ID/ET professionals report that cross-disciplinary skills and dispositions are crucial and under-emphasized in existing competency lists¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · qualitative r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Existing competency lists focus primarily on ID/ET-specific competencies and do not fully represent cross-disciplinary skills and dispositions. → Exter 2026 q2 i? The study's findings place a surprisingly large emphasis on cross-disciplinary skills and dispositions compared to traditional technical and domain-related knowledge. → Exter 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Exter 2026¶

Exter, M., & Ashby, I. (2026). What does it mean to be “career ready”? A study of competencies important for instructional designers and educational technologists. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10727-7

q2 · i? · qualitative · r3

The article's introduction reviews existing professional competency sets (IBSTPI, ISTE, AECT, ISPI, ATD) and states that “Most of these models do not incorporate a full list of cross-disciplinary skills and include few to no dispositions.”

"Most of these models do not incorporate a full list of cross-disciplinary skills and include few to no dispositions. Those that do incorporate them may not represent their full breadth, granularity, and contextual expression."

Exter 2026 (2)¶

Exter, M., & Ashby, I. (2026). What does it mean to be “career ready”? A study of competencies important for instructional designers and educational technologists. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10727-7

q2 · i? · qualitative · r3

The abstract reports that knowledge and skills aligned with the literature, but “the cross-disciplinary and dispositions sections revealed findings” of particular value, indicating these areas received notable emphasis in the study's results.

"While the knowledge and skills identified aligned well with the current literature in the area, the cross-disciplinary and dispositions sections revealed findings that will help program directors and designers, faculty, employers, and current and future graduates."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Competency emphases vary by role and context: IDs focus on ID models, curriculum design, and content creation, while ETs focus on technology evaluation, integration, and support — related
• Interpersonal skills, including communication, active listening, and gaining buy-in, are heavily emphasized by ID/ET professionals — related
• Stakeholders worry administrative and managerial skills have been de-emphasized despite instructional leadership being a clear focus — related
• POG frameworks most frequently emphasize communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and perseverance/adaptability among their competencies — related
• Dispositions such as positivity, lifelong learning orientation, and persistence are reported as essential for ID/ET practice — related
• Communication skills are consistently ranked the most important competencies yet underemphasized in professional preparation — a narrower finding that bears on this claim