Explaining Instructional Design

This post is provided by guest blogger, Nancy Herrera, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Talent Development program.

Instructional design is defined as creating a plan that can sustain prolonged learning. The first step is to create a needs assessment. One way to determine this is by using Bloom’s Taxonomy. The instructional designer creates the plan or program. Then they will use the appropriate adult learning theory to create the right training solution. An example of one is Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy. A widely used instructional design models is ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Instructional designers are also responsible for assuring program success using evaluation and measurement of results.

This article came from a reliable source. ATD is respected as a credible source for talent development. The information can be resourceful when trying to start or learn the best way to create a training plan. I recommend this article to students, instructors, and stakeholders. This article did a good job of explaining various adult learning theories and instructional design models. The article would be stronger if the layout was more of a step-by-step format. Other ways it can improve is to include a high-level example of an instructional design and more information on determining a successful instructional design.

Reference: Association for Talent Development. (n.d.). What is Instructional Design? ATD. https://www.td.org/talent-development-glossary-terms/what-is-instructional-design

Top eLearning trends for 2026

This post is provided by guest blogger, Nancy Herrera, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Talent Development program.

eLearning is essential in education and professional environments. In a recent article, Sharma (2025) outlines eLearning trends for 2026. They include intelligent technology, security, and collaboration. The first discusses using AI for personalization while increasing engagement. It is used by most enterprises and so is microlearning. Microlearning is credited for its short yet effective impact. Blockchain and crypto tokenization are providing security and credential verification. A holistic approach to marketing can build trust by building a balance between profits ethical obligations. Communal learning programs boost engagement. Learning in the flow of work is common practice in most corporations.

The website where the article was published is a self-proclaimed leading source for industry specific training and development content. Sharma is a managing partner of Tecuy Media and leads LinksFrog. He is a reliable source as he is considered a Level 5 Legend. The information can be useful when wanting to keep updated with any current technologies. Educators, Human Resources professionals, Talent Development representatives and enterprises would be interested in this information. In these roles knowing what technologies can be the most relevant, useful, and efficient is key.

Reference:

Sharma, O. (2025, September 20). Top eLearning trends in 2026: How new innovations are shaping education. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/top-elearning-trends-how-new-innovations-are-shaping-education