Principles of Instructional Design

Design Learning Experiences That Drive Engagement and Results

Effective instructional design is the foundation of impactful learning. The way we design instruction matters. Whether you’re creating corporate training programs, academic courses, or nonprofit learning initiatives, the Principles of Instructional Design course will give you the tools and strategies to develop impactful and engaging learning experiences.

Grounded in research-based practices, this course equips you with the expertise to design content that not only meets learning objectives but also inspires and motivates learners.

Principles of Instructional Design: A Roadmap for Creating Engaging eLearning Content

What You’ll Learn

In this course, you’ll gain practical skills to:

  • Develop Effective Learning Objectives: Align your course content with measurable outcomes to ensure success.
  • Design for Engagement: Create learning experiences that capture attention and drive participation.
  • Apply Research-Based Practices: Use proven instructional design principles to enhance retention and application.
  • Evaluate Learning Effectiveness: Build assessments and feedback mechanisms that improve both learning and teaching.
Sneak Peek

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is perfect for:

  • Educators and instructional designers aiming to improve their course design skills.
  • Corporate trainers looking to boost the effectiveness of their learning programs.
  • Content creators and training professionals who want to create more engaging and impactful learning experiences.

No prior instructional design experience is required—just a desire to create exceptional content that makes a difference.

Why Choose CourseArc?

  • Expert Instructors: Learn from experienced professionals with decades of expertise in accessibility and eLearning design.
  • Interactive Learning: Collaborate with peers and apply your knowledge in a supportive, engaging environment.
  • Immediate Impact: Gain practical skills you can apply to your work right away, creating meaningful change.

Structure

This course consists of an orientation module and five (5) instructional modules. Learners taking the course should expect to spend approximately 25 hours to complete all modules and assessments. Instructors will facilitate online discussions and provide ongoing feedback throughout the course.

Cohort Dates

We understand your busy schedule, which is why we offer multiple cohort options:

  • May 18 – June 26, 2026
  • September 14 – October 23, 2026

Registration for each cohort ends the day before the course starts.
(Want to join as a team? Check out our custom cohort option!)

Cost

Registration Fee: $225 for CourseArc clients, $275 for non-clients

Earn Continuing Education Units

Participants who complete the course are eligible to earn two (2) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through our partnership with UMBC Training Centers, showcasing your commitment to professional growth.

Register Now!

Module Details for this Course

Systems and Processes

organizational workflowIn Systems and Processes you will discover how the most effective instructional designers and teams use proven methodologies and organizational structures to build efficient, effective, and appealing learning experiences.

In this module, participants will:

  • compare and contrast the ADDIE and Agile methodologies to identify advantages of using one or aspects of both in a project scenario.

  • discuss a sample course development project to identify the different roles, responsibilities, and workflow processes.

  • apply a methodology to a sample scenario to demonstrate how to organize and manage collaborative development teams.


Theory Informs Practice

online researchIn Theory Informs Practice you will explore best practices in creating an intentional outline from some of the most popular models including Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction as well as current brain research, learning assessments, and user engagement research.

In this module, participants will:

  • define each of Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction to ensure high-quality instruction.

  • discuss types of online interaction to improve the student experience and increase retention.

  • redesign an existing piece of content to improve engagement and learner interaction using higher-order questioning, interactivity, and brain research.

User-Centered Design

responsive design illustrationIn User-Centered Design you will examine mobile technology and its impact on how learners access and process information. You will apply basic design theory including contrast, visual design hierarchies, consistency, and the use of visuals as you learn the roles these play in content development. Finally, you will delve into accessibility and accommodations to ensure your materials can be utilized by all learners.

In this module, participants will:

  • compare and contrast different online content to identify advantages of using a mobile-first strategy.

  • create a checklist for accessibility to ensure all students can access content.

  • redesign an existing piece of content to demonstrate an understanding of design principles, UI, images, and accessibility to improve the user experience.

Define and Develop

person working on developing an online courseIn Define and Develop you will learn about boilerplate, writing style guides and a variety of learning objects which can be implemented to target different learning modalities. You will explore how storyboards aid in the development process as you establish a method for designing resources that are reusable and learn how to manage them using naming conventions, file naming, and proper copyright procedures.

In this module, participants will:

  • generate a best practices list for designing and developing resources in an efficient and appropriate manner that displays an understanding of using images, copyright, sourcing, attribution, and design.

  • design a boilerplate for a type of content to demonstrate rapid development and consistency

  • create a storyboard for a chunk of content to illustrate the content development process.

Ongoing Evaluation

continuous evaluation illustrationIn Ongoing Evaluation you will use Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training to learn methods for assessing learners’ feelings about their experience, new knowledge acquisition, applications of their learning in practical spaces, and their overall results from participating in your course. You will discover how to seek and incorporate feedback from a variety of stakeholders and you will review alpha, beta, pilot testing, and quality assurance practices. Your focus on continuous improvement will be what keeps your content relevant over time and sets your work product apart as exceptional.

In this module, participants will:

  • create an evaluation tool to demonstrate how to use Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation in a course development project.

  • develop a formative and summative assessment to demonstrate knowledge of valid and reliable assessments, feedback, and question types.

Register for Principles of Instructional Design