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Instructional Design Episodes

June 25, 2025

161: The Résumé That Gets You Hired in L&D

In this packed and practical episode, Holly Owens guides transitioning educators, aspiring instructional designers, and L&D professionals through the strategies and insights behind crafting a résumé that gets you noticed by both humans and ATS bots.
June 10, 2025

159: Teach, Design, Market: A Journey Fueled by Mentorship

In this conversation, Holly Owens shares her extensive journey through education and instructional design, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, self-belief, and confidence in professional growth. She discusses her transition from teaching to various roles in instructional design, highlighting …
Guest: Holly Owens
Feb. 25, 2025

157: Talking All about Jobs with Chelsea Maude Averitt, Founder, Skip

In this episode, I was so excited to reconnect with one of my favorite people, Chelsea Maude Avirett, founder of Skip. In this tip-packed episode, we discuss the evolving landscape of Learning and Development (L&D) careers, focusing on job opportunities, salary transparency, and the transition from…
Nov. 19, 2024

Episode 2: The Digging in Series - The Human Element in AI Learning with Shaunak Roy, Founder and CEO of Yellowdig

In this episode, Holly Owens and Shaunak Roy discuss the transformative role of AI in education, exploring its evolution, implications for learning, and the importance of maintaining human connections. They delve into the ethical considerations surrounding AI, including data security and the need f…
Nov. 14, 2024

155: Essential Tools for Being an Effective L&D Professional with L&D Experts - Heidi Kirby, Tom McDowall, and Holly Owens

In this engaging conversation, Holly Owens moderates a discussion with L&D experts Tom and Heidi, exploring the latest trends, tools, and strategies in Learning and Development. They delve into effective communication tools, task management, project management, instructional design, and graphic des…
Sept. 26, 2024

153: Instructional Design Interview Questions and How to Answer Them with Holly Owens, Seasoned ID Professional

In this engaging webinar, Holly Owens shares her extensive experience in instructional design and offers valuable insights into the interview process for aspiring instructional designers. The discussion covers key strategies ...
Guest: Holly Owens
Sept. 11, 2024

151: From IBM to Dean: Isaac Herskowitz's Journey in Instructional Technology, Dean, Touro University Graduate School of Technology

In this episode of EdUp Learning and Development, Holly Owens interviews Isaac Herskowitz, the Dean of the Graduate School of Technology at Touro University. Isaac shares his journey from working at IBM to becoming the Dean and highlights the importance of practical education in the field of instru…
Sept. 11, 2024

150: Learning & Development Demystified: L&D Across Sectors and Contexts

Some might ask... What is L&D? In this episode, hosts Holly Owens and Nadia Johnson discuss their experiences and expertise in the field of learning and development (L&D). They share their personal journeys from teaching to instructional design and highlight the transferable skills that teachers…
Guest: Holly Owens
Sept. 3, 2024

149: Insights into the Field of Instructional Design with Holly Owens, Adjunct Instructor, Touro University

The tables have turned and our host, Holly Owens is being interviewed about her experience as an Instructional Designer and her love for teaching by guest host, Shriti Panda, Digital Marketing Specialist at Touro. In this episode, Holly discusses her journey from being a high school teacher to w…
Guest: Holly Owens
Aug. 15, 2024

148: It's Not Just One Thing - Tips for Navigating the L&D Job Market with Our Very Own Holly Owens

In this episode, Holly Owens covers navigating the learning and development job market, emphasizing networking, authentic connections, and the skills needed for success as an instructional designer. She advises job seekers to be selective and find their niche. Holly also compares instructional desi…
Guest: Holly Owens
Aug. 6, 2024

147: Advice for Starting a Career in Instructional Design and Technology, Payam Bina, Chair ITP Program, Touro University

Payam Bina, the chair of the instructional technology program at Touro University, discusses the unique offerings of the program and its focus on integrating technology into educational and corporate settings. The program emp...
July 10, 2024

143: Using the iSpring AI Assistant for Course Creation ft. Anna Poli, Senior Instructional Designer, iSpring Solutions

In this video episode of EdUp Learning and Development, host Holly Owens and guest Anna Poli from iSpring discuss the updates and new features of iSpring Suite Max. Anna showcases the iSpring Cloud platform and demonstrates how to use the AI assistant to generate course titles and quiz questions. S…
June 25, 2024

141: Continuous Learning and Growth in L&D: A Conversation with Sean Jennison, Senior Learning Experience Manager at Amazon

In this episode, we got interview the amazing Sean Jennison, the Senior DSP Learning Experience Manager at Amazon. Sean shares his journey into the learning and development space, starting from wanting to be a geography teach...
Guest: Sean Jennison
June 4, 2024

140: Unlocking Learning Potential: Julie Dirksen on Behavioral Change and Instructional Design

In this episode, the hosts welcome Julie Dirksen, an instructional design and learning development expert. They discuss Julie's journey into the L&D space, her new book 'Talk to the Elephant,' and strategies for designing eff...
Guest: Julie Dirksen
April 18, 2024

137: Starting Your Career Transition: Taking the First Step to a Career in L&D

In this episode, Holly discusses the topic of transitioning into a career in learning and development (L&D), specifically in instructional design. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being intentional and strategic in the career transition process. She suggests five key steps to take before…
Guest: Holly Owens
April 3, 2024

136: Mastering Learning Design: Exploring Anderson University's Innovative Program & Answering the Question Do You Need a Master's Degree?

interviewed Dr. Katie Wolfe-Burelson and Marissa Gilbert from Anderson University. They discuss the Instructional Design and Learning Technology program at the university. The program is a 30-credit hour, 100% online master's degree that offers courses on various topics such as instructional design…
Feb. 22, 2024

130: Mastering Skills through Video: A CEO's EdTech Odyssey with Josh Kamrath of Bongo

In this episode, we got to interview Josh Kamrath, CEO of Bongo, an EdTech company that uses video assessment to help learners demonstrate skills or competencies. Kamrath shares his journey from being the first employee of Bo...
Guest: Josh Kamrath
Feb. 15, 2024

128: Unlocking e-Learning Excellence: A Deep Dive into iSpring's Innovative Tools with Anna Poli

In a fabulous demo, Anna Poli, a senior instructional designer with iSpring, demonstrated the capabilities of iSpring's suite of tools. The tools include a demo of IPR, a tool that allows users to create interactive content, ...
Feb. 12, 2024

127: Job Search Jumpstart: Proven Strategies and Tips from Holly Owens and Nadia Johnson on Landing a role in EdTech and Instructional Design

Holly Owens and Nadia Johnson discussed their experiences transitioning into instructional design and ed tech roles. They emphasized the importance of knowing what you want to do, conducting thorough research, and networking....
Guest: Holly Owens
Feb. 8, 2024

126: A Visionary for the Ages - An Inspirational Chat with TLDC Founder Luis Malbas on Shaping the Future of Learning

In this episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the visionary Luis Malbas, the brilliant mind behind the Training, Learning Development Community and Conference (TLDC). Join us as we delve into Luis's inspiring journey, from his early days in video stores and manufacturing to becoming a t…
Guest: Luis Malbas
Jan. 23, 2024

121: Harmonizing Education: Aaron King's Symphony of Transformation from Rapper to Ed Tech Maestro

In this episode of Edup Ed Tech, the hosts interview Aaron King, a solutions engineer at Blackboard Anthology and the owner of Snack Size Learning. Aaron shares his journey from being a rapper and music producer to becoming a...
Guest: Aaron King
Oct. 26, 2023

110: From Tech Support to Ed Tech Visionary: Anna Poli on iSpring's Evolution and the Future of Digital Learning

In this episode of EdUp EdTech we got to chat with the amazing Anna Poli , a Senior Instructional Designer at iSpring Solutions . Anna shares her journey from technical support engineer to instructional designer, highlighting...
Guest: ann
Oct. 23, 2023

108: (Audio) EdTech Evolution - Chelsea Averitt on Navigating Remote Roles & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Chelsea Averitt, founder of SKIP, a job board for remote roles in education technology, discussed the current state of the EdTech job market. She highlighted the top three remote roles that educators are transitioning into cu...
Oct. 23, 2023

108: (Video) EdTech Evolution - Chelsea Averitt on Navigating Remote Roles & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Chelsea Averitt, founder of SKIP, a job board for remote roles in education technology, discussed the current state of the EdTech job market. She highlighted the top three remote roles that educators are transitioning into cu...