Inside the iSpring Course Creation Contest 2026: How Instructional Designers Are Shaping the Future of eLearning
7 minutes
What do the best course creators focus on today? How do they use storytelling, technology, and instructional design principles to create learning experiences that stand out?
The iSpring Course Creation Contest 2026 gave us a chance to look at these questions through hundreds of original course submissions from creators around the world. Participants experimented with different formats, shared their ideas, and demonstrated how the field of eLearning continues to evolve.
In this article, we’ll look at the highlights of the contest, hear from the participants who took part, and review the eLearning trends revealed by this year’s course submissions.
A Global Challenge for Course Creators
The iSpring Course Creation Contest has become an annual opportunity for course creators around the world to challenge themselves, learn from industry experts, and showcase their work.
The 2026 contest ran from March to June and attracted participants from 103 countries. The numbers highlight the scale of this year’s event:
- 1,500+ participants
- 145 submitted courses
- 20 winners across award categories
Participants could submit courses in two formats: slide-based courses and scrollable courses. Each format had its own winners, with awards recognizing different aspects of course creation, including storytelling, gamification, visual design, the use of AI in learning, business learning cases, and the effective use of iSpring Suite features.
Participants could submit one course in each category, giving them the opportunity to compete in both tracks and increase their chances of being recognized.
The contest accepted courses in English, German, French, and Italian. Following the success of previous years, iSpring also hosted a dedicated Spanish-language contest in 2026. For multilingual course creators, this opened the door to participating in both competitions and reaching even more members of the global eLearning community. Learn more about the Spanish contest here.
A Learning Experience Beyond the Competition
While the contest included awards and recognition, its purpose went beyond selecting the best courses. It was designed as a professional development experience where participants could learn, experiment, and improve their instructional design skills.
After registering, participants received access to:
- An instructional design learning path in iSpring Learn with materials on course methodology and working with iSpring Suite
- iSpring Suite Max access for 3.5 months
- Open contest sessions with industry professionals and access to recordings
- The iSpring Learning Exchange community for networking and knowledge sharing
- A Miro board where participants could connect with peers and exchange feedback on their courses
For beginners entering the instructional design field, the contest provided a structured opportunity to practice course creation, gain confidence, and build a portfolio project. For experienced professionals, it offered a chance to showcase their expertise, try new approaches, and support the community as mentors.
Expert Feedback From Leading eLearning Professionals
One of the biggest advantages of participating in the Course Creation Contest is the opportunity to learn directly from experienced professionals in the instructional design community.
This year, participants received feedback from a panel of 12 internationally recognized eLearning experts, including Cara North, Heidi Kirby, Robin Sargent, David Kelly, James Gilchrist, Alinnette Casiano, Tom McDowall, Julie Dirksen, Tim Slade, Melissa Milloway, Luke Hobson, and Christy Tucker. Their expertise helped ensure that every submission was evaluated not only for creativity but also for sound instructional design principles and real-world learning impact.
Participants were also supported by 10 mentors — winners of previous iSpring contests who returned to share practical advice, answer questions, and encourage participants throughout the competition. Their journey reflects one of the contest’s biggest strengths: it doesn’t just recognize talented course creators — it helps them grow into active contributors to the instructional design community.
That growth is reflected in the stories of past participants. Julian Brunke, Diana Păun, and Foteini Sofouri all returned to the contest as mentors after winning previous editions of the contest, helping new participants develop their ideas and refine their courses. Rebecca J. Mills also used the contest to showcase her instructional design expertise, strengthen her portfolio, and continue growing professionally.
Their stories show that the value of the competition extends well beyond the final results. Participants leave with a portfolio-worthy project, expert feedback, valuable industry connections, and opportunities to continue contributing to the global instructional design community.
What Participants Say About the Experience
Beyond the numbers and achievements, the impact of the Course Creation Contest can be seen through the experiences of the people who took part. Participants shared how the contest helped them develop new skills, receive valuable feedback, and connect with the global eLearning community.
Congratulations to all the participants and winners, and a huge thank you to the iSpring team and the judges for recognizing my course. This contest is going to be the highlight of my 2026. I’m almost certain nothing else will top it this year, unless work suddenly becomes wildly exciting!
I am truly grateful for the learning experience facilitated by this contest, from the guidance on course creation to the community that was built around it. The expert feedback was also really valuable for me. It made me realize some of my blind spots, especially in enhancing the visuals and graphics for my courses.
Thank you so much for the feedback from the judges on my nominated course. I’m HONORED and shocked!! Truly grateful to receive such an exciting award, especially as someone just breaking into the field. I can’t wait to take the feedback and improve the course further.
I am proud that my course is addressing a real business problem, and that it is smooth with a role play to try out the concepts in the end. Honestly, I have learnt a lot during the contest time, from the knowledge base and my peers as well. Many thanks for this opportunity!
The Miro board is great! I’ve received some really good constructive feedback on my course from other participants.
Well-structured and covers all the aspects of effective learning.
Clear explanations and a well-covered topic.
The overview provided the details I need to guide my planning.
Fantastic experience.
What the 2026 Contest Revealed About eLearning Trends
Each edition of the Course Creation Contest provides a snapshot of how instructional design is evolving. The 2026 submissions demonstrated that modern course creators are increasingly focused on combining technology with human-centered learning.
Among the strongest patterns were courses designed around real learner needs, relevant workplace challenges, engaging storytelling, thoughtful visual design, and formats that support flexible learning experiences. Participants also showed growing awareness of cognitive load, behavior change, and the importance of creating courses with clear learning and business outcomes.
These observations reflect a broader shift in eLearning: successful courses go beyond presenting information. They create meaningful experiences that help learners apply knowledge in real situations.
You can explore the full list of nine instructional design trends identified from this year’s submissions in the iSpring Learning Exchange community on LinkedIn.
Building the Future of Digital Learning Together
The iSpring Course Creation Contest 2026 showcased the creativity and expertise of instructional designers from around the world.
From newcomers building their first professional projects to experienced creators sharing their knowledge, participants demonstrated how digital learning continues to evolve through experimentation, collaboration, and a focus on learners.
As the field of instructional design grows, initiatives like the Course Creation Contest help professionals connect, exchange ideas, and shape the future of eLearning together.
Ready to challenge your course creation skills? Follow the iSpring Course Creation Contest page to learn about future competitions and be the first to know when registration opens. You can also explore iSpring Suite to experiment with interactive courses, quizzes, and engaging learning experiences before the next contest begins.
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