So You've Completed IDOL Academy...What's Next?

As an instructional designer, it is of utmost importance to continuously update and enhance your skills in order to stay at the forefront of evolving trends and best practices. After successfully completing the IDOL Courses Academy, consider exploring these reliable and effective resources that have been carefully curated to contribute significantly to your professional growth as you search for instructional designer jobs in today's rapidly changing and dynamic industry of corporate adult education. Job seekers as well as those who have already landed their first instructional design role will be equipped with the latest knowledge and tools necessary to excel in your field and make a lasting impact in the world of instructional design.

Accessibility, gamification, and AI are changing the learning solutions landscape in instructional design. Accessibility promotes inclusivity by helping instructional designers develop usable learning...

Become an Instructional Designer with the NEW IDOL Academy

Embarking on a career in instructional design? Or is it time to up-skill and take your current career to the next level? Look no further than IDOL Academy's comprehensive 24-week curriculum, now with a new gamified learning platform! IDOL Academy is the first and only state-authorized vocational school for Instructional Design and Online Learning Development. This program equips you with the tools, techniques, and insider knowledge you need to excel in the industry. From skill development to certification to career coaching, IDOL Academy's newest program will help you stand out in your search for instructional design jobs.

The Proof is in the Data

The IDOL team has spent the past four years analyzing the success and feedback of academy students. Dr. Robin Sargent, IDOL Academy's Head of School, says:

The new platform definitely a reinvestment into the IDOL Academy. It was built based on where we are at four...

Teachers Transitioning to Instructional Design Jobs: Enhance Your Transferable Skills

by Amy Pine

In today's rapidly changing professional landscape, K-12 teachers looking to transition to the corporate world have a great opportunity to excel in instructional designer jobs. Transitioning from the classroom to adult education, these professionals face an exhilarating challenge in the role of instructional designer. By leveraging transferable skills, this transition can be smoother, helping to facilitate the shift to a new and rewarding career.

Teachers with expertise in pedagogy, curriculum development, and varied learning modalities can create engaging and effective training experiences for adult learners in corporate settings. Their deep understanding of diverse learning styles, assessment strategies, and instructional technologies enhances their ability to design and deliver highly impactful training programs. By embracing this new role and leveraging their experience,...

Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

Do it for the kids. The Narcissistic Tendencies in Education Part 1 

Education is a narcissist. And teachers are the victims.

I started learning about narcissism about a year ago. Before then I thought narcissism was simply being full of yourself and arrogant.

But it turns out it runs much deeper and carries many more abusive tendencies than I ever imagined. And, these tendencies can be found right in our own public education system. And like the typical abusive narcissistic relationship, teachers often cannot see the abuse or the way out of it because they are so immersed in it.

So I am here today to expose these narcissistic traits of the education system and show teachers the abusive cycle they are stuck in.

Listen to the episode here:

 Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn 

Enjoy the podcast transcription:  

The opinions expressed within this podcast are solely mine, and do not necessarily...

If you’re like some of my mentees, you can’t seem to get out of the teacher's perspective. And I get it. When you’re teaching and creating portfolio items, the desire to kill two birds with one stone is strong.  

But you don’t have to throw out your academic expertise to build something for your portfolio. You just have to shift your perspective a little. After all, a science teacher has a lab safety lesson every year. I’m willing to bet a corporate lab has safety compliance training with similar content.

Three Questions to Ask

Remember, instructional design solves problems with learning. So whatever topic you choose, make sure you can provide specific...

During the pandemic, I went back to school to get a MEd, and I found the IDOL courses Academy. I realized there was much to learn, and that the Academy would help me move in the right direction. It occurred to me that I was undergoing a bit of a career re-calibration. I had many of the skills that I needed to become an IDOL. I’d done graphic design, teaching, curriculum development, and I wrote and published a novel. So I had all of the skills necessary to become and IDOL, didn’t I? Well yes. And no. 

In the last blog I wrote I said Robin and Jay helped me get through several interviews at a job I still work at. Robin warned me that the role, as she was reading the description, was less...

Soon I began to think about how I could take that inclination, strength, and interest I had in using technology for learning, and actually specialize in it. That’s how I ended up enrolling in a master’s program in educational technology. I quickly learned what it meant to earn a Master of Science degree – literature reviews and research papers!

What does this have to do with educational technology? Well, instructional practices should be grounded in solid research – in studies that are peer-reviewed, published, and with findings that usually are reinforced through subsequent studies....

As a freelance artist who has studied and produced art for years, I thought visual design would come naturally to me and yet it was the one thing I neglected in instructional design. In fact, when it came to visual design in the courses I created, I failed, miserably. The reason is simple. I didn’t pay attention to it. I was solely focused on instructional design principles, content, and assessments. I am embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even realize that I was neglecting something so important until someone pointed it out to me. I mean who neglects CRAP (contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity) and doesn’t even know it?! Surely not me… I joke. 

I decided that I was going to have to go back to my roots. As an artist, when I got stuck, I turned to the works of artists I admired such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Francisco Clemente and Elizabeth Murray. Their work inspired me and gave me new ideas. This time, I turned to magazines and...

As you look through job postings on LinkedIn or other job boards, you begin seeing two types of roles. Many job listings are for full time positions and others are short term contracts. You see contract durations ranging from 3 months to several years. Some others may say contract to hire. You aren’t sure what this means exactly, but you’re beginning to wonder if you should give these jobs a shot or stick to full time positions. 

I’m going to be honest, I was where you are after completing the IDOL courses Academy’s 6th cohort in spring 2021. I made the decision (without any research) to dismiss contracts because I wanted stability, health insurance, and a W2 position. I only applied and networked for full time positions and I was able to secure...