerdsUnite
— Holly Owens
Podcast Host of the EdUp EdTech Podcast
About the Author
Dr. Luke Hobson is the Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager at MIT xPRO, a Lecturer for the department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami, and the Instructor for Instructional Design Institute. He also hosts the Dr. Luke Hobson Podcast and YouTube Channel. Dr. Hobson was named as one of the top learning influencers in 2022 and top e-learning experts in 2023.
“Don’t just read this book, use it as a guide and roadmap.”
– Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D.