Instructional Design Basics

I checked 20 GenAI and Agents courses and curated 3 courses per Persona taught by Microsoft, NVIDIA, Google, and Hugging Face and ...👇 1. AI Agents for Beginners https://lnkd.in/gSNnSK2k Who: Devs and researchers starting from zero 11-lesson GitHub based course on agents, RAG, memory, and multi-agent systems Why: Teaches real-world workflows with actual code 2. Hugging Face Agents Course https://lnkd.in/gvkBA2vX Who: Builders who want to learn by building Interactive training with LangChain, LlamaIndex, memory, evals, and observability Why: Feels like a playground. Open-source and community-driven 3. Generative AI Explained (NVIDIA) https://lnkd.in/g4yNPvgK Who: Curious minds, PMs, and analysts Covers GenAI concepts, use cases, and applications without code Why: Fast, clear, and digestible. Perfect before you start coding 4. Intro to Vibe coding🚀 https://bit.ly/46wv7Mq Learn to Build Full-Stack Apps with AI In this free 4-week course, master vibe coding—just describe your idea, and AI helps turn it into a working app. 5. Generative AI for Beginners (Microsoft) https://lnkd.in/gKBNqFDQ Who: Full-stack devs and curious tinkerers 21 lessons from prompt design to deployment Why: Structured, example-rich, and project-based 6. Learn generative AI by Amazon Web Services (AWS) https://lnkd.in/gG8Gvqnq Who: Devs who want a structured on ramp to AWS AI services Learning modules covering prompt engineering, AWS Bedrock agents, guardrails with hands-on labs. Why: Learn how to build GenAI products using Amazon AI stack bridge theory and cloud implementation 7. Google Cloud Skills Boost: GenAI Track https://lnkd.in/gYFcZmqb Who: Professionals upskilling with certifications Labs and badges covering LLMs, prompting, and safety Why: Makes your resume GenAI-ready with cloud context 👇 Which path fits you best? ✔️The Student → Future AI Engineer Goal: Learn GenAI fundamentals, hands-on coding, and build a portfolio 1-Generative AI for Beginners (Microsoft) 2-AI Agents for Beginners (Microsoft) 3-Into to Vibe coding ✔️The Entrepreneur → AI Product Builder Goal: Build MVPs fast and evaluate GenAI platforms 1-Hugging Face Agents Course 2-Building RAG Agents (NVIDIA) 3-Into to Vibe coding ✔️The Educator or Researcher Goal: Gain conceptual depth and teach others 1-AI for All (NVIDIA) 2-Generative AI Explained (NVIDIA) 3-AI Agents for Beginners (Microsoft) ✔️The Product Manager or Strategist Goal: Evaluate tools and shape AI strategy 1-Google Cloud Skills Boost 2-Hugging Face Agents 3-Generative AI for Beginners (Microsoft) Learn by doing, don’t wait for the perfect moment Pick one small task, apply what you learn 🔥In the next 14 Days I will share all you need to master Gen AI, stay tuned Steve Nouri

Three mistakes I made as a new Head of Learning (so you don't have to): Mistake 1: Saying yes to every training request Reality: Most "training problems" were actually process, tools, or hiring issues Now I ask: "What happens if we do nothing? What would good performance look like here?" Mistake 2: Building in depth overly detailed programs for every topic Reality: People needed specific help with specific problems, not complete knowledge Now I ask: "What's the smallest intervention that could make the biggest difference?" Mistake 3: Measuring what was easy to see Reality: Completion rates told me nothing about business impact Now I track: Performance improvement, manager feedback, and voluntary engagement The shift from "training provider" to "performance consultant" changed everything. #learninganddevelopment #leadership

It’s time to say it clearly — 𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿. 𝗔 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗟&𝗗 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. And these titles should stop being used interchangeably. In our region, anyone who can deliver a session is often assumed to be 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. This misconception is the exact reason why many 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 — because 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻, and 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗥 — 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 (𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴) A 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿’𝘀 mastery lies in 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆. They operate in real time — with people, emotions, resistance, and engagement. 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 Live session delivery, participant engagement, real-time performance feedback, classroom moderation, interaction-based learning, role-play facilitation, response-based adaptation, monitoring immediate knowledge absorption. A trainer’s strength is presence — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗘𝗥 — 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 (𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴) ID work begins long before a training room opens. They convert content into structured cognition. 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 TNA/LNA, curriculum blueprinting, learning objective mapping, content structuring, eLearning/module development, storyboard writing, scenario-based simulation design, evaluation creation using 𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗜𝗘, 𝗦𝗔𝗠, 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺’𝘀, 𝗚𝗮𝗴𝗻é, 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 — 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘁. 𝗟&𝗗 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 — 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 (𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴) This is not a classroom role — it’s an organisational capability function. 𝗟&𝗗 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗞𝗣𝗜𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 Competency frameworks, succession planning, leadership development pathways, capability roadmapping, LMS/LXP governance, business-aligned skill strategy, performance impact evaluation using 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗥𝗢𝗜, 𝟳𝟬-𝟮𝟬-𝟭𝟬, 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹, 𝟵-𝗕𝗼𝘅 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗟&𝗗 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 — 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

With so much attention on the how of teaching - pedagogy, the conversations around direct instruction, explicit teaching, inquiry or project based learning, and the constant pull in different directions, we’ve lost sight of one key element. The what. Our curriculum. What we are actually meant to teach. Just like the swings we see in pedagogy, there has been a similar swing in how we understand and use the curriculum. At one end, it is loose and unclear. Learning is happening, but educators are unsure how it connects back to the curriculum. The focus falls on rich, exciting, engaging thematic units, but the link to achievement standards and curriculum outcomes becomes fuzzy. At the other end, the focus becomes so curriculum heavy that it turns into a checklist. Everything is squeezed in at a pace that leaves no time to consider what students actually need. There is a belief that if we get through it all, they will pick it up eventually, and that more is better. Before I left a school environment and stepped fully into supporting educator wellbeing, my core focus across a number of leadership roles was bringing these two elements together. A focus on explicit teaching through two foundations (AITSL Standards): 1. Know your students and how they learn. 2. Know the content and how to teach it. Right now, I think we’ve drifted from how these two work together. And it’s time we check for understanding, not just for our students, but for our educators. Questions to ask could be: Do our educators know how to sequence and map the curriculum? Do they understand what the achievement standards and content descriptors actually mean? Can they explain what these things look like in their classroom? Do they know how their lessons link back to outcomes and/or content descriptors? Are they designing units that intentionally build towards a clear, desired outcome? How often are they reviewing and engaging with the curriculum? Please know, I share this with understanding and compassion, not judgement. It’s no one’s fault if this isn’t happening in every school, but it is our responsibility to fix it, and lead it. The way forward is building educator capacity, not just around how we teach, but around what we teach. ... I know many of you might see me as the wellbeing person, and I often talk about exactly that. But this space is becoming a much bigger part of the work I’m doing. When we talk about workload, we also need to build competence, autonomy and mastery within educators, and we can only do that if we understand what we are teaching alongside how. I’m spending a lot of my time in schools doing this right now. It has become a central focus of my conversations, particularly during strategic improvement days with educators, teams and leadership. So while this might seem a little out of the blue, it’s actually a reflection of where my work has been heading and what schools have been asking for. It's an indication of where we are going in 2026.