Learn some tips to create engaging and effective learning solutions as a freelance instructional designer in education. Impress your clients and learners with your skills and expertise.

Having a portfolio and showing it off is of vital importance. However, how you choose to deliver your portfolio is entirely up to you. You DON'T have to create a website if you don't want to, even though that is the most common way to do so. The reason for this is because your portfolio is not inherently a website but rather a collection of work samples that can be displayed in many different ways. Some people just send copies of work attached to applications or potential clients, others post them inside of a PowerPoint presentation, and some even put their entire portfolio into an Articulate Rise course. No matter how you choose to do so, make sure that you use it as a method to show how you can actually solve training problems.

As a freelance instructional designer, how can you make your work stand out in education?

As a freelance instructional designer, how can you make your work stand out in education? Whether you are creating online courses, training modules, or learning materials, you need to showcase your skills and expertise in a competitive market. Here are some tips to help you impress your clients and learners.

1 Know your audience

Before you start designing any learning solution, you need to understand who your target audience is, what their needs and goals are, and how they prefer to learn. Conduct a thorough analysis of your learners, their context, their motivation, and their challenges. Use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods to gather data and insights. Then, create learner personas that represent your audience and guide your design decisions.

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Dr.Asghar Abbas

Please follow complete 30k limit. Trainer on capacity building and professional development
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Understand Audience Needs: Tailor your designs to meet the specific needs of the learners. Conduct thorough audience analysis to understand their preferences, learning styles, and objectives. Unique Design Approach Quality Content Creation Visual Appeal User-Centered Design Stay Updated Strong Portfolio Communication Skills Collaboration Client Relationships Certifications and Credentials Market Yourself: Promote your services through various channels such as social media, professional networking sites, conferences, and educational forums. Engage in thought leadership by sharing insights and expertise through blogging or speaking engagements.

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2 Align your objectives

One of the most important aspects of instructional design is to define clear and measurable learning objectives that align with your client's expectations and your learner's outcomes. Learning objectives should be specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They should also be aligned with the appropriate level of Bloom's taxonomy, which describes the different types of cognitive skills that learners can demonstrate. Use verbs that reflect the desired performance and criteria for assessment.

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3 Choose the right format

Depending on your audience, objectives, and content, you need to choose the most suitable format and delivery method for your learning solution. There are many options to consider, such as e-learning, blended learning, microlearning, gamification, video, animation, podcasts, or interactive scenarios. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to weigh them carefully and match them with your design goals and budget.

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4 Apply design principles

To create engaging and effective learning solutions, you need to apply some basic design principles that enhance the visual appeal, usability, and accessibility of your work. For example, you should use contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity to create a coherent and balanced layout. You should also use colors, fonts, images, and icons that are consistent with your brand and theme. Moreover, you should follow the universal design for learning (UDL) framework, which ensures that your learning solution is flexible and inclusive for all learners.

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5 Test and evaluate

Before you deliver your final product to your client, you need to test and evaluate your learning solution to ensure that it meets the quality standards and the learning objectives. You can use various methods to test and evaluate your work, such as usability testing, alpha and beta testing, feedback surveys, quizzes, or analytics. You should also collect and analyze the data and feedback from your testing and evaluation process and use them to improve your work or make recommendations for future projects.

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6 Showcase your portfolio

One of the best ways to make your work stand out in education is to showcase your portfolio of previous projects and samples. Your portfolio should demonstrate your skills, experience, and creativity as an instructional designer. It should also highlight the impact and value of your work for your clients and learners. You can use online platforms, such as LinkedIn, Behance, or your own website, to create and share your portfolio. You should also update your portfolio regularly and include testimonials or reviews from your clients or learners.

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Kevin Wheeler

Instructional Designer | Podcaster | Mental Health Advocate
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Having a portfolio and showing it off is of vital importance. However, how you choose to deliver your portfolio is entirely up to you. You DON'T have to create a website if you don't want to, even though that is the most common way to do so. The reason for this is because your portfolio is not inherently a website but rather a collection of work samples that can be displayed in many different ways. Some people just send copies of work attached to applications or potential clients, others post them inside of a PowerPoint presentation, and some even put their entire portfolio into an Articulate Rise course. No matter how you choose to do so, make sure that you use it as a method to show how you can actually solve training problems.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Modupe Olajide

Biologist || Transforming Education & Empowering Youth in Africa || Child Protection Advocate || Safety Educator || STEM Educator || ISPON HSE Level 3 || SDG 4 and 5 Advocate || Proofreading || TRCN
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Differentiate yourself as a freelance instructional designer by presenting a varied portfolio emphasizing creativity, adept use of technology, and proven learning achievements. Emphasize collaboration with clients, stay abreast of industry trends, and use testimonials to showcase your work's impact. Stay agile through continuous learning to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving field of instructional design.

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Modupe Olajide

Biologist || Transforming Education & Empowering Youth in Africa || Child Protection Advocate || Safety Educator || STEM Educator || ISPON HSE Level 3 || SDG 4 and 5 Advocate || Proofreading || TRCN
Report contribution
Differentiate yourself as a freelance instructional designer by presenting a varied portfolio emphasizing creativity, adept use of technology, and proven learning achievements. Emphasize collaboration with clients, stay abreast of industry trends, and use testimonials to showcase your work's impact. Stay agile through continuous learning to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving field of instructional design.

Like
Modupe Olajide

Biologist || Transforming Education & Empowering Youth in Africa || Child Protection Advocate || Safety Educator || STEM Educator || ISPON HSE Level 3 || SDG 4 and 5 Advocate || Proofreading || TRCN
Report contribution
Differentiate yourself as a freelance instructional designer by presenting a varied portfolio emphasizing creativity, adept use of technology, and proven learning achievements. Emphasize collaboration with clients, stay abreast of industry trends, and use testimonials to showcase your work's impact. Stay agile through continuous learning to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving field of instructional design.

Like
Modupe Olajide

Biologist || Transforming Education & Empowering Youth in Africa || Child Protection Advocate || Safety Educator || STEM Educator || ISPON HSE Level 3 || SDG 4 and 5 Advocate || Proofreading || TRCN
Report contribution
Differentiate yourself as a freelance instructional designer by presenting a varied portfolio emphasizing creativity, adept use of technology, and proven learning achievements. Emphasize collaboration with clients, stay abreast of industry trends, and use testimonials to showcase your work's impact. Stay agile through continuous learning to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving field of instructional design.

Like
Modupe Olajide

Biologist || Transforming Education & Empowering Youth in Africa || Child Protection Advocate || Safety Educator || STEM Educator || ISPON HSE Level 3 || SDG 4 and 5 Advocate || Proofreading || TRCN
Report contribution
Differentiate yourself as a freelance instructional designer by presenting a varied portfolio emphasizing creativity, adept use of technology, and proven learning achievements. Emphasize collaboration with clients, stay abreast of industry trends, and use testimonials to showcase your work's impact. Stay agile through continuous learning to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving field of instructional design.

Like

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As a freelance instructional designer, how can you make your work stand out in education?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Know your audience

2 Align your objectives

3 Choose the right format

4 Apply design principles

5 Test and evaluate

6 Showcase your portfolio

7 Here’s what else to consider

K-12 Education

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As a freelance instructional designer, how can you make your work stand out in education?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Know your audience

2 Align your objectives

3 Choose the right format

4 Apply design principles

5 Test and evaluate

6 Showcase your portfolio

7 Here’s what else to consider

K-12 Education

Rate this article

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