So you’ve decided to learn instructional design, but what should you look for in an instructional design course. Maybe you’re an L&D professional looking to bring eLearning development in-house, a trainer wanting to move into digital learning, or a subject matter expert who’s been asked to create online courses. Whatever your situation, choosing the right course can feel overwhelming when there are so many options out there.
Not all instructional design courses are created equal. Some focus heavily on theory, others on specific tools, and some try to cover everything but end up going a mile wide and an inch deep. Before you invest your time and money, here’s what you should be looking for.
A practical focus, not just theory
Learning theory matters. Understanding how adults learn, why certain approaches work better than others, and the psychology behind effective training will make you a better instructional designer. But theory alone won’t help you create your first eLearning course.
Look for a course that balances theory with practical application. The best courses will have you working on a real project as you learn, so by the time you finish, you’ve actually produced something tangible. A storyboard you’ve written yourself is more valuable than definitions you’ve memorised.
Ask yourself: will I finish this course with something I can show to an employer or use in my work? If the answer is no, keep looking.
Coverage of the full design process
Instructional design isn’t just about writing content. It’s a process that starts with understanding who your learners are and what they need, and extends through to evaluating whether your training actually worked.
A good course should cover the end-to-end process. This typically follows a framework like ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) or SAM (Successive Approximation Model). While you might not need to master every stage immediately, you should at least understand how your work as an instructional designer fits into the bigger picture.
Be wary of courses that skip the analysis phase or gloss over evaluation. These are often the areas where inexperienced designers struggle most, yet they’re fundamental to creating training that actually makes a difference.
Storyboarding skills
If there’s one skill that separates professional instructional designers from enthusiastic amateurs, it’s the ability to create a clear, detailed storyboard. A storyboard is essentially the blueprint for your eLearning course. It shows exactly what will appear on screen, what the narrator will say, how interactions will work and what happens when learners make choices.
Your instructional design course should teach you how to write a storyboard that an eLearning developer could build from, or that you could build yourself if you’re also handling development. This includes understanding how to write for the screen (which is very different from writing for print), how to plan interactions and how to structure content so it flows logically.
How to write effective learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are the foundation of good instructional design. They define what learners should be able to do after completing your eLearning course, and everything else in your course should support these outcomes.
Yet writing good learning outcomes is surprisingly tricky. Many new instructional designers write vague outcomes like “understand customer service principles” when they should be writing specific, measurable outcomes like “respond to three common customer complaints using the HEARD framework.”
Look for a course that teaches you how to write SMART learning outcomes and how to align your content and assessments to those outcomes. This skill alone will dramatically improve the quality of everything you create.
Assessment design
Creating effective assessments is another area where many courses fall short. It’s not enough to know that you should include a quiz at the end. You need to understand the difference between formative and summative assessment, how to write questions that actually test understanding rather than memory, and how to use scenarios and branching to create more meaningful evaluations.
A good course will cover different question types and when to use them, how to write clear and unambiguous questions, and how to provide feedback that helps learners understand where they went wrong.
Accessibility considerations
Accessibility isn’t optional. It’s a legal requirement. Designing inclusive content simply means designing content that works well for everyone.
Your course should cover accessible design: how to write content that works with screen readers, why captions matter and Plain English. If a course doesn’t mention accessibility at all, that’s a red flag.
A format that suits you
This might seem obvious, but consider how the course is delivered and whether that format works for you. A self-paced online instructional design course offers flexibility but requires self-discipline. A live, tutor-led course provides structure and the opportunity to ask questions, but you’ll need to commit to specific times.
There’s something to be said for learning instructional design through eLearning. If the course itself is well-designed, interactive and engaging, you’re not just learning about good instructional design, you’re experiencing it. Pay attention to how the course is structured and presented. Is it practising what it preaches?
Recognition and credibility
While instructional design isn’t a regulated profession, look for courses that offer a certificate on completion, and check whether they offer CPD points. This can be particularly valuable if you’re a member of a professional body or work in a sector where CPD is tracked.
Support and resources
Finally, consider what support you’ll have access to during and after the course. Will you have access to eLearning templates and resources you can use in your work? Is there an opportunity to get feedback on your work? Can you ask questions if you get stuck?
Some courses also offer optional add-ons like tutor support or workshops. These can be valuable if you want more guidance as you apply what you’ve learned.
Making your decision
Choosing an instructional design course is an investment in your professional development. Take the time to look beyond the sales page. Consider whether the course will actually give you the skills you need.
The best indicator of a good course is whether you’ll finish it with practical skills you can immediately apply and something concrete to show for your efforts. Theory is important, but at the end of the day, instructional design is a craft. You learn it by doing it.
If you’re ready to develop your instructional design skills, take a look at our Instructional Design for eLearning course. It’s a practical, self-paced course that guides you through the entire process of creating an eLearning storyboard. It comes with templates and resources you can use long after you’ve completed the course.
