OVERVIEW
What is a Learning Experience Designer?
A learning experience designer ensures that educational programs in place at their organization are centered on learners. Learning experience designers play a crucial role across sectors ranging from K–12 schools to corporate training environments. Today's learners expect personalized experiences and experiential learning tailored to their needs. As such, learning experience designers are in higher demand than ever before.
These professionals use principles of learning experience design (LXD) and user experience design (UXD) to provide strategic direction to leaders and curriculum creators, ensuring that each individual learner receives an ideal experience.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Learning Experience Designer Do?
No school or company is the same, and no learner is, either. With that in mind, a learning experience designer’s duties will differ depending on their place of work. Even so, some job duties may look the same regardless of the work environment. Below are common tasks that learning experience designers might perform on a day-to-day basis.
Shape the Learner Experience
A large part of creating learning experiences involves directing how learners engage with the material. Effective learning experience designers must have a deep understanding of learner expectations to forge a connection with learners. These designers also need to apply effective instructional methods and clever design thinking to help ensure the most accurate, actionable learner experience.
Work Closely with Leadership
A learning experience designer based in a school typically works as a strategic advisor to faculty members. In this capacity, the learning experience designer helps create goal-oriented learning solutions through course design and empathy-based design practices. Most of these designers in K–12 or higher education settings work with textbooks selected by faculty and then suggest learning experiences built upon that curriculum.
In a corporate setting, learning experience designers usually spend time analyzing the current learning environment for employees and then outlining and designing innovative solutions to improve learning. This process may involve coordinating with supervisors, managers, and executive leadership to set specific design goals regarding learning.
Innovate and Gamify
Eager learners demand new, personalized ways to learn. Centering the learning experience on the individual may include gamifying the experience. In this context, gamification means applying elements of games—like scoring points—to enhance learning.
For example, learning experience designers might think through innovative, bite-sized, web-based learning experience hypotheticals. Designers could ask questions like: “How does video factor in? What about adding a competitive dimension? How can education become more interactive, engaging, or fun?” These types of questions help learning experience designers consider gamified solutions to learning experiences while improving interaction design.
Where Do Learning Experience Designers Work?
Most learning experience designers work in elementary schools, high schools, universities, nonprofit educational organizations, curiculum creation companies, and government agencies. Many learning experience designers also work in home office settings.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How Do I Become a Learning Experience Designer?
Some learning experience designers work in the classroom at the K–12 or higher education level. Others work for businesses, serving either employees or customers. For either setting, a bachelor’s degree in instructional design, instructional technology, or a similar area is essential.
An advanced degree program can grant specialized skills and could increase your earning potential. If you already hold a bachelor's degree, completing a master's program is a great next step.
WGU’s master's in education technology and instructional design is highly recommended for candidates who want to stand out from the competition. This program teaches advanced principles in design and learning analytics and e-learning development, and it offers two tracks: K–12 and Adult Learner.
As you prepare for a career in LXD, consider the following:
Diverse work environments. Learning experience designers can work in a range of settings outside of classrooms or established businesses. For example, they may work for nonprofit organizations, tech startups, or government agencies.
Educational background. LXD professionals benefit from diverse educational backgrounds. Subjects like psychology, communications, and even business can provide foundational skills for a successful LXD career.
Hands-on experience. Aspiring learning experience designers can apply and practice their skills through an internship, a part-time or full-time job, or volunteer work. These all grant valuable real-world experience.
Best Degrees for Learning Experience Designer
Education
Elementary Education – B.A.
An online teacher certification program for aspiring elementary teachers....
An online teacher certification program for aspiring elementary teachers.
Leads to teacher licensure. Specific grade levels will vary depending on teaching certification in your state.
- Time: 68% of students finish this degree within 36 months.
- Tuition: $3,825 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 38 total courses in this program (39 for Washington residents)
Skills for your résumé included in this program:
- Elementary Reading Methods
- Language Arts Instruction
- Elementary Mathematics Methods
- Elementary Disciplinary Literacy
- Children’s Literature
This elementary education degree program requires in-classroom observation and a term of full-time student teaching. This online teaching degree program helps you to be eligible for teaching certification in any of the 50 states.
Education
Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed.
The M.Ed. in Education Technology and Instructional Design from WGU is for...
The M.Ed. in Education Technology and Instructional Design from WGU is for instructional designers tasked with creating engaging and immersive virtual learning experiences that can substitute for on-ground instruction.
No teaching license required.
- Time: 62% of students finish this program in 10 months.
- Tuition: $3,975 per 6-month term
- Courses: 12 total courses in this program.
This program includes two tracks for students to choose from:
- The K-12 pathway
- The Adult Learner pathway
Skills for your résumé included in this program:
- Learning Experience Design
- Assessment and Learning Analytics
- Learning Technology
- Research Methodology
Develop training and instruction expertise to help you in the classroom, in educational settings, or in corporate world.
How Much Does a Learning Experience Designer Make?
$66,490
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary in May 2022 for instructional coordinators in schools was $66,490. For training and development specialists during the same period of time, it was $63,080.
The lowest 10% of instructional coordinators earned less than $42,000 while the highest 10% earned more than $105,210. The lowest 10% of training and development specialists earned less than $34,950 while the highest 10% earned more than $108,530.
What Is the Job Outlook for a Learning Experience Designer?
2%
The BLS states that employment of instructional coordinators is projected to grow by 2% from 2022 to 2032. Employment of training and development specialists is projected to grow by 6% over the same period of time.
Around 19,200 openings for instructional coordinators are projected each year on average over the decade. For training and development specialists, the number of projected openings is about 35,400 each year on average over the decade.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Learning Experience Designer Need?
Developing a well-defined skill set can help learning experience designers thrive in their daily work life. Some examples of useful skills include:
- Problem-solving
- Research skills
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Public speaking and presentation skills
- Familiarity with technology
- Proficiency with learning management systems
- Curriculum and instructional development
- Content development
Learning experience designers can use these skills in a wide range of environments and use cases to achieve desired learning outcomes.
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