Book excerpt: An ideal textbook for instructional designers in training, Real World Instructional Design emphasizes the collaborative, iterative nature of instructional design. Positing instructional design as a process of simultaneous rather than sequential tasks with learner-centered outcomes, this volume engages with the essential building blocks of systematically designed instruction: learner needs and characteristics, goals and objectives, instructional activities, assessments, and formative evaluations. Key features include a Designer’s Toolkit that includes tips and approaches that practitioners use in their work; vignettes and narrative case studies that illustrate the complexities and iterative nature of instructional design; and forms, templates, and questionnaires to support students in applying the chapter content. With updated examples, this streamlined second edition presents a timeless approach to instructional design.