So much to learn, so little time! How do I prioritize?
One of the challenges for instructional designers (and probably many other fields) is that there is so much out there to learn and to delve deeply into anything, you really have to strategically prioritize.
Transitioning teachers I speak with and mentor will often ask What resources/courses/etc. should I take, what do I learn and where/how do I learn it, wanting a neat “path” to instructional design, and I really struggle with that. So, instead, I usually share my philosophy and how I learn new things and prioritize what to learn.
Decorative picture: Post-it notes on a glass wall. A woman's hands are shown only, and she is writing on one with a black pen. The rest are blank.
I think the key is that needs assessment and gap analysis I often talk about. Considering:
What do you want to do?
What are you already good at?
Where are your gaps?
Prioritize those. What should you work on first based on market need based on where you want to go/what you want to do specifically?
But that’s why research in the field and focus on what you want to do are so crucial.
Talking to someone is not a replacement for that for a lot of reasons:
There are lots of ways to be an instructional designer or learning experience designer and roles vary wildly. (This is probably true in many other fields teachers are asking about.) My job and goals may be different than your job and goals. Lots of Learning Experience Designers focus on different things than I do and some use different skills more or less regularly.
We have different starting points. If my couch potato self goes to train for a marathon and my friend runs 3-4 miles a day and has since college, we are not going to have the same training needs. Complicating this, it’s not always obvious. Some people may also have skills they don’t list for you to consider but use all the time, maybe without realizing it. They may never suggest them just because they didn’t consciously learn those skills for the transition, they were in their toolbox—people might even assume they’re in yours.
I have no idea what you want! Most people asking these questions don’t know what they want yet, so they jump to prioritizing what to learn before knowing what they want/like to do. You can’t make an efficient road map at that stage, but it’s fine to try things to see what you like. That’s part of research and self-reflection.
So, deciding what to learn is tricky for sure! Especially if your goal is a career change, but it’s still hard when it is to grow in your career. I have switched goals a few times, strategically, on what to prioritize learning, just based on changing goals and needs, as well as interest. But I think the key is to develop and keep priorities.
Decorative: A stack of books and a laptop sit on a wooden table in front of a faded red wall.
My priorities, for instance are:
Do meaningful work that you can show and defend helps others. As such, some of my upskilling comes from volunteering and is driven by the needs of those I serve.
Do thoughtful work. As such, I have tried to upskill towards things that will allow me to take on more analysis and evaluation in my jobs, possibly grow to leadership and program management.
Stay up to date and improve technical skills. I think especially for my goals of remote work, autonomy, and ability to remain competitive, technical skills will be key. I am inclined towards technical skills and time and tend to pick them up well, so I prioritize that.
Read to learn. It’s important to me not to learn only online or through doing but also to maintain my habit of reading, both fiction for fun and nonfiction industry books to learn.
Those priorities are heavily based on my personal and professional goals, not yours, though. My list isn’t right for others. This is why research and self-reflection is crucial! People have different priorities, skills, needs, and paths.
