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Learning to Start With the Learner: Brittney on Her Career Change (From Teacher to Instructional Designer)
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Brittney enrolled at the Digital Learning Institute looking to make a clean break from teaching into instructional design. She wanted a program that would give her both the background knowledge to get started and a practical, finished project to show for it, and just three weeks into her new role as an instructional designer, that's exactly what it delivered.
"I went from someone overwhelmed to someone confident in my instructional design and e-learning experience."
Hear from Brittney directly below!
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A Program Built Around a Real, Graded Project
Compared to other courses she looked at, Brittney was drawn to the fact that this wasn't just an e-learning component, there was a practical project graded at the end, with real feedback from her instructor as she progressed through it.
"There were opportunities to get real feedback from my instructor as I progressed through my final project."
The timeline was also manageable alongside full-time teaching, which mattered given she was completing the course while still in the classroom.
From Overwhelmed to Confident
When Brittney first looked at examples of final projects, she felt out of her depth.
"At first when I started the course, I was actually feeling really overwhelmed with what I felt like I didn't know when I was looking at the final project examples. I was thinking, how am I going to do that?"
As she progressed, she realized how many transferable skills and how much knowledge she already had from teaching and anything she didn't know, the course either taught her directly or gave her hands-on experience with.
Hands-On Design Practice That Stuck
One of the most impactful parts of the final project was getting hands-on experience in the design phase itself, building a wireframe, a screen plan, and a storyboard.
"It was really great practice, and I also loved that I was able to get targeted feedback on each section of my project. It really helped me grow as a designer and helped challenge me in my thinking."
Learning to Start With the Learner
Brittney's biggest takeaway has been learning to approach learning design far more intentionally. She already had plenty of experience designing learning from teaching, but the program helped her understand how those skills translate into instructional design and gave her frameworks to apply them in a new context.
"I learned to start with the learner and the problem, really think through what they need to be able to do, and then design from there. I'm already using this in my new role as an instructional designer, so it's probably been the biggest professional takeaway for me."
A New Role
The program helped Brittney gain the skills and knowledge that led directly to landing her first role as an instructional designer.
"I've officially transitioned out of the classroom and I'm now in week 3 of my new position, and I am just so excited and loving it. So I'm really thankful for this program."
Tools and Templates She's Already Using
Two things from the program are already part of Brittney's day-to-day work: the tutorials in Storyline and Rise, which she now uses extensively and feels confident navigating, and the design planning strategies she formalized during the course, building a storyboard, running a needs analysis, and other tools she'd only had informal experience with as a teacher.
Supported Even Outside the Live Classes
Brittney felt supported throughout, with the ability to email for help anytime and strong feedback from instructors during her final project. Live classes didn't end up working for her time zone and teaching schedule, but that didn't get in the way of feeling supported overall.
She's also built connections beyond the course itself, including with fellow Digital Learning Institute graduates on LinkedIn.
"I've made some connections with people who have graduated from DLI — I've connected with John Kilroy the Founder and some other people who have taken the same course as me. It's been a great way to make more connections and keep learning from everybody."
If You’re Considering the Program
Brittney had considered a master's program before finding the Digital Learning Institute, and she's glad she didn't go that route instead.
"I would encourage somebody to take this course because it gives a good balance of e-learning and practical knowledge, and it gave me the skills I needed to transition from the classroom. If you're looking for a really balanced program, something that will give you the skills and knowledge that you need it's a great fit. I was worried before that I would maybe have to take a master's program, but then I came across the Digital Learning Institute, and I'm so glad that I did, because I don't think I'd be where I am right now."
FAQ
Is the course manageable alongside full-time work? Yes. Brittney completed the program while teaching full-time, and found the timeline manageable throughout.
Is the program practical? Yes. Brittney's final project included hands-on wireframing, screen planning, and storyboarding, with targeted feedback at each stage from her instructor.
Can it help with career development? Yes. Brittney used the skills and final project from the program to land her first role as an instructional designer, transitioning out of the classroom.
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