Recent research highlights the evolving knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions needed for success across educational and organizational settings.
A new open-access study published September 30, 2026, in Educational Technology Research and Development examines what it means to be career ready as an instructional designer or educational technologist.
The article, What Does It Mean to Be “Career Ready”? A Study of Competencies Important for Instructional Designers and Educational Technologists, by Marisa Exter and Iryna Ashby, draws on interviews with 31 professionals working across K–12 education, higher education, and corporate environments.
The research identifies three important dimensions of professional competence:
- Domain-specific knowledge and skills: Foundational instructional design, learning theory, technology integration, evaluation, and related expertise.
- Cross-disciplinary skills: Communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and other capabilities supporting professional effectiveness.
- Professional dispositions: Adaptability, openness to learning, perseverance, and attitudes that influence how knowledge and skills are applied.
Connections to IBSTPI’s Work
The study recognizes IBSTPI’s Instructional Designer Competencies among the established professional competency frameworks that provide foundational guidance to the field.
It also identifies opportunities for competency frameworks to more explicitly address the broader cross-disciplinary skills and dispositions required in contemporary practice.
These findings contribute to an important ongoing conversation about how professional competencies can remain relevant as instructional design and educational technology roles evolve, particularly with the growing influence of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
IBSTPI welcomes research that examines professional practice, informs competency development, and supports continued dialogue about the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for professional effectiveness.
Read the Research
Authors: Marisa Exter and Iryna Ashby
Journal: Educational Technology Research and Development
Publication Date: September 30, 2026
Full article (open access):
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11423-026-10727-7