Human-Centered Instructional Design: A Catalyst for Effective Learning in CME/CE

Instructional design for online courses is a crucial aspect of modern CME/CE. And as online learning has grown over the last 15 years or so, especially so since 2020, instructional designers play a vital role in creating effective and engaging CME/CE content for learners.In today’s podcast episode, I’m speaking with Mark Hagerty, an expert in effective instructional design in the context of CME/CE with a passion for behavioral and life sciences. 🩺💡Mark shares insights from his three-decade-long career in education and his background in psychology, biology, and organizational behavior.Key highlights include: The importance of involving multiple senses and humanizing content to boost engagement and retention. Dry text alone is an ineffective way to learn. Strategies like storytelling and relatable narratives help learners emotionally connect with and absorb information more readily. Building scenarios with realistic conflicts and frustrations clinicians experience makes the content more applicable and impactful. Following core instructional design models like ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate) leads to higher-quality education activities. Tools like Articulate Storyline, Captivate, Snagit, and Camtasia enable interactive simulations, videos, and other multimedia elements to engage different learning styles. Networking, reading, and continuous learning help instructional designers stay current on best practices in their field. Mark's advice for anyone looking to improve their instructional design skills? Learn the ADDIE framework, get familiar with key software tools, play around with new ideas, and above all, have fun!Whether you're a seasoned medical writer or just starting out, Mark's insights around empathy-driven content and immersive learning experiences are indispensable. Implementing strong instructional design principles can elevate any CME or medical writing to better educate and empower healthcare professionals.Support the show📍Grab the WriteCME Roadmap⭐ Review the podcast🗞️ Biweekly Newsletter with tips and resources to enrich your CME content niche➡️ Join WriteCME Pro for ongoing professional development 🌐 Podcast website🎙️ Share the podcast Mentioned in this episode:Why Retreats Work: Disconnection, Body Wisdom, and the Science of Letting GoRewrite Your Power Retreat 2026This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp