The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Ya know...two things can be true at the same time.

It’s okay to admit that AI has some genuinely useful capabilities. I use it every day to save time, iterate on ideas, and explore new ways of working. That part is real.

And at the same time, it’s also fair...even necessary...to be skeptical of the hype that AI is some one-click, magical solution that has already revolutionized instructional design and eLearning in the ways we’ve been promised over the last year.

But too often, the conversation around AI gets framed as an all-or-nothing proposition. You’re either for AI…or you’re against it.

And that false binary is part of the problem.

Because in the real world, things live in the middle...in the messy nuance. It’s the ability to say, “Yes, this tool is useful,” while also asking hard questions about where it falls short, where human judgment still matters, and what actually leads to better learning and performance outcomes.

That’s exactly why I’m excited to be joining a live panel conversation tomorrow (Friday, January 9 at 1 PM MT), hosted by Mindsmith AI and facilitated by their cofounder, Ethan Webb.

I’ll be joining Heidi Kirby, Markus Bernhardt, and Laura Bartus to dig into the tension between human craft and automation in the creation of custom eLearning.

Not in a hype-y, “AI changes everything” way.
And not in a reactionary, anti-AI way either.

But in a clear-eyed, honest way that asks:

What is AI actually good at right now?
Where does human judgment, design, and accountability still matter?
And what does it really mean to build thoughtful learning in this moment?

If you’re interested in more nuanced, practitioner-driven conversations about AI...beyond the hype...I think you’ll get a lot out of this one.

🔗 RSVP here: luma.com/i7law2or

Hope to see you there.
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

1 hour ago | [YT] | 0

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Back in 2013, I attended (and spoke at) a learning technologies conference about the “future” of instructional design.

It happened to be the same year the Apple Watch had just been released.

At the time, would you believe I sat through an entire session in which the presenter confidently explained that the future of learning would be designing courses for smartwatches?! The vision involved busy professionals completing leadership training from their wrist...all they had to do was turn the digital crown to go to the next slide.

Yeah…that was a real conference session.

At the time, “mLearning” was the thing. Not eLearning...but mLearning. And we were told, very seriously, that if our courses weren’t built for devices like the Apple Watch or other smart devices, we were already behind.

Now, fast forward more than a decade. We don’t design courses for Apple Watches. But we do keep repeating the exact same pattern.

A new shiny thing shows up.
We’re told “this changes everything.”
Conference sessions explode.
LinkedIn lights up.
Overnight experts sell courses.
And suddenly every learning solution needs to bend itself around the trend.

And we’ve seen this before.

Gamification (everything needs a Jeopardy quiz)
AR/VR (every training should be an immersive experience)
Microlearning (hour-long training condensed into 60-second TikTok-style clips)

And now…AI.

Instead of using AI as a tool...and being intellectually honest about what it can and can’t do....large parts of our industry have debased themselves by turning it into a toy.

AI memes. Vibe-coded games with no learning value. Creepy talking-head videos no one wants to watch. Infographics no one reads. One-click “course creation” slop dressed up as innovation.

And here’s the part that actually worries me…

The stakeholders and organizations we serve can’t tell the difference between good training and bad training.

So the real risk isn’t whether or not you’re using AI.

The real risk is weaponized incompetence...teaching the world that instructional design is nothing more than AI-generated info dumps wrapped in a few clicky-click interactions.

2026 needs to be the year we take a hard, honest look at ourselves as an industry.

Because the tools will keep changing, and the hype will keep cycling. But if we don’t stay grounded in the craft of instructional design and adult learning...thinking critically, designing intentionally, and solving real performance problems...someone else will happily define our value for us.

So in my latest video, I’m breaking down what 2025 got wrong about AI and instructional design…why this hype cycle isn’t new…and what actually needs to change in 2026 if we want to stay sharp, capable, and grounded in the fundamentals of the craft.

This isn’t an anti-AI video. It’s a reality check.

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #AI

2 days ago | [YT] | 11

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

2026 needs to be the year instructional design comes back down to earth.

Ya know, I spent the holidays reflecting on what I’ve observed in our industry over the last couple of years.

And there’s no doubt about it…AI sucked the oxygen out of damn near every conversation.

We were told…over and over again…that AI was about to revolutionize everything we do. That we were right on the brink of autonomous AI learning agents conducting their own needs analyses, collaborating with SMEs, and delivering perfectly personalized learning at scale.

But here’s the thing…

There’s a massive gap between what we were promised by overnight AI experts and futurists…and what we actually got.

What did we get instead?

- AI-generated action figures.
- AI-generated music videos about potato salad.
- Creepy AF AI talking heads that no one wants to watch
- Vibe-coded ping pong games shoved into Storyline.
- And AI-generated infographics that no one actually reads.

My concern is that when we look back at 2025, it won’t be remembered as the year we revolutionized learning or instructional design.

It’ll be remembered as the year we wasted a ton of time dicking around with a powerful tool…mostly to get likes on LinkedIn…
instead of solving real performance problems for the organizations we’re supposed to support.

So tomorrow, I’m dropping a new video where I break down what I think actually broke down in 2025…and what needs to change if 2026 is going to be any different.

Stay tuned!

Have a great day, folks. 👋
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #AI

3 days ago | [YT] | 41

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Tomorrow I’m teaming up with the folks at TechSmith for a live session all about something we all rely on: screen recordings!

If you’ve ever hit the record button…then immediately regretted it because you weren’t totally sure what you were about to say or click, this one’s for you.

We’re going to dig into the part most people skip...the planning. Because great tutorials don’t magically happen when you start recording. They happen when you know exactly what learners need, where they get stuck, and how to walk them through it without sounding like a robot reading a teleprompter from 2007.

I’ll be sharing my process for scripting conversational narration, mapping out every click so the visuals actually match the audio, and structuring videos so they stand alone and work as part of a larger learning library. We’ll even talk about why recording your audio and screen separately will save you from losing your mind in post-production.

If you create software tutorials, walkthroughs, or any kind of tech training, you’ll leave with a repeatable framework that makes the whole process faster, clearer, and way less painful.

🔗 RSVP to save your seat here: bit.ly/4rKKzNo
Tuesday, December 9th at 11 AM ET

I hope to see ya there! 👋
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Camtasia

1 month ago | [YT] | 25

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Okay, so earlier this week I showed you how I edit my screen recordings in Camtasia…and based on the comments, a lot of you were shocked at how much goes into cleaning up a “simple” how-to video. 😅

Well, guess what? We’re not done!
Because editing is only half the battle.

Next week, I’m teaming up with the awesome folks at ‪@techsmith‬ to pull back the curtain on the front end of the process...aka the part no one sees, but absolutely determines whether your video is helpful…or a chaotic click-fest:

Planning, storyboarding, and scripting videos that actually teach people something!

We’re going live on Tuesday, December 9th, at 11 AM ET
🔗 RSVP to save your seat here: bit.ly/4rKKzNo

If you’ve ever hit Record and thought, “I hope this works out,” this session is for you!

Hope to see you there!
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Camtasia

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Yesterday, I shared my latest YouTube video where I walked you through exactly how I edit my screen recordings and software tutorials in Camtasia. And now it’s your turn to put all of that into practice. 💪

I’m excited to kick off our December eLearning Challenge, sponsored by the amazing folks at ‪@techsmith‬...the creators of Camtasia and Snagit!

This month, we’re going all in on one of the most underrated (but heavily used) training modalities in L&D: Screen recordings, tutorials, and how-to videos.

So, for this month, the challenge is simple:
Create a 3-7 minute software how-to video using Camtasia.

Pick any software.
Choose one task, process, or workflow.
Record it. Edit it. Polish it.

We want you to make it the kind of video that keeps someone from rage-quitting Excel or filing a support ticket titled “HELP???”

And yes, as always…there are prizes. BIG ones.
The participant with the best submission will walk away with:

A $100 Amazon Gift Card
A 1-year license to Camtasia Pro (a $600 value!)

So, if you’re new to Camtasia, don’t worry...TechSmith has tons of tutorials, guides, and a free certification to help you get started. And, of course, if you don’t already have Camtasia, you can participate with a free trial.

🔗 Check out the challenge details here: community.elearningacademy.io/c/design-challenges/…

We can’t wait to see what you create. Let’s end the year strong and create a new sample of work for your portfolio that isn't just another eLearning course!

—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Camtasia

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Ya know…the number one training modality I use on a daily basis isn’t interactive eLearning, job aids, or even one of those vibe-coded adaptive human–machine learning agents everyone swears AI is about to invent any day now.

Nope!
It’s video.

Yep! It’s true. After nearly two decades in L&D, video has consistently been the modality I use more than anything else. And I’m not alone…

According to our 2025 State of the L&D Industry Report, how-to videos and screen recordings are the 3rd-most-commonly used training modality across organizations.

And when it comes to creating those videos, my go-to tool...the one I rely on almost every single day...is Camtasia. Whether I’m editing a new YouTube video, filming a course, or recording a simple how-to walkthrough, Camtasia is the backbone of my work.

But here’s the thing...

Creating a great how-to video is SO much more than hitting Record. The real magic happens in the edit.

So in my latest video, I’m walking you through exactly how I edit my screen recordings and software tutorials so they’re clean, polished, and make people whisper “thank you” quietly at their desks.

If you're new to Camtasia, video editing, or creating how-to videos...you're going to learn a ton in this video!

🔗 Check out the full video here: https://youtu.be/M2tIGSqSYow

What's your favorite Camtasia feature to use when creating videos?
Share down in the comments!

Enjoy!
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Camtasia

1 month ago | [YT] | 16

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Gosh…I have to tell ya…when I launched the Instructional Design Career Jumpstart last week, I had zero expectations. Honestly, I figured a few dozen people might enroll.

I did not expect 800+ people to jump in.

That’s 800+ people who want real clarity. 800+ people who want insights from folks who’ve actually worked in the industry. And 800+ people who are DONE with the big promises, shortcuts, and oversimplifications from all the FURUs out there.

If you’re one of the 801 people who joined...thank you. I poured a ton of time, energy, and intention into building this course, and I can’t wait for you to dive in.

And if you’ve been thinking about joining us…there’s still time to grab the Black Friday & Cyber Monday deal. The $97 offer expires at EOD today. After that, the price goes back up to its regular price of $295.

🔗 Learn more + join us here:
community.elearningacademy.io/checkout/instruction…

See you inside! 👋
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #CyberMonday

1 month ago | [YT] | 14

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

It’s Black Friday, which means the internet is currently 98% “LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!” and 2% people arguing about whether pumpkin pie is overrated.

And frankly, if you've never had a Costco pumpkin pie, I don't think I can even take you seriously. 🥧

So, instead of shouting at you with flashing GIFs and promises of guaranteed job placement in six minutes, I’d like to offer something refreshing:

Clarity.

Because if you’re trying to get started in instructional design, you’ve probably experienced the chaos firsthand:

“Just build a portfolio!”
“No, start with Storyline!”
“Wait, don’t do anything until you take this $10,000 bootcamp!”
“Just do it messy!” 🙃

It’s…a lot.

Which is exactly why I built the Instructional Design Career Jumpstart...a realistic, practical, no-hype starting point for understanding how this industry actually works.

Inside, we focus on the stuff that truly moves the needle:

➡️ What instructional design looks like in the real workplace (not the fantasy version online)
➡️ How to translate your experience into ID language
➡️ What hiring managers care about (and what they don’t)
➡️ How to build a portfolio that stands out
➡️ How to prepare for interviews without spiraling
➡️ How to grow your network and uncover real opportunities
➡️ How to map out your next 30/60/90 days so you stop guessing and start progressing

Plus, you get 80+ lessons, 4+ hours of video training, a 50+ page Career Reflection Guide, and an 80+ page interactive workbook...AKA, the “no more late-night Googling” starter pack.

No shortcuts. No magical thinking.
Just a clear path you can trust (and maybe a few laughs along the way).

And since today is Black Friday, you can join this week as a founding student for $97 (instead of $295).

So, if you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed…or unsure who to listen to…this is the fresh start you’ve been waiting for.

🔗 Learn more and enroll here: community.elearningacademy.io/c/instructional-desi…

Hope to see you inside and have a great weekend! 👋
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #BlackFriday

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The eLearning Designer's Academy by Tim Slade

Ya know…last week I shared something I’ve been quietly building behind the scenes for the past year...the kind of thing I wish existed when I first stumbled into instructional design with zero direction and a whole lot of questions.

And today…I’m excited to share that enrollment is officially open. 🎉
The Instructional Design Career Jumpstart is now live.

If you’re new, aspiring, or transitioning into instructional design...and you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice out there...this was built for you.

Because let’s be honest: Most of the noise about “breaking into ID” ranges from oversimplified…to contradictory…to flat-out false. (Can anyone say “guaranteed job placement”? 👀)

And none of that helps when you’re trying to figure out what to actually do next.

So I created something different...a real-world path into instructional design that’s grounded in skills, clarity, and practical steps. Inside, I walk you through:

- What instructional design actually looks like in the workplace
- How to translate your existing experience into ID language
- What hiring managers care about (and what they don’t)
- How to build a portfolio that genuinely stands out
- How to prepare for interviews with confidence
- How to grow your network and uncover real opportunities
- How to map out your first 30/60/90 days so you’re not spinning your wheels

It’s everything I wish I had before the resume ATS nonsense, portfolio panic, and late-night Googling.

And because it’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday week, I’m offering a special founding student price of $97 (instead of $295) through December 1st.

So if you’re looking for a clear, grounded place to start...without the hype, shortcuts, or BS big promises...this is it.

🔗 Learn more and enroll here: community.elearningacademy.io/c/instructional-desi…

Can’t wait to see you on the inside.
—Tim

#eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

1 month ago | [YT] | 11