What are the best instructional design courses on Coursera?

Top courses include Instructional Design Foundations and Applications from the University of Illinois and An Introduction to Learning Experience Design (LXD) from the University of Michigan as well. These programs cover learning theory, course planning, digital pedagogy, and technology tools for designing engaging learning experiences.

Can I learn instructional design for free on Coursera?

Yes. Many instructional design courses offer a free audit option. You can access video lectures and readings at no cost. If you want to complete assessments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.

What will I learn in an instructional design course?

You’ll learn how to design learning objectives, structure courses, select appropriate media and tools, and evaluate learning outcomes. Many courses also include frameworks like ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Do I need a teaching background to start learning instructional design?

Not necessarily. While experience in education or training can be helpful, many courses are beginner-friendly and provide a strong foundation for anyone interested in creating effective learning experiences.

Can Coursera’s instructional design courses help me build a career?

Yes. Instructional design is a growing field across education , corporate training , government , and nonprofits . Coursera courses can help you build job-ready skills, create a portfolio of work, and earn certificates that demonstrate your ability to design engaging and effective learning materials.

Top Instructional Design Courses - Learn Instructional Design Online

Status: Free

Coursera Project Network

Automate tasks and processes with Jira

Skills you'll gain: Business Process Automation, Automation, Project Management Software, Workflow Management, Process Design, Issue Tracking, Technical Communication

Edureka

Introduction to PySpark

Skills you'll gain: PySpark, Apache Spark, Distributed Computing, Big Data, Apache Hadoop, Data Processing, Data Manipulation, Exploratory Data Analysis, Python Programming

University of Leeds

An Introduction to Logic for Computer Science

Skills you'll gain: Logical Reasoning, Deductive Reasoning, Computational Logic, Computational Thinking, Algorithms, Theoretical Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Coursera Project Network

Prompt Engineering with GPT: Programming for Custom Content

Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Generative AI, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Large Language Modeling, Python Programming, Application Programming Interface (API)

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Effective Programming in Scala

Skills you'll gain: Scala Programming, Data Validation, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Build Tools, Debugging, Maintainability, Software Design Patterns, Development Environment, Unit Testing, Data Structures, Data Modeling

Status: Free Trial

IBM

AI Workflow: AI in Production

Skills you'll gain: Application Deployment, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Unit Testing, Docker (Software), Containerization, Kubernetes, IBM Cloud, User Feedback, Performance Analysis, Project Performance, Business Metrics, Natural Language Processing, Project Implementation, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Continuous Monitoring

Status: Free Trial

Android App Capstone

Skills you'll gain: Git (Version Control System), Android Jetpack, Version Control, Android Development, Android Studio, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Mobile Development, User Interface (UI), UI/UX Strategy, Kotlin, Application Development, UI Components, User Interface (UI) Design, Mobile Development Tools, User Flows

Coursera Instructor Network

Psychological Safety

Skills you'll gain: Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Empathy, Courage, Empowerment, Resilience, Overcoming Obstacles, Personal Development, Self-Awareness, Compassion, Teamwork, Innovation, Collaboration, Constructive Feedback, Relationship Building, Trustworthiness, Active Listening, Interpersonal Communications, Curiosity

Status: Free Trial

University of London

C++ Programming: Classes and Data

Skills you'll gain: C++ (Programming Language), Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Object Oriented Design, Programming Principles, Data Structures, Program Development, Data Management

Status: Free Trial

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Designing data-intensive applications

Skills you'll gain: Data Mining, Database Design, Scalability, Database Systems, Relational Databases, Unstructured Data, Transaction Processing, Databases, Systems Design, Big Data, Data Architecture, Data Storage Technologies, NoSQL, Data Processing, Maintainability, SQL, Apache Hadoop

Status: Free Trial

University of California, Irvine

Virtual Teacher Final Project

Skills you'll gain: Peer Review, Instructional Design, Instructional Strategies, Course Development, Developing Training Materials, Curriculum Development, Learning Management Systems, Blended Learning, Education Software and Technology, Ability To Meet Deadlines

Status: New

Status: Free Trial

Codio

C++: Data Structures and Algorithms

Skills you'll gain: Computational Thinking, Algorithms, Graph Theory, Data Structures, C++ (Programming Language), Programming Principles, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Theoretical Computer Science, Computer Programming

Instructional Design Courses

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