A few weeks ago, I wrote about using ChatGPT to streamline instructional design at Quest Education Group. By leveraging structured prompts and empowering subject-matter experts (SMEs) to generate content themselves, we managed to create high-quality eLearning modules efficiently and collaboratively. That process, however, required a lot of strategic thinking and human oversight to ensure the results were creative, learner-centered, and pedagogically sound.

A few months ago, Articulate gave me a free trial of their new AI features, but I was too busy to take advantage. So when I got an email about a second free trial for Articulate Rise’s new AI features, which promise to automate many aspects of instructional design, I set aside some time to go through their training course and test it myself. Could these tools achieve what I had done with ChatGPT but with even greater efficiency? The fact that they are integrated directly into the software does seem promising — at the very least, it could save time copying/pasting.

After testing them, the answer was clear: not really. While Articulate’s AI might be useful in certain scenarios, it falls far short of enabling high-quality instructional design and risks producing an overwhelming amount of mediocre training content.

What Articulate’s AI Promises to Do

Articulate Rise’s AI tools aim to automate various aspects of eLearning development, including:

1.Content Creation: AI can generate text for lessons, quizzes, and summaries.

2.Image Generation: Allows users to create custom visuals tailored to their eLearning scenarios.

3.Rapid Editing: Inline tools promise to help refine text and swap out content blocks seamlessly.

These features are designed to reduce development time and make eLearning accessible to those without an instructional design background. On paper, this sounds great. But as someone who’s worked extensively with AI in instructional design, I immediately saw cracks in the foundation.

The Difference Between ChatGPT and Articulate’s AI

My approach to ChatGPT involved thoughtful scaffolding. First, I designed a prototype that I had approved by academics, the career services team, and the CEO. Then, I crafted prompts to help automate the creation of the remaining modules within this predefined context. My SMEs used the prompts in my user’s manual to generate scripts, which I then revised with my instructional designer’s training and experience. Then, I input the finalized scripts into the authoring tool (Genially). It was a lot of copying/pasting, but in the end, saved a lot of time. In contrast, Articulate’s AI lacks this nuance. It feels like a tool built for speed rather than depth. Here are some of the key differences:

1. Context and Creativity

With ChatGPT, I could prompt for creative, thematic content (e.g., using “gamer” or “guardian” language) and get outputs that matched my instructional goals. Articulate’s AI, on the other hand, generates generic text that doesn’t feel tailored to specific audiences or contexts. For example, the knowledge checks it produces are basic recall questions that fail to engage learners meaningfully. While I tried to use similar prompts in Articulate to reproduce the gamer and guardian language of my original, I found that its production in both French and English felt very generic and Rise doesn’t allow me to create as personalized an interface as Genially.

2. Control and Oversight

In my process with ChatGPT, the AI never replaces human oversight—it’s a collaborator, not the sole creator. Articulate’s tools, by contrast, seem to encourage users to trust the AI’s outputs without critically reviewing them, which is a dangerous path in instructional design.

3. Visual Generation

Articulate’s image generation tool was one of the most frustrating aspects of the platform. For a simple prompt like “a waitress serving food to a customer in a restaurant,” the AI produced bizarre results: floating body parts, irrelevant text, and missing customers. I had a similar experience generating the Guardian character on ChatGPT for my cybersecurity modules, but I eventually managed to get something I could work with. I just had to rework it a lot in Canva before I could then put it into the authoring tool. Articulate’s goal of having everything streamlined in the authoring tool simply isn’t realistic given AI’s current limitations, in my opinion.

The Risk of Mediocre Content at Scale

My biggest concern with Articulate’s AI tools is their potential to flood the eLearning space with uninspired, mediocre training materials. Here’s why:

1.Lack of Depth: Instructional design is about more than delivering information—it’s about creating an engaging and transformative learning experience. Tools that prioritize speed over thoughtfulness undermine the learner experience. In short, information ≠ instruction!

2.Generic Outputs: Without customization or creative prompts, the content generated feels flat and impersonal. It’s the kind of training that learners skim through without retaining much, if anything.

3.Misplaced Confidence: The ease of these tools might lead non-experts to assume the outputs are “good enough,” further lowering the bar for quality instructional design.

As instructional designers, we are not just content creators—we are architects of the learning experience. Articulate’s tools seem to reduce our craft to a series of automated tasks, ignoring the nuances of pedagogy, andragogy, and learner engagement. This is a far cry from the potential I saw in ChatGPT, where AI serves as a collaborator rather than a replacement.

Final Thoughts: AI as a Collaborator, Not a Replacement

While Articulate’s tools fall short, AI itself isn’t the problem—it’s how we use it. Here are some lessons I’ve learned from working with ChatGPT that Articulate (and others) could adopt:

1.Empower Creativity, Not Automation: AI should be a tool for brainstorming and ideation, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Tools should enable designers to create unique, learner-centered experiences.

2.Ensure Quality Control: AI outputs must be reviewed and refined by experts. Skipping this step results in generic, uninspired training.

3.Focus on Engagement: Instead of automating basic tasks, AI tools should prioritize creating interactive, scenario-based, and application-driven learning experiences.

4.Improve Image Reliability: Articulate’s image generation needs significant improvement. If the visuals require so much editing or replacement, they end up creating more work, not less.

Articulate Rise’s AI features are a step in the wrong direction. By prioritizing speed over depth, they risk devaluing the role of instructional designers and flooding the market with low-quality eLearning. While AI can be a powerful ally, it must be used thoughtfully and strategically.

The future of instructional design should not be about churning out mediocre content faster. It should be about creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences that make a difference. If AI is going to play a role in that future, it must be as a collaborator, not a replacement.

What do you think about AI tools like these? Do they help or hinder the instructional design process? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

France Compétences plays a pivotal role in the French education and training system, particularly when it comes to professional certifications. For institutions offering vocational or professional training programs, obtaining certification from France Compétences is essential for aligning with national standards and ensuring student employability. But what exactly is the difference between RNCP and RS certifications, and what does the application process entail?

In my positions at SAE Institute and now at Quest Education Group, I’ve been able to work on such certifications. Specifically, at SAE Institute, I was responsible for compliance for our RNCP certification, Technicien(ne) son (sound engineering). I also spearheaded the renewal of this certification in the winter of 2021-2022 and we got the good news that it was indeed renewed in September 2022, just before I left the company! At Quest, I am also responsible for compliance and for our overall group strategy for certifications and have been thinking about this topic a lot in recent months. I should also add that I completed my own RS certification back in 2021, with Lafayette Associés. It was a 3-day training program to help me learn to certify programs, so quite the mise-en-abyme!

In this blog post, I’ll break down the distinctions between RNCP and RS certifications, the application process, and why employability is at the heart of these qualifications.

RNCP vs. RS Certifications: What’s the Difference?

France Compétences offers two main types of certifications: RNCP (Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles) and RS (Répertoire Spécifique). While both are highly valuable, they serve distinct purposes.

1. RNCP: Professional Certifications

• Purpose: RNCP certifications qualify learners for specific professions or career paths.
• Focus: These certifications are tied to métiers (careers) and detail the exact skills and knowledge required to enter and succeed in a given profession.
• Examples: Titles like “Architecte Internet des Objets” or “Technicien Supérieur en Maintenance Industrielle.”
• Outcome: Graduates earn a professional certification that is often equivalent to a vocational degree. They are also awarded ECTS credits, ensuring recognition across the European Higher Education Area.

2. RS: Complementary Skills

• Purpose: RS certifications focus on compétences complémentaires à un métier (skills that complement a profession).
• Focus: These certifications aim to deepen or broaden a professional’s skill set, rather than qualifying them for a specific career.
• Examples: Certifications for “Advanced Project Management” or “Digital Marketing Tools.”
• Outcome: RS certifications add value to existing professional qualifications, enhancing a graduate’s employability within their field.

The Application Process: Three Core Components

Securing RNCP or RS certification involves a rigorous application process that demonstrates not only the quality of the program but also its impact on student employability. The three main documents required are the note d’opportunité, référentiel, and note qualité. Here’s what each entails:

1. Note d’Opportunité

This document establishes the demand for the certification by analyzing the labor market and the specific needs of the profession or skillset.
Content:
• Data on industry growth and demand for specific skills.
• Testimonies or support letters from employers.
• Analysis of how the certification addresses skill gaps.
Goal: To justify the relevance and necessity of the certification in today’s job market.

2. Référentiel

The référentiel is the core of the application, focusing not on pedagogy but on identifying and assessing the skills required in the industry. It outlines:
• Activités: The key activities associated with the profession or skillset.
• Compétences: The specific skills and knowledge required to perform these activities effectively.
• Modalités d’Évaluation: The methods used to assess these skills, such as practical exercises, role plays, or case studies.
• Critères d’Évaluation: The benchmarks that determine whether a learner has successfully demonstrated the required competencies.

Goal: The référentiel is less about how the skills are taught and more about whether the institution can define, measure, and evaluate them in alignment with industry needs. This focus ensures that the certification reflects the realities of the job market and prepares graduates for immediate employment.

3. Note Qualité

The note qualité demonstrates the institution’s ability to deliver and sustain the program.
Content:
• Resources available (faculty, facilities, digital tools).
• Processes for tracking and improving program quality.
• Employment outcomes for past graduates.
Goal: To showcase the institution’s capacity to maintain high standards and deliver measurable employability outcomes.

Employability as the Primary Outcome

One of the key criteria for obtaining and maintaining RNCP or RS certification is employability. France Compétences evaluates how well a program prepares students for the job market and measures success based on employment rates. Here’s how this focus plays out:

• Initial Certification: Institutions must provide robust evidence that graduates secure relevant jobs within six months to a year of completing the program.
• Renewal of Certification: Certifications typically last 2–5 years, and renewal depends on maintaining strong employment rates. Institutions must continuously monitor outcomes, adapt programs to labor market changes, and provide updated data.
• Challenge: Institutions must strike a balance between meeting immediate job market demands and equipping graduates with transferable skills for long-term success.

RNCP certifications are often considered the Ministry of Labor equivalent to traditional university degrees. While they do not confer ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits (only universities can do this), they are recognized in France as the equivalent of a university degree of the same level.

Conclusion: Navigating the France Compétences Process

The France Compétences certification process is both rigorous and rewarding. By obtaining RNCP or RS certification, institutions validate their programs while ensuring graduates are equipped with industry-aligned skills. The focus on employability—through labor market analysis, skill assessment, and outcomes monitoring—makes these certifications vital for vocational training in France.

Whether you’re applying for certification or refining an existing program, understanding the distinctions between RNCP and RS certifications and the critical role of employability is key. With the right approach, these certifications can open doors for both institutions and learners, bridging the gap between education and the workforce.

Have you worked on an RNCP or RS certification application? What challenges have you faced in aligning with France Compétences’ requirements? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Today at the office, I got into a spirited debate about one of my biggest pet peeves, which inspired me to write this blog post.

In French education, terms like ingénierie pédagogique (instructional design), ingénierie de la formation (curriculum design), and ingénierie de la certification (accreditation) are often used interchangeably. This conflation is especially common in discussions about instructional design, where responsibilities often spill over into curriculum or certification design. While this sort of slippage occurs a bit in English (often we might call someone an instructional designer when there are plenty of different specializations within the field), but I find it’s much worse here in France.

However, these terms represent distinct areas of expertise in higher education, each with its own purpose and challenges. In this post, I’ll clarify the differences between these roles and how you can learn to do all three if you so choose (since in France, you will likely be asked to do all three even if they are very different…)!

1. Ingénierie Pédagogique (Instructional Design)

What it is:

Ingénierie pédagogique focuses on designing the teaching and learning experience for a specific course or module. This involves creating lesson plans, developing eLearning content, designing assessments, and integrating technology to engage learners.

Note: I hate the term in French. It’s quite literally illegal, given that the professional title “ingénieur” is legally reserved for those who have studied at an engineering school, which simply isn’t the case for the grand majority of instructional designers in this country (though it happens — I know an amazing instructional designer who originally studied to be an engineer!). In addition to the “ingénieur” noun, the adjective “pédagogique” is also misplaced in my opinion. As anyone who has worked in corporate instructional design will tell you, it is important to differentiate between pedagogy (for children) and andragogy (for adults). The French conflation of the two is often a source of annoyance for me!

Responsibilities:

• Developing instructional materials and activities.
• Incorporating technology, such as Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Designing assessments aligned with learning outcomes.
• Ensuring that content is learner-centered and accessible.

Higher Education vs. Corporate Context:

As I’ve hinted earlier on in this post (and written in earlier blog posts), in higher education, instructional designers often support faculty by organizing content, advising on pedagogy, and ensuring compliance with institutional standards. They also often manage the LMS (Learning Management Systems). The focus is on supporting academic goals, often within existing frameworks.

In corporate training, instructional designers wear multiple hats, managing everything from content creation to evaluation. They focus on creating efficient, targeted learning experiences that address skill gaps and are often responsible for rapid content development using tools like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate.

2. Ingénierie de la Formation (Curriculum Design)

What it is:

Ingénierie de la formation deals with designing and structuring entire programs or curricula, often across multiple courses. This includes defining program-level objectives, sequencing content, and ensuring coherence across the curriculum.

It isn’t often explicitly stated, but it really helps to either be a subject-matter expert or have the help of a subject-matter expert when engaging in curriculum design. Often in higher education contexts, those asked to do this task are department heads, namely subject-matter experts.

Responsibilities:

• Defining program-level learning outcomes.
• Structuring courses and modules into a logical sequence.
• Ensuring alignment with institutional or accreditation requirements.
• Coordinating input from various stakeholders, including faculty and instructional designers.

Context in Higher Education:

Unlike instructional design, ingénierie de la formation is almost exclusively a higher education function. It involves designing degree programs or specialized training paths, often requiring input from academic councils, faculty, and accreditation bodies. It ensures that curricula meet academic standards while preparing students for professional success.

In corporate training, this level of programmatic design rarely exists, as most training is focused on standalone skills or competencies, delivered in shorter bursts rather than a cohesive curriculum.

3. Ingénierie de la Certification (Certification Design)

What it is:

Ingénierie de la certification focuses on designing the frameworks for certifying knowledge, skills, or competencies. This often involves aligning certifications with national or professional standards, such as the RNCP (Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles) in France.

Responsibilities:

• Defining certification criteria and objectives.
• Designing assessments to validate learner competencies.
• Aligning certifications with regulatory or industry standards.
• Managing documentation and administrative requirements for approval.

Context in Higher Education:

This role is critical in French higher education, specifically in vocational schools (organismes de formation) where certifications must align with strict national frameworks. For example, RNCP-level certifications require detailed documentation of learning outcomes, assessment methods, and alignment with professional competencies.

RNCP (longer training that prepares you to enter a specific career path) or RS (shorter trainings that help you obtain a single skill that could be useful in a specific field) certifications hold true in vocational schools as well as in corporate settings, typically certifying specific job-related skills and are less formalized than in higher education. For instance, I just saw the other day that my local wine store has an RNCP-certified program to teach you to become a wine specialist!

I learned about ingénierie de la certification through an RS certification myself, Référent Qualité through Lafayette Associés. Through this short training program, I learned how to write the three essential pieces of a dossier to obtain an RNCP or RS certification through France Compétences: the note d’opportunité, the référentiel de compétences, and the note qualité.

Conclusion: Clarity in Roles Enhances Educational Outcomes

Understanding the differences between ingénierie pédagogique, ingénierie de la formation, and ingénierie de la certification is crucial for anyone working in French higher education. While instructional design in corporate settings has a different focus, in higher education, it is part of a broader ecosystem that includes curriculum and certification design.

Clarifying these distinctions not only helps professionals navigate their roles and respond to the tasks your company gives you (since they will likely give you bits of all three). Whether you’re designing a single course or managing an entire program, knowing where your responsibilities begin and end is key to success. Furthermore, having the right vocabulary can also help you understand your strengths and areas for improvement.

Have you encountered these terms in your work? How do you navigate the overlap between them? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Instructional design can often feel like a complex, time-consuming process, especially when developing engaging and interactive eLearning modules. And this isn’t surprising! Instructional designers have specialized training, often completing vocational school or a specialized MA degree to learn pedagogical and andragogical theories, graphic design, eLearning development on one or more authoring tools, and more. Personally, I spent a year completing my IDOL training on my own time while working a full-time job and still wouldn’t consider myself a master in eLearning development.

At Quest Education Group, we’re designing employability modules for students across our video games and cybersecurity programs, a project I recently presented at inspirED, a pedagogy conference organized by FeedbackFruits in Amsterdam. During my talk, I mentioned an efficient method for streamlining this process: leveraging ChatGPT. Since I’ve been asked about it so much in the week following the conference, I decided to write this blog post about my method!

By creating a structured approach and providing clear prompts, I’ve empowered our career services team (what we’d call SMEs, or subject-matter experts in instructional design jargon) to independently contribute to the development process without requiring in-depth training in pedagogy. Here’s how I did it, broken down step-by-step, and how you can apply these principles to your own projects.

1. Establish a Generalizable Structure

The first step in streamlining instructional design is to create a clear, repeatable structure. For our employability modules, we developed two separate templates/themes for these modules—one for video games and the other for cybersecurity. Every module aims to help students achieve 4 learning outcomes (which we defined before the project was approved), and the language and theme of the modules were chosen to appeal to the students.

As you can see from the two screenshots below, the Gaming Campus version is a retro gaming template, with a little pixelated avatar who directs the learner through the content and knowledge checks; the Guardia Cybersecurity School version uses a “guardian” guide character (fun fact: I generated her using ChatGPT!) to help students reach the learning outcomes.

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The structure of all content within the modules is also generalizable:

• An introduction: Sets the stage and engages the learner with the theme of the module.
• Four main levels: Corresponding to the learning outcomes, each level focuses on a specific skill or concept.
• A conclusion: Summarizes the learning and introduces the summative assessment.
• Progress markers: Provide motivational feedback at key milestones.

This structure ensures consistency across modules while leaving room for customization based on the subject matter. It also simplifies the process for SMEs, who can follow a clear framework without worrying about reinventing the wheel for each module.

2. Prompting Structural Elements

Once the structure was established, the next step was creating prompts that guide SMEs through generating content. These prompts are tailored to produce specific outputs, from level titles to interactive content ideas, and even learner-centric learning outcomes. Here’s how we approached each step:

Naming Levels with Thematic Language

Each module uses a thematic tone to engage learners. For example, gaming language for video game students and “guardian” language for cybersecurity students. The prompt for naming levels asks ChatGPT to craft creative, theme-aligned titles based on the module’s learning outcomes. Especially since the Gaming version is in French while the Guardia version is in English, it was unlikely that a single member of the employability team (native French speakers) or myself (a native English speaker) would be able to be perfectly creative and native-sounding in both languages. ChatGPT sounds native no matter which language, so here is how I simplified this process and automated creativity.

Example Prompt (Gaming Campus):

“I’m working on an eLearning module about employability in French. The title is: Rédiger une lettre de motivation convaincante. The content should appeal to students preparing for careers in the video game industry. Could you provide titles for an introduction, conclusion, and four levels, using corny gaming language in French?”

Rephrasing Learning Outcomes for Engagement

Instead of presenting learning outcomes as dry statements, we reformulate them to be learner-centric, emphasizing what the student will achieve and why it’s important.

Example Prompt:

“Could you translate these learning outcomes into short, active, learner-centric phrases in gamer language, each including an explanation of its importance?”

Writing Introductions and Conclusions

To hook learners, each module begins with a short, engaging introduction and concludes with a motivational recap. For gaming students, we use pixelated avatars with gaming-style language, while cybersecurity students meet their guardian guide.

Example Prompt (Gaming Campus):

“Could you write a three-slide introduction in French, using gaming language, that fits into a Genially module? The introduction should set the stage and include a reference to the video that follows.”

Generating Progress Bar Phrases

Progress markers provide motivation and reinforce learning at regular intervals. These are tied to the completion percentages (10%, 30%, etc.) and reflect what the student has accomplished so far.

Example Prompt (Guardian Theme):

“Could you write short, motivational phrases for progress bar slides at 10%, 30%, 50%, etc., in English with a guardian theme?”

Once all of this structural content was generated, it was very easy for myself or the employability team to copy and paste this new language into the templates I created at the beginning of the project. All of the modules have the same structure not just to simplify the eLearning development, but also so students get used to this kind of online learning, know where to click and what to expect from each new module.

3. Enabling SMEs to Generate Interactive Content

Interactive content is the heart of effective eLearning. Instead of relying solely on instructional designers, SMEs can use ChatGPT to brainstorm and produce interactive activities aligned with learning outcomes. With enough examples and help (and of course with very simple eLearning like this), SMEs can actually play an integral role in designing the learning experience! For example, with the following prompt:

Example Prompt for Interactive Content:

“For the learning outcome ‘Analyze a job posting to identify skills and qualifications,’ could you recommend 4-5 interactive content ideas tailored to beginner learners? Then, provide detailed content for the one I choose.”

The key to success in this approach lies in breaking down the process into manageable steps with clear prompts. SMEs don’t need to be instructional design experts; they simply follow the guide, input relevant information, and refine the outputs. This not only saves time but also ensures that the content is grounded in the SME’s expertise while adhering to pedagogical best practices.

4. Ensure Quality Through Validation

While ChatGPT can produce impressive outputs, human oversight is essential. Once SMEs have completed their drafts, the instructional design team reviews the content for coherence, engagement, and alignment with learning objectives. This collaborative process ensures the final product is both effective and polished.

Conclusion: A Collaborative Approach to Instructional Design

By leveraging ChatGPT, we’ve transformed the way we approach instructional design at Quest Education. The structured process, combined with tailored prompts, empowers SMEs to contribute effectively while maintaining high pedagogical standards. This method not only speeds up content creation but also fosters collaboration and innovation.

A few short tips about my prompts:

1. I chose to prompt in English, even if the output was in French. After much experimentation, I noticed that ChatGPT responds better to my English-language prompts. Perhaps this is because it is my native language, but I think it’s also because its database is likely larger in English and it was programmed and tested primarily by English-speakers.
2. You may not see it in the excerpts I provided in this post, but my prompts are always polite. I’ve noticed that ChatGPT does a much better job when you thank it for doing a good job, and aren’t rude if it doesn’t perform as you expect. It’s like an intern—be gentle!
3. ChatGPT is not yet very good at generating relevant documents or images for these courses. In the one on LinkedIn, I was able to get it to generate example profile pictures of a fictional student, but I haven’t had much luck for generating fictional job ads. Even the Guardian guide required an insane amount of prompting—the system kept sexualizing her, and when I asked for a less sexualized character, it would often just generate a man…

Whether you’re designing modules for employability, technical training, or any other topic, this approach can be adapted to suit your needs. With a clear structure and targeted prompts, you can make instructional design accessible, efficient, and impactful.

How have you used AI tools like ChatGPT to streamline your workflows? Share your insights and tips in the comments!

Instructional design in higher education often focuses on managing the Learning Management System (LMS), organizing course content, and supporting faculty in integrating digital tools into their teaching. This was the case with my first role as Academic Director at SAE Institute Paris, where I wore many hats, from tech support and content organization to managing the department heads and to developing our certification and accreditation strategy. Where our LMS (Canvas at SAE) was concerned, I primarily ensured that educational materials were accessible and functional for students and educators.

Out of all of my hats from SAE, it was the LMS one that was most enticing to ESSEC Business School when they hired me as the Instructional Design Manager. They were looking for someone to manage the former team dedicated to managing their Moodle LMS platform as well as the content-creation team (that created content for MOOCs on Coursera as well as SPOCs delivered internally on Moodle). In my interviews, I spoke about my experience managing Canvas for an entire school as well as how I had flipped the classroom with my team at SAE following the first covid lockdown, creating theoretical video content to be consulted prior to in-person practical course. But when I arrived, I discovered authoring tools — they weren’t widely used at ESSEC at the time, but they had purchased a subscription of Articulate 360 in order to transpose content they had purchased from a supplier. I realized I needed to learn more, and enrolled in IDOL Courses Academy!

Through IDOL, I learned about how different instructional design was in a corporate context. Indeed, corporate instructional designers are tasked with creating targeted, engaging, and efficient eLearning experiences. They often develop courses from scratch, incorporating multimedia elements, interactive activities, and performance-based assessments, tailored to meet specific training needs. While higher ed focuses on maintaining content delivery, corporate instructional design emphasizes creating engaging and practical learning solutions with the help of subject matter specialists (SMEs), often on authoring tools but also through graphic design and in-person training.

At ESSEC and now at Quest Education Group, I truly believe that higher education instructional designers can borrow from corporate best practices enhance the learning experience and better prepare students for the real world. Here’s how.

1. Asynchronous eLearning and Authoring Tools

Corporate Practice:

In the corporate world, asynchronous eLearning modules are often built using authoring tools like Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, and others. These tools allow designers to create interactive, multimedia-rich courses that learners can access at their convenience. This flexibility supports self-paced learning, making it easier for employees to fit training into their schedules.

Application in Higher Education:

While in higher education, flipping the classroom is a regular occurrence using readings, homework assignments, and other asynchronous materials, eLearning development is strangely absent. Indeed, most universities restrict “eLearning” to MOOC-like products — videos and quizzes. Higher education can greatly benefit from the corporate model. Universities can use similar authoring tools (that often have education discounts, like Articulate) to develop engaging online modules that allow students to revisit content, complete interactive exercises, and study at their own pace. Especially for blended and online courses, these tools can enhance the overall learning experience by providing a consistent, scalable solution for course delivery.

2. Job Aids and Supportive Learning Resources

Corporate Practice:

Job aids are essential in corporate training, acting as quick-reference tools that help employees perform tasks more efficiently. These aids can be checklists, infographics, quick-reference cards, or even short instructional videos. The idea is to provide on-the-job support, helping employees apply what they’ve learned directly in their roles.

Application in Higher Education:

In higher education, teachers often create handouts, but I know that when I was teaching, I was always dissatisfied with the look and feel of handouts I created. The corporate idea of job aids can be repurposed as supplementary learning materials. Students often need support outside the classroom, and providing resources like cheat sheets, instructional videos, or quick-reference guides can reinforce key concepts. For example, a lab course might provide a step-by-step checklist to help students complete experiments, mirroring the job aid approach in a real-world setting. Canva is an amazing and easy-to-learn tool that can help teachers at all levels create such content for students!

3. Microlearning for Efficient Knowledge Acquisition

Corporate Practice:

Corporate training often uses microlearning modules—short, focused lessons designed to teach a specific skill or concept. These bite-sized lessons are particularly effective for on-the-job learning, as they allow employees to quickly acquire and apply new knowledge without overwhelming them.

Application in Higher Education:

In higher education, microlearning can be applied to complex subjects by breaking down difficult concepts into smaller, manageable units. These micro-units can be delivered as part of a larger course, allowing students to master each segment before moving on to the next. Indeed, we have just started implementing such an approach at Quest to help students discover the hidden curriculum of employability! Especially when combined with other methods (our microlearning is combined with a project-based approach and virtual, synchronous masterclasses), this approach encourages active learning and helps students retain information more effectively.

Bridging the Gap Between Corporate and Higher Ed Instructional Design

The best practices developed in corporate instructional design are rooted in efficiency, engagement, and practicality—elements that can significantly benefit higher education. By adopting these strategies, universities can create more engaging, learner-centric experiences that not only improve student outcomes but also better prepare them for their future careers.

Ultimately, the goal of education, whether in a corporate setting or a university, is to facilitate learning that sticks. By applying lessons from the corporate sector, higher education institutions can create a richer, more supportive learning environment that meets the needs of modern students.

Have you seen corporate instructional design practices implemented in a higher education setting? What strategies have worked well for you?

Every September, France enters into its annual “rentrée,” a term used to describe the back-to-school (or work/routine) after the summer break. While it signifies the beginning of a new academic year for students and educators alike, the rentrée is much more than a simple return (despite the literal translation of the term). In the context of higher education, it sets the stage for a successful year and requires careful planning, especially on an academic level.

In my new role at Quest Education Group, the rentrée is an operational event and my role was mostly behind-the-scenes. However, as someone who used to be on the front lines at SAE Institute Paris, this new way of preparing the rentrée was exciting in its own way! In this post, I’ll explore the significance of the rentrée in French higher education, what institutions need to prepare for, and how this annual reset creates the foundation for student success.

What is the “Rentrée”?

The rentrée is a deeply ingrained cultural event in France, marked by a return to routine after the summer holidays. In the academic world, the rentrée universitaire signals the start of the new university term. It’s a critical time for administrators, educators, and students to prepare for the upcoming year, and this preparation can make all the difference in starting off on the right foot.

Academic Preparations

The rentrée requires significant academic preparation behind the scenes. Universities and higher education institutions have a myriad of responsibilities to ensure that students are not only welcomed but also set up for success. Here are the key areas of focus:

1. Course Planning and Scheduling

One of the first things to tackle is the finalization of course schedules. Universities often undergo a period of refinement before the rentrée, ensuring that course offerings meet both academic and student needs. Departments must also finalize any updates to the curriculum, introduce new courses, and ensure the alignment of learning outcomes across programs. Back at SAE Institute, my responsibility was at this level, ensuring that all department heads had submitted their course schedules to me in advance, that the courses were programmed into the ERP and thereby visible to students, and that all teachers had contracts. This year at Quest, I was able to entrust this task to the academic teams on the ground and focus on higher level tasks.

2. Faculty Coordination

Faculty members must be prepared to return with detailed lesson plans, assessments, and clear expectations for students. Pre-rentrée meetings are essential to ensure that everyone is on the same page, particularly when it comes to pedagogy and institutional goals for the year. At SAE Institute, I provided training to our external lecturers on everything from how to use our digital tools to how to best conduct their classes from a pedagogical standpoint. At Quest, I’m once again farther from the action, building virtual training materials so that we can harmonize the training we provide across our 6 campuses in Lyon, Paris and Bordeaux.

3. Administrative Support

Administrative teams have their own set of tasks during the rentrée, from managing student registrations to processing financial aid and scheduling orientation programs. This involves not only handling current student issues but also setting up systems that will support students throughout the academic year. Clear communication and coordination are critical!

In France, the administrative is very much linked to the academic, as the work is mostly done by the “pedagogical coordinators” (coordinateurs pédagogiques) or sometimes a dedicated administrative assistant. Ultimately, once the student’s application is finalized and accepted, the admissions officer passes that information to the academic administration who ensures the student is properly enrolled in the ERP and that the student will be able to access everything he/she will need upon arrival.

4. Student Orientation and Support

The rentrée marks the start of the university journey for many students. Providing strong orientation programs is essential for new students to adapt to university life. These programs cover everything from campus resources to academic expectations. It’s also a time to provide support services such as tutoring, mental health resources, and workshops on essential academic skills like time management or note-taking.

At SAE, we had an entire orientation week (semaine d’intégration) where students had focused presentations about the school itself, academics, their specific department, as well as a fun selfie challenge in the city of Paris. At Quest, our rentrée is a bit different. Students get all the presentations, of course, along with goodie bags and help setting up their email addresses and getting access to our platforms, but then they have an entire week dedicated to the industries they will eventually join (semaine d’immersion). This exciting week consists of engaging presentations and workshops conducted by industry professionals. I just love this idea — it’s the perfect way to get students speaking the industry language before embarking on the project-based learning approach that is literally our DNA at Quest!

Setting the Tone for the Year

The rentrée is more than just logistical preparation—it sets the tone for the academic year ahead. A smooth, well-prepared rentrée means that students start their classes with confidence, faculty are well-supported, and the institution as a whole is aligned on its goals. The rentrée also reinforces a sense of community within the university, as students and staff come together after the summer break to kick off the year with a fresh sense of purpose.

Communication is key during the rentrée. Universities must ensure that students receive clear, timely information about everything from class schedules to administrative processes. Emails, online platforms, and orientation sessions all play an important role in keeping students informed. This is a requirement for the Qualiopi certification, for instance, but also just common sense. Just as faculty must be proactive in communicating their expectations and availability to students in the first classes, so must the school administration from day one before the classes even begin.

The rentrée is a pivotal moment for higher education institutions in France. By ensuring that every aspect of the academic, administrative, and technological infrastructures are ready, universities can set up students and faculty for success. With the right preparation, the rentrée creates the foundation for a positive and productive academic year.

What’s your experience with the rentrée in higher education? How do you prepare for the new academic year?

If you’ve ever worked in the French corporate world, you’ve likely encountered the cryptic shorthand of Codir, Comex, Comop, and Copil. These acronyms are part of a specific French management vocabulary that, at first glance, may feel overwhelming. However, once you decode them, they provide a fascinating insight into how French companies organize decision-making and operations.

When I first joined the Codir (Comité de Direction) at Quest Education, I realized the weight of responsibility that comes with it. As a member of the steering committee or C-suite, my role in the Codir is not only to provide strategic input but also to ensure that the operational vision of the company is executed efficiently and I find myself seeing words that start with co- a lot more often. In this post, I’ll walk through these ubiquitous French terms, explaining each one and reflecting on the responsibilities I’ve encountered in my new role.

Understanding Codir, Comex, Comop, and Copil

•Codir (Comité de Direction): Often referred to as the management committee, the Codir is responsible for overseeing the general operations of a company. Basically, the Codir in a group of schools is composed of individuals who have a bird’s eye view of the company and its needs, but who also has an in-depth understanding of the day-to-day operations. My previous role at SAE was mostly operational, but at ESSEC, I had already taken a step up (despite the downgraded title from Directrice pédagogique to Responsable ingénierie pédagogique) and been involved in strategic decisions about the company’s eLearning strategy. Now at Quest, I have a 360 understanding of our academic operations and strategy and my responsibilities therefore vary widely.

•Comex (Comité Exécutif): This is the executive committee, typically made up of the CEO and their direct reports. The Comex often functions as the most senior decision-making body in a company. While the Codir works on more operational aspects, the Comex focuses on higher-level strategic decisions. At ESSEC, there was a Comex and I occasionally found myself in their meetings presenting projects that would be part of the larger strategy of the school. At Quest, we are still small enough that our Codir functions as a Comex — I report to the CEO as do all other members of our Codir.

•Comop (Comité Opérationnel): This is a committee is centered around specific operational tasks or projects. In many ways, it functions as a more hands-on committee responsible for getting things done, ensuring that the daily operations align with the broader strategy set by the Codir and Comex. On the local level at Quest, for instance at the Paris campus where I am located, I frequently collaborate with academic Comop groups when rolling out new initiatives to ensure they’re implemented effectively. The most recent example is with our student evaluation forms, which I have recently centralized and harmonized across all campuses — I met with our local academic Comop groups to ensure they understood the new policy and could implement it properly.

•Copil (Comité de Pilotage): The Copil, or steering committee, oversees large-scale projects or initiatives. This group ensures that the project stays on track and aligns with the company’s broader strategy. At ESSEC, I participated in many a Copil, since my team had to ensure that our projects met deadlines, budgets, and objectives. This committee requires continuous monitoring and communication to ensure alignment with the company’s strategic goals.

My Experience as a Codir Member

While it’s only been 4 months so far, ss part of the Codir, I have been digging deep into local operations in Paris and Lyon (Bordeaux just opened, so they are a blank slate), noting best practices and areas for improvement, and making proposals to harmonize and centralize our operations across sites. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

•Strategic Decision-Making: One of the most critical roles in the Codir is deciding the company’s strategic direction. This means constant discussions about where we’re headed as a company and how we intend to get there. I have made proposals for how we can best improve our digital ecosystem (ERP & LMS) and how we can begin implementing eLearning solutions to reinforce our project-based approach.

•Cross-Department Collaboration: As part of this committee, I regularly work with other department heads, ensuring that our strategies are aligned and that communication flows across all levels. Codir meetings often serve as a platform for solving cross-departmental challenges. One of our biggest projects so far is an entire academic program for all students centered around employability basics. To make this vision a reality, I have been collaborating with our Director of Industry Relations and Employability to create a blended curriculum, composed of eLearning modules, individual coaching sessions, scaffolded and graded real-world assignments, and masterclasses with industry professionals.

•Operational Oversight: It’s not just about making high-level decisions; it’s also about understanding how those decisions will impact day-to-day operations. In this capacity, I’ve been involved in budgeting, resource allocation, and monitoring key performance metrics to ensure we’re on track to meet our goals.One of my biggest projects right now is Qualiopi, the French quality certification. This involves understanding all of our operations and being able to explain it to the auditor when the time comes.

•Long-Term Vision vs. Short-Term Needs: One of the ongoing challenges I’ve experienced in the Codir is balancing the immediate needs of the business with long-term objectives. It’s about navigating between putting out fires and ensuring that we’re laying the foundation for sustained growth. While throughout my needs analysis I had a million ideas for how we can take what Quest is already doing well and improving it, I had to prioritize and propose not only long-term solutions, but some short wins as well.

•Accountability: As a Codir member, you are accountable for the decisions made and the success of the strategies you endorse. This means not only being part of the decision-making process but also taking responsibility for the outcomes.

Final Thoughts

Navigating the “co” language of French business can feel daunting (and to a non-native speaker, downright silly sometimes — so many co’s!!), but once you’re immersed in it, it becomes second nature. Each committee, whether Codir, Comex, Comop, or Copil, plays a vital role in ensuring that the company runs smoothly from top to bottom.

My experience as part of the Codir has been an eye-opener in terms of understanding the complex layers of decision-making and leadership within a company. It’s a challenging yet rewarding role, allowing me to contribute to both the operational and strategic growth of our business.

If you’ve ever wondered how French companies make decisions, these committees are the backbone of corporate governance. Whether you’re stepping into one of these roles for the first time or just looking to understand them better, it’s essential to recognize the unique responsibilities and opportunities each committee offers.

What’s your experience with French corporate structures? Do these acronyms make more sense now?

In the past few weeks, I’ve had a few conversations with some humanities PhDs looking to move to France and with some humanities PhDs in the US who have been changing jobs. This has led me to reflect a bit on the differences between the work cultures in the US and France.

Although I never held a full-time job in the US (while PhD students/candidates are paid by the universities where they study, they are not considered employees for tax purposes, which is its own can of worms…), I worked as a contractor in the US throughout my PhD, had internships prior during my undergraduate studies, and given I am American, I have a basic understanding of how it works. However, since I’ve been living and working in France for the past 6 years now, I’m going to structure this based on realities of working in France and let the reader make the comparison for him or herself.

Types of Contracts

In France, there are permanent contracts (CDI — Contrat à durée indéterminée), temporary contracts (CDD — Contrat à durée déterminée) and then you can also freelance with a statut auto-entrepreneur. Personally, I’ve only had CDIs, but I’ve also had and maintained a statut auto-entrepreneur (freelance status) for my consulting work.

For CDI and CDD, there are mandatory trial periods that the employee must pass in order to benefit from increased job security. During the trial period, your “préavis” or notice period is shorter, both for the employee and the employer. What does this mean in practice? Ultimately, both employee and employer have a short period (typically 3-4 months for “statut cadre” or management-level positions, shorter for CDD or lower-level positions) where they are free to end the contract. For instance, if the employer decides the employee isn’t what was expected, the employer can end the contract; likewise, the employee can decide that the company isn’t what was promised and choose to leave without having to stick around for the post-trial period notice period.

Employer/Employee Protections

Once the trial period is passed, the employee and employer are bound by French laws that ultimately protect both parties. For instance, if the employee quits, there is a mandatory notice period, much longer than in the US. It isn’t “two week’s notice,” but the French préavis is often 3 months long. This can be shortened, of course, if the company and employee agree, but ultimately I’ve found that it protects both parties. If an employee is fired, for instance (unless the employee is fired for faute grave or a particularly bad reason), that employee is paid the full 3 months of the préavis, and the company can also allow the employee not to work during that time. On the other hand, if the employee quits, he/she can request to shorten the préavis, but in this case won’t be paid for time not worked.

Since I’m on the topic of ending contracts, I should mention that there is another way to end a French contract without being fired or quitting: a rupture conventionnelle allows employees and employer to come to a mutual agreement to end their association. This often reduces the time until the employee can leave (to a little over a month, depending on how quickly you complete the paperwork) and can come with a bit of extra money if the employee negotiates well.

Employee Benefits

Once again, I’m not particularly well informed about the benefits available to employees in the US. I suspect they vary widely based on the type of company, sector, state, and more. In France, however, benefits are more standardized. For instance, there is a mandatory 5 week minimum for paid time off and many companies will offer more to distinguish themselves and recruit top talent. My first job had 6 weeks of PTO, but with the odd caveat that taking a Friday counted as two days. My second job had a LOT more vacation, about 8 weeks in total, but much of that time was mandated (3 weeks I was required to take in August along with 1 mandatory week between Christmas and NYE).

All companies are also required to reimburse 50% for public transportation so the employees can come to work, and some reimburse up to 100%. Every job I’ve had has reimbursed just 50%, but my husband had a job that even reimbursed 50% of his gas when he drove to the office! Another mandatory benefit is the mutuelle, a private health insurance that complements the public French health insurance. Companies will offer different private insurances, each of which varies. Sometimes, there are even family plans, where it is free or much cheaper to add your spouse and/or children to your plan.

I wouldn’t be able to write this post without mentioning the quintessential French benefit: tickets restaurant. In my opinion, these restaurant vouchers aren’t the huge deal everyone thinks they are. Essentially, both the employee and the employer contribute part of the face value of the vouchers (today, most aren’t literal vouchers — but are dematerialized and function like normal debit cards). My current job is my first time experiencing these vouchers—I pay 4.75 euros per day and the company pays 6.25, for a total of 11 euros per day that I work that I can spend at restaurants or at grocery stores. Other companies don’t offer anything but a break room with a fridge and microwave (like SAE) or have a company restaurant (like ESSEC did, though the food was awful!) where employees benefit from discounted meals.

There are other benefits as well, like life insurance (prévoyance), stock in the company, bonuses based on company performance (intéressement), and more.

Work Culture

While you’ve probably understood by now that I’m a fan of the benefits available with the French system, there are fundamental differences in the work culture between the two countries that I still fail to appreciate. Perhaps it is just my American mindset, but I am a really hard worker and don’t think I will ever understand the way that many employees in France seem to aim for the strict minimum. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, of course (I’ve met plenty of French people who have excellent work ethics), but many of those people have expressed the same frustrations that I have. One of the reasons I left ESSEC, for instance, was that the mentality was just too drastically different from my own, with many colleagues complaining at the slightest change, refusing to work, and letting other colleagues pick up the slack. I’ve found that in younger companies (like Quest) or smaller companies (like SAE), the work ethic is much better as they need results.

That said, there are other aspects of French work culture that I don’t think I’d be able to do without! The long lunch breaks, the relaxed office culture, the fact that no one is expected to work during holidays (and that it’s even illegal for an employer to ask an employee to work), and more!

Conclusion

Overall, this post is just an overview. There are a lot more specificities than what I can cover in 1000 words, but for someone considering making the move to France, this should be a good start! For others who have moved from the US or other company to France, what are some of the major differences you have experienced? I’d love to hear them!

Job searching can be a challenging journey, but with the right strategies, it can also be a rewarding one. While I had initially intended to stay at ESSEC for at least 5 years, I was very frustrated in my role. I didn’t necessarily intend to do a full-blown job search, but within a few weeks of deciding to leave, I found myself fielding conversations with 3 recruiters, 2 companies that I had some connection with, and 2 companies based on applications alone. After dozens of interviews in the span of a month, I ended up accepting an offer for which I had no interview at all!

Why was my search so easy? Well, here are five key pieces of advice that helped me land my current position:

1. Continually Upskill

In today’s fast-paced world, upskilling is essential. At ESSEC, I was hired for my expertise in higher education and management experience. However, I soon realized that gaining a deeper understanding of instructional design—particularly corporate instructional design—would enhance my effectiveness. Recognizing that the people I managed weren’t necessarily trained in instructional design either, I enrolled in IDOL Academy to gain new skills. My intention was to learn more about tools that were already available to my team and me at ESSEC (Genially and Articulate 360), but it didn’t stop there! I was able to turn this practical knowledge into a strategic goal: diversify the learning materials at ESSEC, branching out from traditional MOOC formats (videos, quizzes, and resources). I also discovered a deep love for Canva!

This strategy ultimately worked wonders at ESSEC, resulting in a presentation at MoodleMoot Global in Barcelona in September 2023, a pedagogy prize for one of the SPOCs we had worked on, and an exciting webinar with FeedbackFruits! That said, this upskilling also made me attractive to other employers — both in higher education and in corporate! Indeed, one of the jobs I interviewed for (but ultimately turned down for my current position) was in one of the few French unicorn tech companies!

2. Consistently Improve Your LinkedIn Profile and Resume

Whether you’re actively looking for a job or not, it’s crucial to keep your LinkedIn profile and resume up to date. This not only showcases your ongoing professional development but also catches the eye of recruiters who may have opportunities that aren’t widely advertised. I had never really followed this advice in the past, only updating my LinkedIn profile when I was looking to make a change. But thanks to my training at IDOL Academy, I was required to update my resume, website/portfolio, and LinkedIn without even intending to change jobs.

Because of this, in March 2024 when I saw that Quest Education Group was experiencing rapid expansion and accepting spontaneous applications, I had a resume all ready and was able to draft the winning cover letter to send straight to the CEO! A week or two later, when I had a few recruiters contact me, I was able to send them that same resume and begin the interview processes immediately. Around the same time, when a former colleague from Crimson Education who had transferred to a subsidiary heard of a role, she thought of me and I was also able to use my fancy IDOL resume!

3. Be Honest, But Smart

At ESSEC, I was not entirely satisfied. While my LinkedIn profile only sang the praises of my employer (as I believe is the best course of action), at networking events, I chose to be honest about my experiences and disappointments. While I was honest, I always remained professional, expressing my dissatisfaction with the academic quality I had discovered at ESSEC and the concrete steps I was taking to address it from my position.

Much to my surprise, most people I expressed these frustrations with completely understood. It seems what goes on in French business schools is no big secret and as a foreigner, I simply wasn’t aware. In fact, one of the first people I confided in about my dissatisfaction is now my new boss, which underscores the value of honest and professional communication.

4. Know What You Want

Understanding what you want from a job is crucial. My interviews at ESSEC were too easy, revealing low expectations and a lack of expertise in my field among the leadership. With very few professional experiences under my belt, I ignored those red flags and assumed the prestigious name would make the job worth my while, but this was not my experience at all. Now, I realize just how important having a good manager is, as well as working for a company with a clear vision that resonates with your own values.

In my interviews, I learned to ask hard questions to my future managers to understand their vision, expertise, and appreciation for my contributions. Sometimes, this led to uncomfortable moments (for instance, a spirited discussion about management styles with one potential manager), but this was ultimately the right approach for me. When I got the call from Quest, I had already sought opinions from colleagues who had experience with this employer and I knew that it was the right place for me!

5. Know Your Value

My final piece of advice is to recognize your worth and don’t be afraid to create opportunities for yourself. Job ads often don’t tell the whole story, and roles can evolve. For instance, at SAE, my role expanded beyond what was initially described, allowing me to grow and take on higher responsibilities. What was originally labeled a “coordinator” role was actually a “manager” role on my contract, but ultimately became a “director” one because I took on budgets, certifications, and curriculum/instructional design in addition to coordinating the academic efforts of the campus. All of this ultimately gave me a 360 understanding of the basic workings of a higher education institution.

Likewise, I didn’t even have a “fiche de poste” at ESSEC! Aside from the LinkedIn ad, there was nothing written down about what I was expected to do. I ultimately had to design my role and responsibilities from the ground up.

This adaptability helped me realize how much I love assessing situations and proposing solutions! My latest job resulted from a spontaneous application to the CEO, where I proposed a new position based on conversations with current employees. And she accepted!

Understanding your value and being proactive can open doors that you didn’t even know existed.

Conclusion

Job searching is more than just finding a new position; it’s about growth, learning, and finding the right fit for your skills and aspirations. I hope my recent experience can help other PhDs (or anyone really!) secure employment that is not only gainful, but also fulfilling!