AI Transforming Instructional Design

Shelby posted on this very timely topic, stating:

"I've been following the conversation around how automation is changing instructional design, and found a great post from Articulate titled How AI Is Transforming Instructional Design that feels especially relevant to whaat we're studying. The article explores the idea that AI isn't just a tool for generating quick text; it’s becoming a collaborative partner that changes the designer's role from a solo creator to more of a high-level curator and 'prompt engineer.' It digs into how these tools can handle the repetitive, heavy lifting—like drafting initial outlines or building assessments—which actually gives us more room to focus on the human side of things, like empathy and learner engagement. It also touches on how AI helps personalize content much faster than we could manually. As we think about who is actually 'creating' the material in modern eLearning, this resource is a perfect example of how that responsibility is moving toward a partnership between human pedagogical expertise and machine intelligence.

I would love to hear more about how AI is changing this field and whether or not it has been a positive experience. The link here talks about instructors' experiences. Some great insights!"

The Accidental Instructional Designer: A Resource for Those Transitioning into e-Learning

This just in from Victoria:

"One resource that has been helpful to me as I transition into instructional design is The Accidental Instructional Designer (2nd ed.) by Cammy Bean (I’ve been listening to the audiobook on Spotify during my commute).

What resonated with me immediately is that many instructional designers don’t start out formally trained in ID. They’re often subject matter experts, faculty, or trainers who were simply asked to 'create a course' or 'put something online.' That framing felt familiar, especially coming from higher education, where strong content knowledge doesn’t always translate into intentional instructional design.

Cammy Bean walks through foundational concepts like working with subject matter experts, choosing a design approach, integrating storytelling and interactivity, and thinking more intentionally about assessment and evaluation. What I appreciate most is that the book doesn’t assume you already speak the language of instructional design. It offers core principles while also acknowledging the realities of e-learning in organizations.

Throughout this course, we’ve talked about alignment, analysis, and moving beyond content delivery toward performance improvement and intentional design. This audiobook reinforces that shift. It’s a reminder that good instructional design isn’t just about technologies or tools (like slides), but about thoughtful decisions and instructional methods that support real learning.

For anyone new to the field (or feeling like an 'accidental' instructional designer), I’d definitely recommend it as a practical and approachable starting point."

Adding AI to Every Step of the eLearning Design Workflow

Wei posted the following, stating,

"I’d like to share this article from The Learning Guild. It explores how AI can be integrated into every stage of the eLearning design process, from analysis and content development to assessment and personalization. What stood out to me is that AI is not just a content generator; it can support brainstorming, streamline development, enhance feedback, and even help tailor learning experiences to individual needs.

As someone who values structured models like ADDIE, I see AI as a powerful support tool within each phase, especially when it comes to formative evaluation and iteration. However, while AI can help generate and refine content, it cannot replace the instructional designer’s role in aligning learning objectives, ensuring relevance, and maintaining pedagogical integrity.

In the context of 'Who creates the content?', AI expands the answer. Anyone with access to AI tools can generate content, but meaningful learning still depends on thoughtful design, evaluation, and intentional curation."

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."