Instructional Design Writer’s Block Hello, my fellow designers! I have a question for you! Have...

Catrina.Ascenuik4924

Instructional Design Writer’s Block

 

Hello, my fellow designers! I have a question for you! Have you ever been faced with a course where you did not know where to start? Have you stared at your screen and lacked inspiration? How do you cope with instructional design “writer’s block”? What are some strategies that you have used to overcome it? 

 

I would love to hear your thoughts!

 

 

Karen.McCloskey886

I love backwards design, so I start with the question: what do I want my learners to be able to do when they walk out the (mostly virtual now) door? If I can clarify those things and break them into skills and knowledge then I can write my learning outcomes. Once I have learning outcomes, going back to them constantly for alignment of my activities and assessments helps keep me on track. I don't often encounter 'writer's block' when I keep in mind what I want my learners to be able to do. If I have too many ideas, aligning the activities to the outcomes helps me decide what is integral and what can be put in some secondary readings or activities if learners have extra time or interest.

Peter.G.465

Whenever I'm stuck, I look at work I've done before that has identical elements to the text I'm working on. For example, if I'm feeling uninspired during an audit, if the client is working within a rapid authoring tool, I'll read over an audit I did with similar elements, like a client who also developed within a rapid authoring tool.

Otherwise, getting different parts of your brain working helps when I'm feeling stuck. I play guitar, or read poetry or any type of print text that is trying to communicate a message. Non-fiction graphic fiction is really inspiring because the graphic elements make it so accessible. Right now, I like to browse through my copy of the graphic novel version of "Sapiens" to stir my ID brain.

[Deleted User]

I like to go back to my goals and make a list of what I actually need to accomplish. Often when I'm having writer's block, it's because I am in need of direction... or outcomes for my learners. If I truly need to step away and think about my goals, I tell the dog it's time for a walk and I mull over the ideas, exact words, and inspirations while getting some light exercise and vitamin D.

 

If I'm still feeling a little lost, I'll take a skim through any of the secondary resources (an article I want to re-read, a video I could watch again, etc.) I'm providing and start with finding what inspired me in those resources and use that excitement to write some context and plan a few activities. Many times, I leave the introduction and conclusion for the end of my writing process.