Instructional design is the process of bringing together evidence-based teaching practices and educational technologies to develop engaging, interactive, and inclusive learning experiences for students. Instructional designers and instructional technologists work in partnership with instructors, programs, and department leadership to find creative solutions in response to the diverse needs of learners in face-to-face, blended, or online learning environments.
What is Instructional Design?
How Can Instructional Designers Help?
Instructional designers work in collaboration with you to help you create high quality learning experiences that meet curricular goals and accessibility standards. We partner with you to support the entire process of developing and revising your course. We also connect you with resources, including instructional technologists, to determine the best way to join pedagogy and technology to meet your goals.
DESIGN
As designers, we work closely with you to identify the instructional needs of your students to recommend appropriate design solutions for your online course that leverage existing and emerging technologies available at Rutgers. Additionally, we help instructors and departments develop outcomes-based assessment strategies that monitor achievement of course and curriculum level objectives.
MANAGE
As project managers, we help you follow a project plan from inception to completion to ensure the development or re-design of your online course is ready for launch in a timely manner. At the departmental level, we collaborate to identify realistic milestones for curriculum and online course development projects.
COLLABORATE
As collaborators, you can count on us to help you tackle instructional challenges at every stage of the online course development or re-design process as well as once the course is in session. We also serve as a sounding board for ideas to continually help improve your course as your comfort with the online environment increases.
Our Process
We start by getting to know you, your teaching context and student audience, and what makes you excited about what you teach. Our process is guided by your needs, and the first step is determining your course goals.
From there, we’ll help you develop a plan to map out your course’s learning objectives, which will serve as the focal point for the design of the course. Our team has developed a variety of tools for course design and development that will facilitate the process. Based on your availability and the expected course launch date, we’ll develop a timeline for building your content and materials. Ideally, we work at least one semester in advance to ensure we have ample time to brainstorm, build, and revise.
As we go, we’ll advise on assessment strategies, consult on the best use of technology to support student engagement and interaction, and help ensure that your course aligns with quality and accessibility standards.
Once your course launches, we’ll continue to be a resource to you. Reach out to us for problem-solving advice as you deliver your course throughout the semester, or to evaluate and revise once the course concludes.
