What Is Instructional Design?

Instructional Design is the creation of "instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skills more efficient, effective, and appealing" (Merrill, Drake, Lacy, Pratt (1996)). It is a systematic process by which instruction and learning experiences are created and refined through the analysis of learning needs and development of effective and efficient learning experiences.

How can an Instructional Designer help?

With a focus on teaching and learning, our instructional designers consult with faculty and staff to offer resources and support in the design, development, and implementation of learning solutions.

Instructional designers can assist with:

  • Course Design and Development for Traditional, Hybrid, Online Synchronous, and Online Asynchronous Modalities
  • Course Mapping
  • Alignment of SLOs, Learning Objectives, Assessments, and Learning Activities
  • Assessment Strategies
  • Course Content Presentation
  • Locating and Creating Media to Support Learning
  • Student Engagement and Active Learning
  • Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning
  • Visual Design and Usability