What does an Instructional Designer do?

Instructional Designers are Teaching and Learning Consultants. They are experienced with the methodologies of effective teaching in a wide range of modalities (one-on-one, small group, large group, self-paced, online synchronous, online asynchronous), in methods of assessment, and in current research on teaching practices that successfully engage the learner and help them retain information and develop a deeper understanding. Instructional Designers are also comfortable with a variety of instructional technologies used to teach online.

An instructional designer (ID) is often NOT a subject matter expert (SME), though it can be helpful if the ID has a degree in the same field or a related discipline. The ID works collaboratively with the SME (the instructor) to design a course, and it is not possible to do this work without input from the SME. Only the subject matter expert can determine whether the content is of high quality, and whether it is at the appropriate level (neither too basic, nor too difficult given the students’ prior knowledge). The content is either developed or selected by the SME, and the ID then works with the SME to build the course after determining the Learning Objectives.

 

The quality of a course can be thought of as having three elements: 1) the content, 2) the design, 3) the delivery. An instructional designer focuses on the second and third elements, and relies on the subject matter expert to assess the appropriateness and quality of the content. The design of the course includes the location and clarity of instructions, the point structure used to assign grades, and due dates of assignments, the layout and organization of information, the order of presentation, the use of ADA compliant (accessible) materials, and the use of informative graphics and media elements to aid understanding. The delivery includes the methods of instruction, including methods of engagement with the students, and the kinds of assessment used.

One of the most important jobs of the ID is to ensure that the Learning Outcomes or Objectives are specifically defined, and are aligned with the Assessments. For example, in a Biology course, an instructor might state that one of the learning objectives is that students be able to describe, in the correct sequence, the major steps that occur during the process of photosynthesis. The ID would then want to know what prior knowledge students typically have (possibly identified in a pre-course assessment, or from topics covered earlier in this course or in required prerequisites), where and how this concept is taught in the course, and where and by what method the learner is assessed, in order to determine whether the objective is unmet, partially met or fully met.

The Instructional Designer will be aware of best practices and when to apply a variety of pedagogical approaches (lecture, discussion/analysis of a reading or video, hands-on activity, simulation or case study, group project, performance or presentation, research or opinion essay) and tools or techniques that might help with engagement or learning (backward design, flipped classroom, badging, rubrics, gamification, polling, peer evaluation, etc). The ID will be aware of assessment methods that foster academic honesty, and promote higher order thinking skills. The ID will also be skilled in the use of Blackboard Learn and other academic technologies, and can help you make the best use of the products, and can guide instructors on the effective use of the tools.