The learning designer cannot be rigid, because everything is evolving…
As Julien Depauw noted in his presentation at the recent UTS Learning Design Meetup, the learning designer of the future needs to be flexible and responsive to the shifting needs of industries and learners. The career trajectories and training needs of the Learning Design profession will evolve too, opening up different possibilities we might not have considered before.
This Q&A with Julien explores his global perspective on Learning Design in education and beyond. A Higher Education leader with experience in France, México, Perú and Silicon Valley, Julien is currently in Spain working as Director of Operations and Course Management for the department of IE Publishing at IE University.
Why are learning design skills so relevant to education today?
“To quote Charles Dickens: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’! These last 18+ months have certainly been among the worst times, but from a learning perspective, we have also seen Learning Designers gain a new kind of recognition. Progressive shifts in learner needs and a move to the mainstream for hybrid learning have made Learning Design a key part of innovation projects – some achieving in less than a year what might usually have taken 5 years or more.
Besides the current context, the rise of lifelong learning, expectations of new generations in the workplace, changing ways of working, and the constant evolution of technology are influencing different approaches to learning. In turn, this is generating demand for learning design skills, not only in educational institutions but also in EdTech (in particular OPM) and corporations who are investing in lifelong learning for employees.”
How are the skills of learning designers changing?
“Learning design skills are changing as norms and expectations of learning change, too. Learning design can’t be ‘one size fits all’, so designers need to work with and apply concepts such as adaptive learning and personalisation. ‘Click next’-style learning is no longer acceptable; learning designers are developing deeper understanding of learner experience and UX, integrating user-generated content and working in multiple modalities for blended experiences.
Skills are changing as learning environments change, too. Learning Management Systems which were traditionally rigid in structure are becoming more flexible to accommodate innovative learning modes, interactivity and social learning – all of which have implications for learning design. Even the measurement and evaluation of learning is changing, with less focus on ‘consuming learning’ and more on understanding the broader impacts of the learning process.”
What kinds of learning and training are available to learning designers?
“Some countries seem to give a lot of importance to the role of Learning Designer and some not so much. The US has been a strong player in the field since the First and Second World Wars, with opportunities to study Learning Design from undergraduate through to Masters and Doctorate level. Surprisingly, the position of learning designers does not carry the same importance everywhere, and it is interesting to note that some OPMs have been empowering the role much more than some universities.
More recently, we have also seen the creation of micro-credentials such as online certifications dedicated to learning design. Following the trend in coding and data Bootcamps, we are about to offer a hybrid Bootcamp in Learning Design which covers pedagogical and learning skills, but also new skills that learning designers need now, such as business and project management, coaching/consulting, learning analytics, technology and UX – with the aim to also offer job opportunities along the way.”
How are learning design roles and careers evolving?
“The learning designer is more than a Swiss Army knife! The Swiss Army knife offers a lot of tools but if you are missing one, well… I’d say learning designers are like a Swiss Army knife, but with the possibility to constantly aggregate additional tools. Whilst the foundational skills and knowledge of pedagogy and basic learning methodologies and theories are still required, the education industry is constantly evolving and integrating new knowledge and skills to keep up with the pace of edtech and job demands.
In a recent post on Linkedin about the top 15 in-demand jobs in 2021, Education Professionals (including instructional/ learning design) were among them. Interestingly, the same article referred to the need for Digital Content Creators, Coaches, User Experience (UX) and Data Specialists – all directly part of the learning designer skill set.”
So how’s the future looking for learning designers?
“Thanks to new technologies, new platforms (from Coursera to MasterClass), and innovation in education sectors and workplaces, learning is becoming more popular every day! It seems that everybody wants to learn something new and personalised, whether for fun, curiosity, reskilling, changing career and so on. It’s exciting to be part of the changing landscape – and even perhaps to shape a little of it, too!”
Please feel free to contact Julien if you would like to know more about his work and Bootcamp launch.
To add your own thoughts and experiences and see when the next Learning Design Meetup is happening, join the conversation with others in the UTS Learning Design Meetup on Teams.
Feature image by Richard Horvath