Instructional Design

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. The process follows a prescribed framework of analysis of learning goals, planning of teaching strategies and development of instructional activities and assessments that align with program/course learning outcomes and best facilitate effective learning.

CTT offers instructional design service in developing engaging courses to meet the needs of students in face-to-face, hybrid, and online learning environments.

  • Instructional Design

    “Instructional Desing is the process by which learning products and experiences are designed, developed, and delivered. These learning products include online courses, instructional manuals, video tutorials, learning simulations, etc. The terms instructional design, instructional technology, learning experience (LX) design, curriculum design, and instructional systems design (ISD), are sometimes used interchangeably.”(Source: Instructional Desing Central)

    ID model
    Source: ADDIE Instructional Design Model

    Backward design is a method of designing learning experiences by setting goals before choosing instructional methods and assessments. It’s called backward because it starts with the end (i.e. objectives) in mind and works backward from there. The backward design process occurs in three phases:

    • Identify the desired results/objectives.
    • Determine which assessments will allow students to properly demonstrate that they can meet those objectives.
    • Design activities that will help students successfully complete the assessments and thus meet the learning objectives of the course.

    ID model
    Source: Design Your Online Course

    Alignment means that critical course elements work together to ensure that students meet the desired learning outcomes. Alignment refers to the direct link between the learning objectives, the assessments and measurements, and course content (including instructional materials, course activities and learner interaction, and course technology). Under the principle of alignment, course content is driven by and support the learning objectives.

    ID model
    Source: Alignment in Course Design

    Instructional designers at CTT assist faculty in developing effective, high-quality course design, integrating technology, and addressing key pedagogical considerations to enhance instructional experiences that promote efficient and impactful student learning. The Instructional Design team at Center for Teaching with Technology offers a variety of services to faculty, including:

    • Integrating the latest technologies into the curriculum
    • Utilizing tools and features available in Blackboard Ultra
    • Applying effective teaching strategies for in-person, hybrid, and online modalities
    • Employing quality standards to develop online courses
    • Refining learning objectives, assessments, and activities
    • Conducting quality reviews and revisions of developed courses
    • Creating assessment strategies to measure student learning effectively
    • Incorporating active learning techniques to enhance student engagement
    • Ensuring accessibility of all course materials

    Schedule an appointment with your preferred instructional designer through this link:
    Set Up an Appointment

  • Quality Assurance Program

    The Quality Assurance (QA) Program is designed to support faculty engaged in the development and deployment of online or hybrid courses. Through this program, faculty receive training in strategies and tools to enhance existing online courses to align with Quality Matters standards. The QA program comprises two main components: two days of rigorous training followed by personalized reviews of redesigned course shells conducted by certified Instructional Designers affiliated with Quality Matters.

    ID model

    The Quality Assurance program at William Paterson University comprises two key elements: Workshops and Individual Consultation. Workshop participants are prompted to collaborate on their course development initiatives with an instructional designer, culminating in an internal quality review of the developed online or hybrid courses.

    QAC model
    Workshop

    AlignmentCourse Template
    Individual Consultation

    The Quality Assurance program offers a variety of the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tools for faculty members. Faculty can either work on by themselves or work with an instructional designer.

    QAC Tools
    Register for QAC program

    The following courses have been designed to meet or exceed the ONline Course Quality Standards as recognized by Quality MathersTM (QM).

    Course Faculty Course Designer Year Recognized
    ENG3010: English Literature Through the Neoclassical Matthew Kendrick 2022
    KNES2300: Tests and Measurement Jason Wicke 2022
    PSY1100: General Psychology - Honors Section Nei Kressel 2021
    ENG2310: Introduction to Creative Writing Matha Witt 2021

    Register for QAC program

  • Blackboard Course Template

    The course template is optional for you to use. You can customize, modify, or remove any aspects of the template so that it better suits your teaching. Using the template, you can get started and to provide some basic information to help you support your students.

    QAC model

    The template includes:

    • A Start Here page for you to provide information on getting started with the course.
    • A page about you where you can introduce yourself and provide your contact information.
    • A weekly module structure to organize your materials and assessments.
    • Links to offices that can help to support your students, such as the University Writing Center and the University Libraries.

    Coming soon

    A member of the CTT staff add you to the Quality Assured Course Template in order to copy the template into your Blackboard course.

    • Submit your request to be added to the CTT template by opening a ticket from the web helpdesk.
    • A CTT staff member will get back to you with instructions for copying the template into your Ultra Course View course or shell.

    Request the Course Template

  • Teaching Online

    Online learning is not simply adding materials and content in the learning management system or giving lectures in synchronous meetings. In fact, this approach simply tries to replicate the face-to-face model of teaching and learning and it does not lead to any changes or educational benefits within an online context. Instead, innovative learning should rely on effective pedagogies to be more productive and enjoyable to all learners. Here are some digital pedagogies to consider as you plan to teach online.

    This workshop is designed to help and guide you through essential steps for delivering high quality online experiences for teaching and learning. Whether new to online teaching or a veteran of online instruction, this course has something for everyone.

    Self-enroll to the Online Teaching Toolkit

    This workshop is for the first-time online instructors. The goal of the Online Pedagogy Institute is to provide a two-week participatory workshop covering online pedagogy and educational strategies for those who will be teaching online for the first time. By participating in the Online Pedagogy, faculty will actively exchange and apply information and ideas concerning online course delivery and pedagogy. The result will be a better designed and more effective online course – one that is more enjoyable for both you and your students.

    Schedule

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    Register for Online Pedagogy Institute

    By Andrew Salcido and Jessica Cole

    One of the most common questions an Instructional Designer is faced with is, “How can I enhance the student experience in my online course?” Often times, instructors wish to replicate the activities they do in face-to-face courses in the online environment but are not sure where to begin. One recommendation is to consult an instructional designer.

    We also strongly encourage instructors to participate in the Master Class for Teaching Online, an online workshop designed to facilitate peer sharing of strategies for teaching online. The workshop is facilitated by a team of instructional designers and touches on several best practices. The graphic presented here lists seven best practices for teaching online. Incorporating these best practices will help ensure that you and your students stay engaged and have a positive experience.

    schedule

  • Small Changes for Online and Hybrid Courses

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