What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer

By: Luke Hobson

Narrated by: Luke Hobson

Are you thinking about becoming an instructional designer? You’re not alone! Instructional design is one of the fastest growing fields, but it’s also a bit confusing. Many of the best instructional designers you know of fell into the role by accident and didn’t have dreams or ambitions of designing learning experiences for a living. Other instructional designers pursued years of education to make this job a reality. The differences in how to become an instructional designer have created a need for an instructional design guide to help you with your career.

What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer answers commonly asked questions about the field of instructional design such as:

• How do I build a portfolio?
• How do I build a network?
• What does an instructional designer do?
• What are the pros and cons of instructional design?
• What kind of instructional designer do I want to be when I grow up?
• How do I make connections in the field?
• How do I teach myself a new skill?
• How do I work with SMEs?
• Is an instructional design degree right for me?
• What do students actually do in a course?.
• How do I know if my courses are designed well?

No matter where you are at in your career, this book can help you become a successful instructional designer.

©2021 Luke Hobson (P)2022 Luke Hobson

Informative & Excellent

Dr. Luke Hobson takes us on a journey into the world of Instructional Design, From sharing his personal story and anecdotes to digging into the skills it takes to be an Instructional Designer, Dr. Hobson provides an in-depth look and insight for anyone in the field and those considering entering the field of Instructional Design. He includes reflection questions and activities so that we are not just passive listeners, but take an active role in self-reflection.

A Wonderful Intro into ID and Something I wish I’d Read Earlier!

First, I would like to preface this review by noting that I reached out to Dr. Hobson via LinkedIn a few weeks ago, asking for advice on how to move forward in the field of Instructional Design (ID) and Educational Technology (EdTech) after recently attaining an M.Ed. in ID and Tech. Not only was he very quick to respond, but his first advice was not to promote his own book. Instead, he pointed me towards free options and current literature within the field. It wasn’t until later that I found his book and listened to it, not once, but twice. The book may appear relatively short in length for an audiobook, but it is so chock-full of information that I had to re-listen to it to take notes, which I will definitely be incorporating into my own plans as I transition into the field of EdTech. His advice covers the gambit of ID and EdTech from a general overview of what an ID could encounter in the real world, both good and bad, to recommendations for quality graduate programs, free online resources, and people to follow/connect with on social media.

So, you may be wondering why the 4-star rating on performance? Well, there are a few minor errors in the recording. This did detract slightly from the overall performance, as I found myself having to stop and backup to ensure I didn’t miss something in the recording. Still, the content (story) gets 5 stars, all day long. The information is condensed to only the essentials, the super-nitro-cold brew of ID, if you will. To anyone who wishes to continue their lifelong ID learning journey, I would highly recommend it!

5 Stars!

I'm so glad Dr. Hobson narrated the audiobook version. It made it feel like he was talking to you directly over a shared coffee meet. Very conversational vs. formal. Best audiobook reading I've heard yet! The content was very interesting and engaging. I'll admit, being one who doesn't know a whole lot of Hobson's teachings, I didn't know what to expect. I am a fairly new ID, who already experienced many, if not all, of the topics he shared about in the book. That's what made it so personal and relatable. There aren't many, if any, books on the ID experience, making this the book to get when you want to hear from someone else who " gets it." This is a sweet little gem that I will highly recommend to any ID in whatever stage you are currently in. Aspiring ID'S will get a very thorough understanding of what the field is about. Experienced ID'S will have a few nuggets to take away, and also the relatable stories- so valuable for ID'S who are a one person team in their organization! I'm definitely reading again!

The missing manual I wish I had years ago

Dr. Hobson wrote a well-organized book on this thing called Instructional design. Many books in this field feels stiff and overly technical without considering what real world ID is. Hobson breaks down the collective of ID and introduces complex concepts in an approachable way. I’ve enjoyed reading and listening to this book. Highly recommended.

Wow

Dr. Hobson has the perfect balance of fleshing out the details but also keeping this book concise. His delivery keeps you engaged and the topics covered are so beneficial.

This book gave a clear experience of what being an instructional designer is.

This book gave a clear experience of what being an instructional designer is. I love the depth of experiences of different design projects that worked or didn't work. I appreciate all the advice. Know I know this is the right feild for me.

Niche Book Higher Education Instructional Design

I am an educator at a secondary school and I am looking to change careers to instructional design. I want to work in the corporate instructional design and I thought that this book might have some insights for that. It does, but it is primarily about instructional design in the higher education field.

This just means that if I want to learn more about corporate instructional design I will have to read other material about it and experiment with real life practical activities.

I do recommend this book for anyone who is interested in becoming an instructional designer regardless of whether that is for higher education or the corporate field.

Witty and Insightful

Dr. Hobson does a fantastic job of explaining the field of instructional design in a manner that is both insightful and easy to understand, while also being engaging and enjoyable to listen to. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about instructional design before getting their feet wet.