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...

Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

What to Do When You Feel Like a Fraud

Imposterism, or feeling like a fraud, is real and present in the business world. It is not a disease or an abnormality, but can have a harmful impact on job performance and satisfaction, and eventually cause burnout. Today I talk about what to do when you feel like a fraud.

Listen to the episode here:

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn  

Enjoy the podcast transcription:

Welcome to leaving the classroom. I'm Kristi Oliva, and I'm so glad you're here. Today I'm talking about what to do when you feel like a fraud. So let me ask you some questions. Do you tend to remember times when you failed more than you remember the times you excelled? Do you shy away from praise or do you immediately downplay the importance of that praise? Are you afraid people may find out that you aren't as capable as they think? Do you often compare your ability to those around you and think they may be more...

Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

3 Ways to Harness the Power of Self-Talk 

Self-talk, if harnessed appropriately can become powerful. Research has shown that talking to yourself out loud can motivate you to move forward with your goals, help you focus on a task, and get rid of self-criticism. Today I talk about self-talk and 3 ways to use it to your advantage.

Listen to the episode here:

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn  

 Enjoy the podcast transcription:

Hello, everyone. Welcome to leaving the classroom. I'm Kristi Oliva. I'm so glad you're here. Today I'm talking about self talk, and how to use it to your advantage. By the time you listen to this podcast, chances are you have probably already experienced many of your daily 50,000 thoughts. Did you know that you had 50,000 thoughts a day? Doesn't really surprise me honestly.

For me, I'm a worrier. So I tend to get worst case scenario, in my thoughts. I map out all the directions it...

Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

5 Ways to Achieve Your Goals

Setting goals is a process that, in most cases, comes before a specific outcome you have in mind. When I wanted to leave the classroom and become an instructional designer. I set myself a goal to have an ID role by the end of that school year. I set that goal in January of that year and achieved it just a couple of months later.  To reach that goal required me not only to work really hard but to have the right mindset through that process. In this episode, I give you actionable steps to take to help you focus, improve your performance, and reach your goals.

Listen to the episode here:

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Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn  

Enjoy the podcast transcription:

Hello, everyone. Welcome to leaving the classroom. I'm Kristi Oliva. I'm so glad you are here today. Today I am talking about goal setting, why it is important and why you should be doing it. Setting goals is a process that most...

Leaving the Classroom: A Transitioning Teacher Podcast

How to Interview for an Instructional Design Position 

In this episode, I talk about what you need to expect when entering into the instructional design interview process. When I began interviewing for ID positions, I was so naïve. I literally had never interviewed for a position that I did not get. So when I started putting my resume out there, I never really knew what I was getting myself into. I went on at least 10 interviews in the beginning, and many of them I never even made it past the first round. I had no clue what I was doing wrong.

Listen to the episode here:

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn 

Enjoy the podcast transcription:

Hello, everyone. Welcome to leaving the classroom. I'm Kristi Oliva, and I'm so glad you are here. Today I'm talking about the interview process for instructional design. It is so different than interviewing to be a teacher.  

Honestly, this doesn't...

Guest: Ethan Webb, Co-Founder/CEO Mindsmith 

In this episode, I will be chatting with Ethan Webb, the cofounder and CEO of Mindsmith, a learning platform that uses generative AI to make it easy to create and share course material and training. Ethan is a current student studying economics and business strategy. He has many family members who are educators and has developed a passion for pedagogy and learning theory. Don't miss this trending episode on Artificial Intelligence and how it can benefit Instructional Designers. 

Listen to this episode below: 

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Connect with Ethan:  LinkedIn

Enjoy the Episode Transcript below:  

Robin Sargent  I have here with me today Ethan Webb and he is the co founder and CEO of Mindsmith, which is an AI powered micro learning platform and authoring tool. But Ethan, would you please do a...

Guest: Kim Tuohy, Instructional Designer | Belvista Studios

In this episode, I will be chatting with Kim Tuohy, an Instructional Design and founding Director of Belvista Studios. You don't want to miss this episode of abundance in the way Kim lives her life. Through traveling Australia in a van with solar powered panels to running her own business, she gives great tips on the balance of it all. She seeks to live a life of joy everyday!

Listen to this episode below:

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Let me tell you a little bit about Kim:

Kim decided that the corporate world was not for her as she wanted to live a life of freedom. She started Belvista Studios and within the first year was able to hire on! She loves what she does as an Instructional Designer and believes in human centered design. She has been traveling through Australia and living a life of abundance. Keep reading to get Kim's unfiltered...

Guest: Marilyn Day,  Instructional Designer | Google

In this episode, I will be chatting with Marilyn Day, an IDOL courses Academy member who transitioned into an Instructional Designer in about 6 months landing an ID role with IDOL Talent first and then Google shortly after. She worked previously as a career coach. The search of creating something to present instead of continuously verbally repeating the same information piqued her interest in the field of Instructional Design. Hear her story of how she was able to successfully transition into this field and also serve as a coach within IDOL courses Academy. 

Listen to this episode below:

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Let me tell you a little bit about Marilyn:

Marilyn joined IDOL courses Academy in Fall of 2021. She worked full time with 2U where she helped students as a career coach. She learned about Instructional Design and was able to go...

Guest: Jennifer Berman,  Instructional Designer

In this episode, I will be chatting with Jennifer Berman, an IDOL course Academy member who transitioned into an Instructional Designer in just 14 weeks. She worked for 17 years in Elementary Education when becoming the primary virtual teacher inspired a love for online learning. She tells how IDOL gave her the skills, feedback and goal setting that she needed to make such a quick transition. Listen in to hear how her corporate role compares to teaching! 

Listen to this episode below:

Subscribe to Become an IDOL Podcast: Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast

Let me tell you a little bit about Jennifer:

Jennifer taught elementary school for 17 years and obtained her Masters degree in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. At first she thought about a career in Administration. During the pandemic after virtual teaching decided on a different route. IDOL courses Academy gave her just...

The one thing academy alumni, Mandy Brown, didn’t expect to get from mentoring was the very thing she needed while in a previous role. Read more to learn what mentorship has meant to her.

Mentorship Means Community

One of the most astounding aspects of mentorship has been seeing my impact. That wasn’t always something I had. When I worked at the restorative justice program, learners entered and left the program on individualized plans, and if they never returned, the leadership assumed all went well. (Given that this population was highly transient, this assumption was and remains problematic.)  

Returning learners often forgot all the work we’d done from their last trip through the program. They’d remember me but have lost the learning we’d worked so hard to achieve. 

So either I’d never see them again, uncertain of the results of my work. Or I’d see the same learners repeatedly and notice how...