Instructional Design & Development

The United States Distance Learning Association was the first nonprofit distance learning association in the United States to support distance learning research, development and praxis across the complete arena of education, training and communications.

The Learning Guild is a community of practice for those supporting the design, development, strategy, and management of organizational learning. As a member-driven organization, the Guild produces a countless number of resources all devoted to the idea that the people who know the most about making learning successful are the people who produce learning every day in corporate, government, and academic settings. Our goal is to create a place where learning professionals can share their knowledge, expertise, and ideas to build a better industry—and better learning experiences—for everyone.

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a collaborative community of higher education leaders and innovators, dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences designed to reach and engage the modern learner – anyone, anywhere, anytime. OLC inspires innovation and quality through an extensive set of resources, including best-practice publications, quality benchmarking, leading-edge instruction, community-driven conferences, practitioner-based and empirical research, and expert guidance. The growing OLC community includes faculty members, administrators, trainers, instructional designers, and other learning professionals, as well as educational institutions, professional societies, and corporate enterprises.

The International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS) is a leading professional society for academics, professionals and students seeking to advance the sciences and practices of learning. ISLS brings together those interested in learning experiences across schools, homes, workplaces and communities, and who seek to understand how collaboration and learning is enabled by knowledge, tools, networks, and social structures.

The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) and its members use evidence-based performance improvement research and practices to effect sustainable, measurable results, and add value to stakeholders in the private, public, and social sectors.

The Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) is an international organization of developers, educators, and research professionals collaborating to develop the scientific, technical, and applied potential of immersive learning.

EDUCAUSE helps those who lead, manage, and use information technology to shape strategic decisions at every level. EDUCAUSE actively engages with colleges and universities, corporations, foundations, government, and other nonprofit organizations to further the mission of transforming higher education through the use of information technology.

The Eastern Educational Research Association (EERA) is an organization for educational professionals interested in conducting and disseminating research that improves education for all in both formal and non-formal settings. EERA was created in 1977 and for over 40 years has been one of this country’s successful educational research organizations. EERA is affiliated with the American Educational Research Association.

The Association for Talent Development (ATD) is a professional membership organization supporting those who develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace. They go by many titles: talent development managers, trainers, instructional designers, performance consultants, frontline managers, workplace learning professionals, and more.

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is an international organization that values diversity of thought, culture and people whose activities are directed toward improving learning. AECT members may be found in colleges and universities; in the Armed Forces and industry; in museums, libraries, and hospitals; and in any other places where educational change takes place. AECT members include instructional designers, researchers, professors and teachers, educational technologists, and other professionals united by a passion for improving teaching and learning. Our members serve in many different settings including education, business and industry, non-profits, military, health care, and other environments. AECT members fulfill a wide range of responsibilities in the study, planning, application, and production of communications media for instruction.

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.