Whether you’re developing a complex course or a quick training module, understanding the nuances of instruction can help. A thoughtfully designed strategy ensures that the learning experience is tailored to the learner’s needs and aligns with course goals, making learning both impactful and memorable. An instructional strategy is more than a teaching method—it’s a blueprint for designing engaging and effective learning experiences. Like a well-drawn plan for building a house, an instructional strategy guides every aspect of the learning journey, from choosing the right tools to assessing outcomes.

What is an Instructional Strategy?

An instructional strategy is a planned approach or set of techniques used by educators to facilitate learning and help learners achieve specific learning objectives. It encompasses methods, activities, and tools selected based on the learners’ needs, course goals, and subject matter to create an engaging and effective learning experience. Imagine you’re building a house. You wouldn’t just start stacking bricks without a plan, right? You’d need blueprints, a design, and a strategy for how to put it all together. Instructional strategy is like that blueprint for learning.

It takes into account:

• Who are you teaching? (What’s their background, their learning style, their goals?)
• What are you teaching? (Is it a simple concept or a complex skill?)
• How will you teach it? (Will you use lectures, videos, games, group projects, hands-on activities?)
• How will you know if they’ve learned it? (Will you use quizzes, tests, projects, or real-world applications?)

A good instructional strategy ensures the learners’ learning experience is effective, engaging, and relevant.

Think of it like choosing the best tools and techniques to help someone build that house. You wouldn’t give them a screwdriver if they need a hammer, right? Similarly, an instructional strategy selects the right “tools” and “techniques” for teaching.

Here are some examples of instructional strategies:

• Problem-based learning: Giving learners a real-world problem to solve, guiding them to find solutions.
• Gamification: Using game elements like points and rewards to make learning more fun and engaging.
• Collaborative learning: Having learners work together in groups to achieve a shared goal.
• Personalized learning: Tailoring the learning experience to each individual’s needs and pace.
• Video-based learning: Using videos to explain concepts, demonstrate skills, or provide real-world examples. This can include a variety of video types, such as lectures, tutorials, animations, and documentaries.

Instructional strategy is about ensuring the learning “clicks” and helps people achieve their goals.

Instructional strategies vary depending on the course format (e.g., in-person, online, self-paced) and may include approaches like collaborative learning, project-based learning, storytelling, gamification, and assessments. The primary aim of an instructional strategy is to enhance understanding, retention, and application of knowledge by aligning teaching methods with the desired learning outcomes.

Why Course Format Matters

The course format you choose plays a crucial role in how effectively you can reach your learning objectives. Each format—whether in-person workshops, online courses, self-paced modules, or blended environments—offers unique advantages and requires different instructional techniques. For example, collaborative learning flourishes in live, interactive settings, while video-based or self-paced learning allows learners the flexibility to go at their own pace. By understanding the strengths of each format, educators can select strategies that make the most of the format’s potential and best serve the learning objectives.

Aligning Instructional Strategies with Desired Learning Outcomes

Choosing the right instructional strategy involves aligning your approach with the specific outcomes you aim to achieve. For instance, if a goal is to develop practical skills, hands-on activities and project-based learning may be ideal. Conversely, if the goal is to understand theoretical concepts, strategies like storytelling, video lectures, or gamified quizzes can make the material more engaging. Aligning instructional strategies with learning objectives ensures that each method serves a clear purpose, enhancing retention and helping learners connect with the material on a deeper level. This alignment is key to creating a cohesive, goal-driven learning experience.

Choosing the Right Instructional Strategies for Different Course Formats

Designing an online training involves more than just knowing your content and establishing your learning goals and outcomes. Once you’ve established what your learners need to achieve, the next challenge is selecting the right instructional strategies to help them get there. Different course formats—whether it’s a hands-on workshop, a video-based course, or a self-paced module—require tailored strategies to meet both the course objectives and the unique characteristics of the medium.