My philosophy for instructional design focuses on two things: simplicity and engagement.
On simplicity, I often feel the simplest way of doing something is the best. There may be “flashier” ways of teaching a concept, or approaches that emphasize using the latest and greatest, most cutting-edge feature. While there is a time and place for this, I feel that that there is a beauty in being minimal and straightforward.
On engagement, let’s be honest, if the learning isn’t engaging than nobody will want to learn. Even in an environment where your mastery of the knowledge presented is a requirement to maintain your job or position, people will still fight having to learn if they find to be boring. That’s why I strive to create engaging content that takes advantage of the ubiquity of multimedia.
With these two things, I believe that instructional design is a force for good and when done properly, it can make the act of learning be something more akin to subconscious. If the learner doesn’t realize they are learning but they enjoy what we create, then that is the victory I am looking for.
Jeremy Tarshis 