Instructional Design

Instructional Design

Microlearning

Microlearning, Bite-Sized Learning, Short Modules, Instructional Design, Adaptive Learning

Microlearning is an instructional approach that delivers content and practice in short, focused units — typically targeting a single skill, concept, or task — rather than in extended course sessions.

Why it matters#

Learners have limited attention and limited time. A module that covers six concepts in forty minutes will be retained less well than six modules that cover one concept each in five minutes. Microlearning matches the granularity of instruction to the granularity of how memory works: focused, brief exposure followed by retrieval and spacing.

Multimedia Learning

Multimedia Learning, Mayer, Dual Channel, Modality, Cognitive Load, Media Selection, Instructional Design, Narration, Visuals

Multimedia Learning is the use of words and visuals together to support learning. Based on Richard Mayer’s research showing that people learn more effectively from combined text and images than from text alone — provided the design doesn’t overwhelm working memory.

Why it matters#

Adding media to a course isn’t inherently better. Poorly chosen or excessive media increases cognitive load and gets in the way of learning. Mayer’s principles give you specific, evidence-based rules for when and how to use media so it actually helps.

Spaced Practice

Spaced Practice, Spaced Repetition, Retention, Memory, Instructional Design, Spacing Effect

Spaced practice is a learning strategy that distributes practice across multiple sessions separated by time intervals, rather than concentrating it in a single block.

Why it matters#

A learner who practises a skill for one hour across four sessions separated by days will retain it significantly better than a learner who practises for one hour in a single sitting. This is one of the most replicated findings in learning science. It is also almost universally ignored in course design, where content is front-loaded and learners are expected to retain it from a single exposure.

Stakeholder Review

Stakeholder Review, Feedback, Storyboard Review, Project Communication, Instructional Design, SME Review, Scope Creep, Approval

A stakeholder review is a structured meeting or async process in which the instructional designer presents a storyboard or course draft to stakeholders and subject matter experts to gather feedback, validate decisions, and gain approval before proceeding to the next development stage.

Why it matters#

A reviewed and approved storyboard is the primary defence against late-stage changes and scope creep. Feedback collected before development begins costs almost nothing to act on. Feedback collected after a course is built can cost everything. The stakeholder review is where that early feedback is systematically gathered.

Storyboard Scenario

Scenario, Scenario-Based Learning, Branching Scenario, Storyboard Scenario, Elearning Interaction, Instructional Design, Decision-Making, Authentic Activity

A storyboard scenario is a branching interaction mapped out in a storyboard that places the learner in a realistic situation, asks them to make a decision, and shows the consequence of that decision. It is the primary storyboard element for developing judgement and application-level skills.

Why it matters#

Scenarios are where an e-learning storyboard shifts from information delivery to practice. A well-designed scenario puts something at stake — the learner must act, not just read — which activates the same decision-making process the job requires. Mapping the scenario in the storyboard first ensures the branching logic is coherent, the feedback is meaningful, and the development team understands every path before building anything.

Training Case Study

Case Study, Training Story, Scenario, Discussion-Based Learning, Instructional Design, Decision-Making, Problem-Solving

A training case study is a story about a person or group who faced a real or realistic difficulty — told up to the point of the critical decision, then paused so learners can work out what should happen next.

Why it matters#

A case study shifts the learner from audience member to decision-maker. By withholding the resolution, it forces active processing — the learner must analyse the situation, apply their knowledge, and commit to a position before seeing what actually happened. The learning occurs in that space between the dilemma and the answer, not in the answer itself.

Training Story

Storytelling, Training Story, Narrative, Story-Based Learning, Instructional Design, Engagement, Emotion, Case Study

A training story is a narrative used deliberately in a learning context to teach a lesson, motivate a behaviour change, or build a connection between the trainer and the audience.

Why it matters#

Stories create scenes. Facts don’t. When a learner encounters a fact in isolation, it sits in working memory without an anchor. A story wraps that same fact in a situation, a character, and a consequence — giving the brain something to attach it to. The result is higher retention and more reliable transfer to real-world performance than content delivery alone produces.

Training Story Structure

Story Structure, Narrative Structure, Training Story, Storytelling, Instructional Design, Eight Questions, Story Arc

Training story structure is the sequence of eight questions a training story must answer, in order, to orient the audience, sustain attention, and land the lesson.

Why it matters#

A story told out of sequence loses its audience before reaching the point. Structure is what separates a compelling story from a rambling anecdote. The eight-question framework gives a trainer a reliable sequence to check against before delivering any story — ensuring the audience always knows where they are and why they should keep listening.

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