Episode description

In this episode, I chat with Sara Stevick, who is an instructional designer and the founder and president of Teaching: A Path to Learning & Development (TPLD) (formerly known asThe Next Step: Life After Teaching (TNSLAT)), a volunteer organization who helps educators transition into instructional design career roles. We talk about why we are committed to helping new instructional designers essentially become our competition, imposter syndrome, and some of the more surprising nuances of instructional design.

Sara Stevick is inspired to design, and designing to inspire! Finding ways to engage learners in eLearning, blended instruction, or teacher-led instruction is not just Sara's career path, it's a passion of hers. There is a complex puzzle to solve with each instructional design project and excitement to be had in finding the best way to solve it using tools/skills already honed or by developing new ones! Learning is not stagnant - it is ever-evolving, and Sara strives to stay ahead of that curve to bring her learners not only an optimal learning experience but one they can relate to and enjoy!

Having recently made the jump from teaching to instructional design, Sara has discovered a new-found calling and passion in helping others looking to do the same - for the low, low price of free! Navigating that transition can be overwhelming and confusing and so she has created a webinar series, as well as a resource website (with a podcast coming soon!), to help set up an alternative option for anyone interested.

Here is the link to the TPLD website.

Here is the link to the TPLD LinkedIn group.

Sara finds motivation in the quotes "the possibilities are endless," "where there is a will, there is a way," and “education is not the learning of facts, but training of the mind to think” (Einstein). If you feel these also speak to you (or even if they don't!), she would love to connect with you via her LinkedIn! If you are a teacher/educator thinking about switching into ID, please feel free to reach out, she loves collaborating and helping others!

Sara's suggestion for a resource to learn about the field of instructional design:

Kristin Anthony's Dear Instructional Designer podcast

Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiekirby/ or on my website: www.heidikirby.com

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