047 Unpacking the Evolution of Instructional Design with Jeremy Hopper

In this week's episode of the EdTech Speaks podcast, Dr. Sher Downing interviews one of our own team members, Jeremy Hopper, Senior Director of Learning Solutions at Downing EdTech. Throughout the conversation, Jeremy shares about his journey in the field of instructional design and its evolution over the years, as the challenges arose from moving to virtual content and the importance of the user experience in online courses. Jeremy shares his experience working in both higher education and the private sector, highlighting the different roles and responsibilities of instructional designers in different contexts. Discussions lead to the transition and impact of the pandemic on the shift to hybrid learning and the use of technology in instructional design. They conclude with a discussion on the future of learning experience and the importance of continuous learning and intentional design. Takeaways: Instructional design has evolved over the years and now encompasses various roles and responsibilities, including instructional development, training, writing, and technology integration. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to online and hybrid learning, highlighting the value and benefits of online education. Instructional designers need to stay updated with emerging trends and technologies, such as AI, AR/VR, adaptive learning, and media development, to create engaging and effective learning experiences. The future of learning experience lies in personalization, cultural relevance, and catering to different learner preferences and needs. Visual design, interactive content, and microlearning are key elements in creating engaging and consumable learning experiences. Curiosity, continuous learning, and intentional design are essential for instructional designers to stay innovative and deliver high-quality educational content. On the topic of Instructional Design evolution, Jeremy says, "A lot of businesses can just take what they have now and put it up online and sell it, but that doesn't mean people are going to engage with it or resonate with it. Instructional designers are having to transition to learning experience designers. So in the past, it was very much instructional design. It's just taking the instructions, designing them, putting them up. You're just designing the educational process. Now we're designing the educational experience where we want students to really engage with the material. We want the material to resonate with them. We want to shape how they're experiencing everything." Learn more and connect with Jeremy here: Jeremy Hopper, Sr Director of Learning Solutions Downing EdTech Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-hopper-989b2194/ https://jeremymhopper.wixsite.com/designportfolio https://www.downingedtechconsulting.com/