Best Instructional Design Conferences

Instructional Design (ID) lies at the heart of modern learning, seamlessly blending technology and teaching to craft engaging educational experiences. It's the art and science behind creating effective online courses, interactive modules, and digital learning materials. 

The Instructional Design Professionals Conference in 2023 drew an impressive attendance of 2,919,261 individuals, with over 16,703 attendees hailing from the US and Canada combined.

What You'll Discover?

In this blog, we'll delve into the world of instructional design conferences in 2024. We'll explore how these events impact your learning journey, why they're hosted in the first place, and which ones you should mark on your calendar. Here's what you can expect:

1. What happens at learning conferences?
2.  What topics are covered in learning conferences?
3.  Why should you attend instructional design conferences?
4. A Comprehensive List of Instructional Design Conferences in 2024
5. Top Virtual Instructional Design Conferences in 2024
6. What are the best ways to make the most of instructional design conferences in 2024?

1. What happens at learning conferences?

Learning conferences are events that bring together:

• Professionals
• Educators
• Researchers
• Stakeholders

Most of them are active in the field of education. These conferences allow the congregation to discuss, exchange ideas, and share best practices related to learning and teaching. 

2. What topics are covered in learning conferences?

These conferences cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Instructional design
• Educational technology
• Pedagogy
• Curriculum development
• Assessment
• Educational psychology

Attendees have the opportunity to participate in various sessions, workshops, keynote presentations, and panel discussions led by experts and practitioners in the field.

3. Why should you attend instructional design conferences?

By attending instructional design conferences, you can grow your career and stay updated with industry trends. Let’s see some major benefits you can achieve:

1. Networking Opportunities                   

a. Conferences provide an opportunity to network with:

1. Industry professionals
2. Colleagues and experts in instructional design. 

b. You can exchange ideas with them and forge meaningful connections.

c. This association can lead to possible collaborations and job opportunities. 

d. Also, by networking, you can expand your circle and build lasting relationships that can support your career advancement.

2. Access to the Latest Trends and Technologies

a. Instructional design conferences offer a firsthand look at:

1. Latest trends
2. Technologies
3. Best practices shaping the industry

b. You get to learn about emerging instructional design models and become aware of cutting-edge e-learning tools (e.g., Authoring Tools)

c. By staying updated with these advancements, you can maintain competitiveness and expedite your professional growth.

3. Professional Development and Skill Enhancement

a. Conferences are often designed to enhance professionals' skills and knowledge.

b. These feature a wide range of:

1. Workshops
2. Sessions
3. Keynote presentations

c. You, as an attendee, have the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops.

Here, you can learn new techniques and software applications directly from industry experts. Overall, instructional design conferences offer a rich learning experience that can enrich your skills, broaden your knowledge, and empower you to excel in your role as an instructional designer. As the demand for skilled instructional designers continues to rise, so does the importance of staying informed and connected within the industry, which can be achieved either through ID certifications or ID conferences.

4. A Comprehensive List of Instructional Design Conferences in 2024 

Let us explore the in-person instructional design conferences that will be held in 2024:

1. ATD TechKnowledge 2024

ATD TechKnowledge is a dynamic three-day event. It is tailored for talent development professionals and offers a blend of:

• Interactive sessions
• Hands-on workshops
• Networking opportunities

Some key details

Location: To be decided

Date: October 8–9, 2024

Best for: Senior L&D professionals and training managers

Keynote Speakers: Sinead Bovell (AI Expert, Futurist, and WAYE Founder) & Mick Ebeling (Innovator, Storyteller, and Not Impossible Labs founder)

Registration: How do I do it?

You can do an individual registration by clicking here. To participate, you will be required to pay standard rates, which are:

• $795 for ATD Members and
• $875 for Non-ATD Members

2. DevLearn 2024 

DevLearn brings together professionals and promotes innovation in learning technology. It is designed exclusively for instructional designers and covers tools, ideas, and strategies for success. 

Key Note Speakers

The following are the keynote speakers and topics featured at an event focused on learning through travel, curiosity, and food:

1. Phil Rosenthal ( Background): Creator, writer, and producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil

2. Chef Jeff Henderson ( Background): Award-winning chef and New York Times bestselling author

3. Josh Linkner (Background): Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and New York Times bestselling author

4. Michelle Poler (Background): Founder and author, of Hello Fears

Some key details

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Date: November 6–8, 2024

Best for:

1. Chief Learning Officer

2. Corporate Training and Development Executive

3. Training Director and Manager

4. Instructional Designer

5. eLearning Developer

6. Instructional Technologist

7. Learning Architect

Registration: How do I do it?

You can register for the event through this link. At the time of writing this article, the registration was supposed to open in due time.

3. Learning & Development Executive Summit 2024

This summit explores pressing topics that will shape the future workspace. By attending it, you can forge purposeful connections with senior-level enterprise executives. Being a strategically built program, it offers interactive sessions and a panel discussion featuring representatives from the YMCA, Google, Edelman, and TOMS. 

Also, you get to engage in networking spaces and have exclusive one-on-one meetings with groundbreaking solution providers. 

Key Note Speakers: To be decided

Some key details

Location: Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle's Southport, Seattle, WA

Date: June 9–11, 2024

Best for:

•  Chief Learning Officers (CLOs)
• Chief Talent Officers (CTOs)
• SVP/VP/Head of Learning & Development
• SVP/VP/Head of Talent Management
• SVP/VP/Head of Leadership Development
• SVP/VP/Head of Human Resources

Registration: How do I do it?

It is an “invite-only” summit. You can express your interest by filling out this Google form.

4. World of Learning Summit 2024

The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition is a premier two-day event bringing together experts and professionals from the L&D community at NEC Birmingham. 

You, as an attendee, can benefit from the following:

• Interactive presentations
• Panel sessions
• Debates

Also, you will learn how to deliver practical solutions and fresh ideas. The free-to-attend exhibition also provides access to various free seminars and interactive zones, such as:

• Mental well-being zone
• Business & networking lounge
• Learning Design Live
• Life Skills Library
• Live Demo Zone

Some key details

Location: NEC, Birmingham

Date: October 8–9, 2024

Best for: 

• Chief Learning Officers (CLO)
• Senior L&D professionals
• Training manager 

Registration: How do I do it?

Registration is completely free. You can confirm your participation by filling out the dedicated form through this link.

5. The Learning Ideas Conference 2024

The Learning Ideas Conference is a congregation of global researchers, practitioners, and L&D professionals. By attending this conference, you can explore innovative approaches to education and workplace learning. You will learn:

• What are the best ways to use new technologies?
• What is the best way to conduct interdisciplinary research? 
• What are the best ways to create a new learning experience?

This international and multidisciplinary conference welcomes participants from academic and professional fields such as:

• Education
• Computer science
• Cognitive science
• Game design
• User experience design, and many more similar fields.

Some key details

Location: New York and Online

Date: June 12–14, 2024

Best for:

• Researchers
• Learning and development professionals
• University faculty
• User experience (UX) designers
• Technologists

Registration: How do I do it?

You can register for this event by clicking on this link. It is a paid registration and you will be required to pay:

• $695 as a participant
• $595 as a speaker
• $345 if you are a full-time student

After successful registration, you can access all conference sessions and their complete recordings, including those featured in the special tracks.

6. Corporate Learning & Development Roundtable

Attend this event and join senior L&D leaders committed to exploring current and future trends in corporate learning and development. This one-day roundtable conference features:

• Panel discussions
• Focused breakouts
• Strategic sponsor conversations surpass traditional vendor interactions.

Key Note Speakers

1. Dr. Chris Dede
2. Senior Research Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (GSE)
3. Former Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies for 22 years at Harvard GSE
4. Associate Director for Research at Harvard GSE’s National AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE)
5. Honored as an outstanding teacher by Harvard University in 2007
6. Named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association in 2011
7. Dr. Christina Katopodis
8. Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate at the City University of New York’s Humanities Alliance
9. Delivered over 50 talks and workshops on teaching and learning topics at various institutions and conferences worldwide
10. Co-author of "The New College Classroom" (Harvard University Press, 2022), winner of the AAC&U 2023 Frederic W. Ness Book Award
11. Dr. Alina von Davier
12. Chief of Assessment at Duolingo
13. Founder and CEO of EdAstra Tech
14. Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford
15. Senior Research Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University
16. Specializes in computational psychometrics, machine learning, and education
17. Over 20 years of experience in the EdTech and the assessment industry
18. Leads research and development for the Duolingo English Test

Some key details

Location: New York, NY

Date: July 31, 2024

Best for: 

• Senior corporate executives
• Heads of learning and development
• Talent management specialists, and
• HR directors

Registration: How do I do it?

To participate in the roundtable, you will be required to “request an invitation. Kindly visit this link and fill out the online form.

7. Training Magazine’s Techlearn 2024

The TechLearn 2024 Conference, presented by Training magazine, is specifically made for L&D professionals. By attending this conference, you will become aware of cutting-edge learning research and learn about training technologies that enhance workplace performance. 

This conference covers a wide array of topics and content, such as:

• Design & Implementation
• Evaluation & Assessment
• E-learning
• Virtual Classrooms
• Game-based Learning
• Simulation and Augmented Reality
• Artificial Intelligence

Some key details

Location: Austin, Texas

Date: September 17–19, 2024

Best for: Professionals in the training industry looking to explore the latest trends and technologies.

Registration: How do I do it?

You can register for this event using this link. The organizers offer online payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

5. Top Virtual Instructional Design Conferences in 2024

Unable to take corporate leaves? or have vacation plans scheduled? Don't miss out on learning by attending virtual or online conferences instead. See the list below of the top online conferences scheduled to be held in 2024:

1. MicrolearningCONF

This online website offers a virtual event in Learning and Development (L&D) known as MicrolearningCONF. You can attend this event to learn, network, and gain inspiration related to microlearning. Some common program attendees include:

• Chief Learning Officers
• Training & Development Executives, and
• Instructional Designers

This event exclusively focuses on microlearning and teaches you how to break down learning into standalone units of study.

Some key details

Date: May 2, 2024

Time: 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT

Cost: Free

Registration: How do I do it?

To participate in the free virtual conference, you will have to fill out the registration form. Access it from here.

2. Ninth Annual Learning Experience Design Conference (LXDCON’24)

LXDCON'24 is a special learning program that teaches how to use the elements of play, games, and gamification while designing exceptional learning experiences. Whether you're interested in the theoretical foundations or practical applications, LXDCON'24 has something for you. You can considerably elevate your skills in Learning Experience Design (LXD). This conference is best suited for professionals interested in the innovative use of gaming in educational design.

Some key details

Date: June 11–14, 2024

Time:  1:30 pm GMT+5:30

Cost: USD 96.86

Registration: How do I do it?

The tickets for this online program start at EUR 89.39 (USD 96.86). You can purchase them using this link.

6. What are the best ways to make the most of instructional design conferences in 2024?

Make your visit worthwhile. To maximize your conference experience, you will be required to plan strategically and remain actively engaged throughout the event. Let’s see some practical tips:

1.  Plan Ahead
2. Before the conference, you must:
3. Review the schedule
4. Identify sessions and workshops
5. Search for networking events that align with your interests and professional goals
6. Also, create a personalized itinerary to make the most of your time
7. Network Strategically
8. Initiate conversations with fellow
9. Attendees
10. Speakers
11. Exhibitors
12. Be prepared with a brief introduction
13. Always have specific questions or topics in mind to facilitate meaningful discussions. 
14. Exchange contact information and follow up with new connections after the conference
15. Engage with Speakers
16. Attend sessions led by industry experts
17. Actively participate by:
18. Asking questions
19. Sharing insights
20. Offering feedback
21. Engage with speakers, establish rapport, and try learning from their expertise.
22. Don't hesitate to approach speakers during breaks to continue the conversation.
23. Stay Open-Minded
24. Be willing to explore topics outside your comfort zone
25. Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary learning 
26. Try to gain insights into diverse perspectives within the instructional design community.
27. Take Notes and Reflect
28. Bring a notebook or use a note-taking app to jot down key takeaways, ideas, and action items.
29. Explore how you can apply these insights to your work 
30. Review your notes periodically to:
31. Reinforce learning and
32. Identify areas for further exploration
33. Follow Up and Continue Learning
34. After the conference, follow up with contacts you've made.
35. Send personalized emails or connect on professional networking platforms
36. Express gratitude to them and try exploring potential collaborations

Conclusion:

As the educational landscape continues to evolve, the importance of continuous learning and professional development cannot be overstated. By actively participating in instructional design conferences, you're not just investing in your career; you're embracing a community of learners and leaders dedicated to shaping the future of education. 

How Calibr.AI Can Help?

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