The hottest Instructional Design Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Down the Rabbit Hole (On Purpose)

Gad’s Newsletter • 97 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26
🚌 Education Instructional Design
  1. Learning has three layers: domain knowledge (the what), methods (the how), and mindsets/wisdom (the why). Facts fade and methods need practice, but mindsets and wisdom endure and shape long-term judgment.
  2. AI will make domain knowledge and many techniques cheap and widely available, so educational time should be reinvested in mentorship, judgment, and mindset cultivation. AI can simulate scenarios to practice decision-making, but it can’t replace lived experience and human feedback.
  3. Durable learning requires spaced retrieval, varied practice, reflection, and apprenticeship, not just one-off content delivery. Classroom detours or 'rabbit holes' are often deliberate ways to build transferable judgment and help students learn when to trust a model and when to rely on intuition.

Edu-Snippets

The Science of Learning • 279 implied HN points • 11 Dec 23
🚌 Education Instructional Design
  1. Using human-like gestures and pointing when teaching online can help students learn better. It's more effective than just making eye contact with the learners.
  2. Asking questions before a lesson, known as prequestioning, can boost learning. It prepares students to focus on important information during the lesson.
  3. Teaching methods should balance engaging methods, like visuals or animations, with clear guidance on what to focus on in the material for better understanding.

Should Instructional Videos Include a Talking Head?

The Science of Learning • 319 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🚌 Education Instructional Design
  1. Talking heads in instructional videos, where the teacher appears on screen, have mixed effects. Some studies say they can distract learners and hurt their ability to remember facts.
  2. On the other hand, having a talking head can make students feel more connected to the teacher, which is important in online courses where they might feel lonely.
  3. There's no clear answer on whether to use talking heads. It might help to use them in fully online classes but not in classes where students regularly see the teacher.

The best work is on the B-side

The Recovering Academic • 59 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🚌 Education Instructional Design
  1. Instructional design involves designing and building learning materials and experiences, which can range from formal training programs to informal learning spaces like Slack groups or podcasts.
  2. Effective diversity and inclusion training goes beyond just one-time sessions and includes ongoing discussions, cultural shifts, and deep engagement with materials like literature to foster lasting change.
  3. For individuals leaving academia, networking is a key strategy for marketing oneself, building relationships, and ultimately finding career opportunities outside of traditional education settings.

Don’t be a “success disaster” in academe

The Recovering Academic • 59 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
💼 Business Instructional Design
  1. Transitioning from academia to industry requires translating academic experience into industry-friendly resumes and leveraging networking to identify opportunities.
  2. Exploring different career paths through prototyping can help in understanding personal strengths and passions before making a career change.
  3. Building a focused and impactful portfolio can make a difference in catching the attention of hiring managers in a competitive job market.
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