Introducing Incandescent ID!

Welcome to the Light!

    The purpose of instructional design is to combine adult learning theories with sound design practices and psychological principles to increase the learning efficacy and success rates for training and development programs. The most successful development programs analyze learner needs and target the training to meet the learners where they are.
    Incandescent ID is a state of mind, existing to shed light on those areas of training and development that don't receive enough attention or consideration. How can we meet learners where they are if light isn't shown in those dark recesses where their needs aren't being met?
    My name is Gaea McTíre, working towards an EdD in Instructional Design and Technology at Idaho State University. While the majority of my doctorate program is higher education oriented, Spring 2026 is a venture into Instructional Technology for Human Resources Development (HRD). Learning how one can benefit from Personal Learning Networks (PLN) is a key factor in the curriculum. One way to grow one's PLN is through exploring educational blogs. And one way to increase one's knowledge of educational blogs is to blog. Ergo, the birth of Incandescent ID. 
    I live at a crossroads of sorts. I work in corporate America and have become an expert in communicating with the public online. All of my training experience as both a participant and as a facilitator/trainer has been online in virtual and self-guided training environments. However, I also have ADHD, which presents specific challenges regarding online learning. My learning needs were not being met and when trained to be a facilitator, meeting the needs of neurodivergent learners was not taught. I decided to earn degrees in Adult Education and Training and Development specifically to help bridge those gaps.
    So what will this place be? Not only am I becoming an Instructional Designer, I also have a unique outlook on life. I am the Senior Druid of Columbia Grove, ADF, which is a Druid Grove in the Columbia-Willamette region of Oregon and Washington. Druidry is an Earth-based spiritual path that is very tied into the environment and natural world that surrounds us. Understanding how we all intertwine—Nature, Community, and Psyches—allows me to support both the educational and spiritual needs of my community. So not only will this blog be about how we can grow as learners, but also how we can grow as spiritual beings. Because learning from the Wisdom of the Grove will help us all reach our highest potential.

Comments

  1. Maureen WJanuary 25, 2026 at 9:41 PM

    Hi, Gaea! I'm excited to hear more about your viewpoints on education, learning, and growth. I'm curious: In what ways do you feel like online education has been a poor fit for you? I also have an ADHD diagnosis, so I'm wondering if we share similar experiences. I look forward to seeing how your blog evolves!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gaea McTíreJanuary 29, 2026 at 8:25 PM

      Hey Maureen! I didn't say that online education has been a poor fit. I've been doing nothing BUT online education for over 5 years now. And my training experiences at work have been nothing but online for my entire 14 year career at my workplace. I've become an expert in online learning on both ends of the spectrum. What I meant when I said that my learning needs were not being met is that no one ever took the time to learn how I learn best and what I needed to flourish. I had to conform to the neurotypical world. Since no one took my needs into account, and I wasn't being taught about how to be neuro-inclusive, I figured I'd just take it upon myself to become an expert in neuro-inclusive online learning.

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