Practitioners often encounter “stuck” programs, slow progress, or wasted instructional time—frequently due to gaps in instructional design rather than implementation. This workshop, the first in a two-part series, guides participants through a systematic process for analyzing and designing instructional sequences that transform skill acquisition, accelerate learner progress, and prevent common pitfalls such as ineffective programming and misalignment between learner needs and teaching procedures.

Participants will learn to analyze their current programs for alignment, use component-composite analysis to break down complex skills, and sequence instruction for maximum efficiency and learner happiness. Through case examples, interactive activities, and practical tools, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to design robust, flexible, and learner-centered instructional programs. Whether you are new to instructional design or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide a clear roadmap for building durable skills and repertoires that generalize beyond the teaching setting.

This session aligns well with Dr. Drew Bulla's highly regarded webinars on behavior-based instruction and complex learning, and serves as a practical complement for those looking to further their application of instructional design in a clinical setting.

Learning Objectives

1. State at least two common instructional design problems in behavior analytic programming and describe their impact on learner outcomes.
2. Select appropriate instructional targets from a component-composite analysis.
3. Organize features of instruction into those that are critical, variable, or constant.
4. Construct a systematic but flexible instructional map that aligns with learner needs and criterion contexts, ensuring efficient and durable skill acquisition.

About the Presenter

Amy Evans

Amy L. Evans, MEd, BCBA, IBA is a board-certified behavior analyst and instructional designer with over 15 years of experience supporting learners and practitioners across clinical, home, and organizational settings. She holds a master's degree in special education from The Pennsylvania State University (2013) and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno (2009). Amy is the owner and Executive Director of Flex Academics, a comprehensive educational support company serving families all over the US. She is also a consultant with Morningside Teachers' Academy, where she trains and coaches classroom teachers at various international partner sites to implement the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction. Amy also leads Project Blue™, an intensive professional development program for practitioners who want to bring the power of Precision Teaching and instructional design into their tutoring businesses or behavior analytic practices. In her day-to-day, Amy specializes in designing and delivering academic coaching to kids and teens who have historically struggled in school, but her expertise extends to training and systems support for organizations, schools, and individual practitioners. Amy has supported nearly 40 behavior analytic organizations with various projects related to effective instructional design and delivery, efficient practice, and systems for data-driven decision-making. Amy currently lives in Denver, Colorado, but she travels as often as possible (especially to Spain and Portugal) and enjoys running, hiking, chasing waterfalls and searching for the world’s best vegan food.