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

Toxic Positivity: The Narcissist Tendencies in Education Part 5

I don't know why you're making such a huge deal of this. You're being overly sensitive. You are being so dramatic. This is gaslighting; and teachers hear it all the time. Today, I share examples of gaslighting that were sent to me by teachers in my mentor group at IDOL courses Academy.

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 reflect the opinions and beliefs of IDOL courses, or its affiliates. This episode contains content that may be alarming to some listeners. Please check the show notes for more detailed descriptions and take care of yourself.

Welcome to leaving the classroom. This is a podcast for teachers who are ready to transition out of the classroom and into a new career. Each week, I'll share stories about what...

I already identified as a quiet quitter. When I took a break from IDOL, was I also quitting on myself?

When I started the IDOL journey, I thought “I’ve got so many transferable skills. I’m already qualified for many of these jobs!”  I dutifully created a website, crafted an ID resume, and refreshed my LinkedIn profile. I knew I faced hard work to upskill and learn about the ID field, but I had time to invest and a big IDOL goal that seemed reasonable to me. But five months later, no job offers. Not even a single interview! “What gives?” I wondered. I already identified as a quiet quitter from my day job - that’s why I became an IDOL! Was I now also quitting on my career transition? 

Sometime in 2019, my long-time enthusiasm for teaching began wearing thin. Twenty years of teaching freshman composition will do that to you, I reasoned. So I jumped into innovative teaching practices in an effort to continue learning and challenge...

Shouldn’t it be the adult learners’ responsibility to handle their mental health needs so they can access learning? Why should an ID even take mental health into consideration? Alumni, Mandy Brown, shares her answer.

The Need for Trauma-informed Instructional Design

When you design for learners, how often do you consider burnout? How often do you consider trauma? What about your learners’ survival responses? These are all questions I had to consider on a daily basis when I worked for a restorative justice center. 

I tend to use “trauma,” “burnout,” and the “survival response” interchangeably when I speak with mentees at IDOL courses Academy. And while there is a Venn diagram of the three, some quick definitions might help. 

The survival response (also called the stress response) is that deeply rooted instinct when one responds to danger, the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses. We...

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...