Developing an Agile Instructional Design Menu of Services: One Size Does Not Fit All - Part 1

Audience Level: 
Intermediate
Session Time Slot(s): 
Institutional Level: 
Higher Ed
Streamed: 
Onsite
Abstract: 

Can a more agile menu of instructional design services engage more faculty? This workshop will help you think through your instructional design services and how to better tailor them to meet faculty at point of need. Participants will also plan for embedding measurable quality standards into their new service offerings.

Extended Abstract: 

Good instructional design services are only effective when they reach faculty. But how can these services be made accessible and engaging to faculty who have not yet asked for support? Understanding why some faculty are familiar to your instructional designers and others never call may lead to a better overall service model that meets more faculty need. 

In this workshop, participants will be asked to describe and reflect on their current menu of instructional design services, design a plan for connecting with faculty who may not yet be clients, and develop course design assistance options that meet faculty at their point of need. Participants will be encouraged to consider developing a balanced menu of instructional design services with a mix of in-depth and just-in-time offerings, services that engage faculty across a spectrum of design and technical skill levels, and course design and development options that can work with various staff sizes and other resources. We will also explore how the impact of other faculty obligations such as teaching load, research, and career development might influence how instructional design services are created and marketed. Participants will be asked to incorporate evidence-based practices and outcomes assessment across the menu of services to ensure that quality standards and continuous improvement remain central to the instructional design process.

While the presenters will share their own experiences developing an instructional design menu of service, most of the workshop will be devoted to interactivity including discussing concepts in small groups, surfacing concerns and challenges, and exploring solutions together. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants can expect to have a plan for engaging new faculty through a more agile instructional design service model, a sketch of achievable components of that service menu, and ideas about how to incorporate measurable quality metrics across their service offerings. Questions will be encouraged throughout.

Our proposed workshop agenda will help participants work toward a comprehensive action plan for a robust and meaningful Menu of Services:

  1. Welcome and introductions
  2. Small group discussion: current state of course design and quality assurance, including feedback loops
  3. Whole group brainstorm: types of support (faculty professional development, programmatic instructional design, departmental [birds of a feather] consultation, tailored [individualized] design assistance, just-in-time course support, customized drop in or appointment-free access, and peer mentoring)
  4. Individual reflection: balanced menu activity with small group share out
  5. Small group discussion: how to create awareness 
  6. Whole group brainstorm: faculty engagement strategies
  7. Small group discussion: incorporating quality assurance in the menu of services
  8. Individual reflection: what does success look like? How do we facilitate continuous improvement?
  9. Whole group discussion: final thoughts and a pledge to next steps.
Conference Session: 
Workshop Session 1
Conference Track: 
Instructional Design
Session Type: 
Workshop
Intended Audience: 
Administrators
Design Thinkers
Faculty
Instructional Support
Training Professionals
Technologists