

E-Learning Instructional Design Certificate
Great e-learning starts with great instructional design.
Use instructional design principles and models to design asynchronous e-learning courses that engage participants and meet business outcomes.
Self-paced e-learning can be deployed in a variety of ways—from full courses to performance support opportunities to blended learning experiences. Regardless of how you use e-learning, intentional and thoughtful instructional design is an essential element. Well-designed e-learning courses and modules engage learners and enable them to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills.
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Self-paced e-learning can be deployed in a variety of ways—from full courses to performance support opportunities to blended learning experiences. Regardless of how you use e-learning, intentional and thoughtful instructional design is an essential element. Well-designed e-learning courses and modules engage learners and enable them to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills.
This course covers the entire instructional design process from start to finish and shows you how to apply that process to e-learning projects. Under the guidance of an experienced facilitator, you’ll have the chance to focus on and practice critical e-learning course creation tasks, including:
- Creating an e-learning design plan
- Storyboarding content and planning for development
- Choosing delivery media (video, text, SCORM, etc.)
- Working with SMEs to develop e-learning content
- Curating and creating content for self-paced learning
Based upon extensive research in the field, ATD's E-Learning Instructional Design Certificate combines the latest techniques with proven e-learning design strategies*.
Why You Should Attend:
- Explore ways to present, structure, and sequence e-learning content that is learner-centric, engaging, and impactful.
- Use design thinking and rapid prototyping to minimize rework and accelerate your e-learning project.
- Gain access to a collection of more than 20 templates and tools you can use immediately on the job.
- Earn an industry-recognized ATD certificate, continuing education credits, and an ATD digital badge to share with your networks.
You Might Also Consider:
This training course is tailored to the unique needs of professionals who design self-paced e-learning. ATD offers additional instructional design courses for the field:
- Instructional Design Certificate—a foundational course for professionals who design across modalities.
- Virtual Instructional Design Certificate—for professionals who design for the virtual classroom.
*This certificate course aligns to the Instructional Design Capability of the Talent Development Capability Model. The concepts covered in the course are reflected in the Talent Development Body of Knowledge (TDBoKTM), the definitive resource for the talent development profession, covering 23 capability areas.
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- Apply learning theories and models, the steps of ADDIE, and the needs assessment process to the development of e-learning modules and courses.
- Identify behavioral outcomes and create learning objectives for e-learning modules and courses.
- Apply the elements of the course design process to design, develop, and curate content for e-learning modules and courses.
- Identify design thinking and rapid prototyping techniques for e-learning modules and courses.
- Evaluate the impact of your e-learning modules and courses, as well as your project and development processes, to foster continuous improvement.
- Determine your level of future readiness in e-learning instructional design, and develop a plan for continued learning.
5 Easy Ways to Add Delight to Your E-Learning
I'm sitting at my desk, a cup of coffee at my side, working on feedback pop-ups for a quiz. I type the word “Impressive!” on the screen... Read more.
What Is E-Learning?
E-learning is a structured course or learning experience delivered electronically; it can also include performance support content. Read more.
E-Learning Instructional Design Certificate Brochure
Download the brochure to learn everything you need to know about this course.
- Adult Learning Theories, Learning Models, & Memory
- Human Performance Improvement
- Instructional Design Models
- The ADDIE Model
- Definition and Value of a Needs Assessment
- Six Steps of a Needs Assessment
- Three Levels of Needs Assessment
- Data Collection Techniques
- How Design Thinking Can Improve Instructional Design
- Applying Design Thinking to Instructional Design
- Rapid Methodologies and Prototyping
- Moving to Implementing and Evaluating
- Defining Outcomes and Objectives
- Behavioral Outcomes
- Learning Objectives
- Techniques for Writing Learning Objectives
- Instructional Modality Options
- Basic Course Design
- Course Map Plan and Modules
- What Are Instructional Methods?
- Instructional Methods Options and Considerations
- Selecting Delivery Media and Technology
- Curation and Creation of Content
- Using SMEs in Instructional Design
- The Two Major Categories of Learning
- Levels of Learning Considerations
- Techniques for Structuring Content
- Considerations for Structuring Content
- Designing Learning Materials With the Learner in Mind
- Techniques for Developing E-Learning Materials
- A Closer Look at Design
- Designing Materials to Assess Learning
- Evaluating Talent Development Solutions
- Evaluation Methodologies
- Creating an Evaluation Plan
Practitioners new to e-learning design and development and those who specialize in this area in their professional role will benefit from this course. Those who want to brush up on the newest e-learning design techniques, as well as instructional designers, curriculum builders, learning managers, content developers, and courseware producers will also benefit. You do not have to be an instructional designer to gain value from this program.
If you are designing courses for face-to-face training in the classroom or across many learning formats, consider our Instructional Design Certificate instead. If you are designing learning for a virtual classroom, such as Webex, Zoom, Adobe Connect, or Microsoft Teams, consider the Virtual Instructional Design Certificate.
"The knowledge gained from this class, once applied to my design approaches, will yield a much more learner-centric, interactive and impactful learning experience for my audience."
"The E-Learning Instructional Design course definitely inspired me to create more engaging, motivating and fun e-learning courses."

“The amazing access to resources from webinars to e-books to professional development courses. I'd be lost without ATD!”
Things to Know
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Participation in all originally scheduled days of the program, including both face-to-face and live online formats, and completion of all coursework is mandatory to receive the certificate of completion and continuing education credits.
Face-to-Face Programs:
Participants who miss more than two hours of the entire program will not be eligible to receive the certificate.
Live Online Programs:
ATD requires active participation throughout the program to receive credit. Active participation in live online sessions includes, but is not limited to, participating in virtual classroom activities, discussions, breakout sessions, and intersession work.
Make-up policy: You can miss and make up one session* by listening to a session recording. Instructions for reporting make-up sessions are posted on ATD’s learning platform.
*For full-day sessions, you can only miss up to 3.5 hours and make up the time by listening to the recording.
CREDITS
21.0 learning hours
2.1 CEUs awarded
This program is eligible for 21.0 professional development hours or recertification points from the ATD Certification Institute (ATD CI) for the APTD or CPTD credential.
This program has been approved for 21.0 (General) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.
This program is valid for 21.0 PDCs for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit shrm.org/certification.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
A laptop computer with Wi-Fi capability is required to participate in ATD Master® Programs.
Face-to-Face Program Components (if applicable):
Please do not bring mobile devices (for example, phones or tablets) instead of a laptop. There will be no computers available on-site for participants. Note: You might not have an optimal experience using Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge to access your courses. Chrome is the recommended browser.
Live Online Program Components (if applicable):
You must log in to the learning platform to access course content and to join all live online sessions. Special software is not required. You only need a standard web browser and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capability to participate. Please join your session from a location with a strong internet connection and plan to use VoIP for your audio during the entire session.
ATD LEARNING PLATFORM
Enrolled in a program? To check your course status and enrollment details, launch your course, or download your certificate, go to MyATD.
TRANSFERS/CANCELLATIONS
Click here to review our cancellation policy.
ATD HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY
View our health protocols for in-person courses.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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