Corporate Training Doesn't Have to Be a Drag

Lauri posted the following:

"Corporate training has a reputation of being boring. From my experience, employees have online company training (whether it be onboarding, learning company policies, mandated reporting procedures...) running in the background, while they complete other tasks. There is a boredom, what a drag - gasp when us employees talk about having to do these training sessions. We push them off till nearing the deadline. This isn’t a reflection of lazy employees. It’s a reflection of how training has traditionally been designed. Most corporate training is passive - Click, Next, Quiz, Submit. It checks compliance boxes, but it rarely sparks curiosity, motivation, or meaningful application. What If Training Felt Like Participation Instead of Obligation?

Imagine this instead:

• Progressive challenges that build skill over time.
• AI-powered simulations where employees practice real client conversations.
• Collaborative missions that strengthen communication and leadership.
• Real-time feedback that adapts to the learner’s level.
• Learning that feels like participation — not obligation.

These elements transform learning from a compliance requirement into an engaging journey. 

Also, using AI Gamification moves training from obligation to opportunity.

AI gamification creates psychologically safe spaces to practice skills through simulations and role plays. It scaffolds difficulty to prevent frustration while sustaining motivation. It measures not just satisfaction, but knowledge transfer and real-world application.What Excited Me About AI Gamification is instead of standardized slide decks and static modules, this model builds immersive, interactive experiences tailored to company culture and real workplace scenarios. It aligns to real workplace scenarios. Research consistently shows that when learners interact with content, practice in realistic contexts, and receive immediate feedback, engagement increases — and so does retention.

Training should not feel like a burden employees push off until the last minute. It should feel like growth. Instead of asking, 'Did they complete it?' we begin asking, 'Did it change behavior?' That’s a powerful shift."

Click on this link below to learn more.

Recommended Blog

The following was submitted by Fuyao, regarding Christie's blog:

"I’d love to recommend Christy Tucker's blog, Experiencing E-Learning. I find it especially helpful for the practical side of instructional design because her content is grounded in real-world experience, and is definitely worth exploring!

Here are a few posts I found particularly useful:

Transitioning from Teaching to Instructional Design
Great advice for teachers who are making the switch to instructional design (I know a few of us here are coming from a teaching background).

Resources for Learning Instructional Design Skills
A curated list of tools, courses, and articles to help you build your skill set—super helpful if you're just getting started or trying to fill gaps.

30+ Ideas for eLearning Portfolio Samples
This one is full of creative ideas for portfolio projects. I sometimes go back to it when I’m stuck and need inspiration."

So…Who’s Thinking About AI and the Future of Instructional Design?

Here is Christine's insight into this question:

"This is a question that has caused me to pause because currently the world of instructional design is being rocked by AI. And in many ways, we can see the benefits quickly. What once took teams of experts weeks or months to develop instruction can now be prototyped very quickly. AI can generate assessments, summaries, and scripts. It can help adapt to accommodate language, cultural differences, and learning abilities. Chatbots are open 24/7 and are often data driven.

I have read a little (and there is so much information out there so if interested, research on your own). An article written by G.W. Choi for Tech Trends in 2024 looked at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) regarding ChatGPT’s ability to create a course. Choi concludes that human intervention is still needed to maintain reliability in outputs for quality control. I have also read an article by Federica Diletta Peloso about L&D and artificial and emotional intelligence. Both articles highlighted something that surprised me about the common theme: human nuance. Specifically, Peloso argues that AI is great in creating personalized learning journeys but wouldn’t be able to respond to cultural and social context, give feedback across cultures, and allow vulnerability in the learning experience. She talks about the importance of still having 'human moments in digital learning.'

Technology should serve learning, not the other way around. Focusing on what makes learning meaningful, engaging, and equitable are things that AI can’t quite capture yet. There is still power in our human emotional intelligence to craft and lead instruction. But if you haven’t thought about how to integrate AI into your own practices, it may be helpful to learn the tools and see if it is an aid to your work. I know for my part, I will definitely start with giving them the task of creating assessments."

Two Quick-Read Books

Ashlee just contributed the following:

"Two books that were recommended to me as I began the process of joining the UCI program were: 

• The Accidental Instructional Designer by Cammy Bean
• Design For How People Learn by Julie Dirksen

These two books were quick reads, very digestible and have provided me many insights that I have been able to apply to my own work, from the basics, to tools and technologies, working with SMEs, making sure your interactivity counts, and really prioritizing adult learning theory and actually designing for how adults learn as opposed to what we think looks pretty or we think will work."

Graphic Design for Course Creators: A Must‑Have OER for Instructional Designers

This just in from Agnes, who remarks,

"Dawn Lee DiPeri’s openly licensed (CC BY 4.0) OER book, Graphic Design for Course Creators, published in February 2022 on Pressbooks is a must have for instructional designers!

This book helps instructional designers by merging visual design theory with inclusive e‑learning practices. It frames graphic design as a deliberate, learner-centered choice—not a decorative afterthought (as highlighted in the foreword by Tim Slade). For anyone wanting to elevate both the aesthetic and pedagogical quality of their courseware, it’s a valuable foundation to build on.

What’s inside?

Over 17 well‑structured chapters, the book unpacks design principles such as digital accessibility checklist, alternative text, color contrast, headings and lists, alignment, repetition, proximity, typography, minimalism, color theory and more! Each chapter includes real design examples, helping to bridge theory with practical application.

Readers will gain:

• A clearer understanding of core graphic design principles tailored for e‑learning (e.g. proximity, minimalism, contrast).
• How design choices intersect with accessibility and learning science—reducing cognitive load, increasing readability and usability.

How you can use it in our ID course:

1. Choose one chapter (e.g. Proximity, Typography, or Minimalism) to read and apply.
2. Reflect: Summarize the key takeaways from the chapter.
3. Practice: Re‑design a short slide, page or module section using one of the principles principle
4. Reflect further: Answer at least one of the guided questions at the end of the chapter (e.g. 'How did grouping help reduce visual clutter?')

This book is accessible, practical and free. A thoughtful reader who takes time with the examples, checklists, or tries out mini‑projects (like redesigning a slide or page segment) might spend 3–5 hours diving into it."

Empowering Learners as Content Creators

The following was submitted by Danqiu, who states,

"One of my favorite related readings is 'Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants' by Marc Prensky (2001). Though now over two decades old, it sparked a critical shift in how we think about learners: not just as consumers of knowledge but as digital participants with their own voices, tools, and platforms.

The central idea that students are 'native speakers' of the digital language resonates deeply with the idea of learner-generated content. In today's learning environments, tools like Canva, Padlet, and Google Sites empower learners to design, publish, and distribute their own knowledge artifacts.

I've found that when students are tasked with creating explainer videos or visual tutorials for peers, their engagement and understanding of the material increases significantly. This aligns with constructivist theory: when students build knowledge through creating and sharing, they internalize it more deeply.

Open Question for the Blog Community:
What are some ways you've successfully integrated learner-created content in your instructional design? Do you see more value in structured assignments or open-ended content curation projects?

Top 22 eLearning Websites for Training Managers and Instructional Designers

Gina has submitted the following, stating:

"This link/blog of curated ID content contains a wide variety of useful websites, including eLearning Industry, a community of ID professionals, eLearning Infographics, containing hundreds of educational infographics categorized by topic, Training Industry, which focuses on corporate learning but with a wide spectrum of ID strands, such as artificial intelligence, content development, measurement and analytics, onboarding, and much more.

The link below also contains links to a variety of useful blogs, such ATD's Blogs, the Rapid eLearning Blog, Gamelearn Blog, and a rather insightful one called the Learning Rebels Blog, all of which lead to an infinite number of resources. Enjoy!" 

Link here.