Venturing into the world of instructional design feels like hiking into a forest at night with only a pocket map and a flashlight. Pardon the analogy, but I often feel a little lost, a little out of my depth. I have an idea of where I want to go, but no clear path to get there. Thankfully, with my ever-growing map of ID frameworks and the guidance of skilled instructors, I’m beginning to situate myself—and I trust I’ll one day arrive safely. So, let’s get on the trail! 

As an educator, my goal has always been to create meaningful, inclusive, and effective learning experiences for my students. Now, transitioning into instructional and learning design (something I’m just beginning to understand the difference between), I’m working to chart the best course forward.

Some ID frameworks feel familiar—comfortable, even—while others are new, but I can already see their potential and necessity. As someone with over a decade of experience teaching K-8 students and dabbling in eLearning, I see echoes of my teaching instincts in these frameworks. At the same time, I’m beginning to recognize their limits—and how they challenge me to think differently.

ADDIE: The Reliable Trail Map  

ADDIE feels like a familiar, reliable map. As a teacher, my lesson planning always involved analyzing students’ needs, designing activities, and evaluating outcomes—essentially ADDIE without the jargon. But in eLearning, where change seems constant, this approach doesn’t always fit, just like trying to use the same map for every trail doesn’t work. You have to choose the map that matches the (learning) terrain. As Dousay (2017) notes, “As instructional designers, we often follow the same process (ADDIE). However, through modeling, we customize the process to meet the needs of our instructional context and of our learners, stakeholders, resources, and modes of delivery” (para. 7). This reminds me that while ADDIE provides a solid starting point, it’s the customization and flexibility that allow us to truly navigate the learning landscape and select the most effective framework for the learner’s needs.

UDL: The Swiss Army Knife of Learning  

Universal Design for Learning seems like the Swiss Army knife for designing inclusive environments. It brings to life what I tried to do as a teacher—meeting diverse needs—but with a proactive approach. UDL reminds me to build flexibility into the design from the start. As Heaster-Ekholm (2020) explained, its focus on multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression offers a way to ensure no learner is left out and all learners are involved in the process.

Gagne’s Nine Events: The Checklist for Engagement  

Now, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction is a lot newer to me. In trying to understand how it works, it seems a lot like a trail guide—it keeps you on track, ensuring every step along the learning journey is intentional. It’s a checklist for creating engaging and memorable lessons, which as a burgeoning ID or LD, is a comforting roadmap. I love the structured learning process that it guides you to create. 

Pebble in the Pond: Ripples of Real-World Learning  

The Pebble in the Pond framework really spoke to me, especially given my constructivist approach to learning. Instead of starting with broad objectives, it flips the process by focusing on a specific problem—a pebble—and letting it ripple out to shape the learning experience. At first, I thought it was a smart way to ensure that the learning felt more authentic. It’s a reminder that eLearning shouldn’t just be about theory but should challenge learners in real, practical ways. For me, the model makes a lot of sense in creating interactive, scenario-based learning that feels purposeful, rather than abstract. What I appreciate most is how it anchors the learning process in real-world problems and invites students to approach them from different perspectives. I can see myself using this framework in the future to design experiences that keep learners engaged and thinking critically about real-life challenges.

I still feel like I’m in the woods, but now I have the tools to start navigating the unfamiliar terrain. Through the MALAT program, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of instructional design and the diverse frameworks available. My experience working with children from various cultural backgrounds and teaching online has shown me the importance of adaptability and inclusivity in designing meaningful learning experiences. As I continue this journey, my goal is to blend these frameworks, creating flexible, accessible, and engaging learning environments that truly support all learners, regardless of background or ability.

References
Dousay. T. A. (2017). Chapter 22. Instructional Design Models. In R. West (Ed.), Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology (1st ed.).  

Heaster-Ekholm, K. L. (2020). Popular Instructional Design Models: Their Theoretical Roots and Cultural Considerations. International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology, 16(3), 50–65.