The Need for Imagination and Creativity in Instructional Design

Introduction

All of us have done it, gone over in our minds what might happen in an adult training session or a class. We know how we want it to go but what if? What if those employees resent having to take this refresher course? What if those adults coming for that continuing education class know more about the subject than you do? What if the agency didn’t screen the students well and they do not have the skills to complete the tasks you are teaching? What if the equipment fails or the power goes out? What are you going to do then? Some call it unnecessary worrying, some call it day dreaming but it is really imagining. We are using our imagination to preview some of the possible scenarios that might play out in the activity we are about to preside over.