Instructional designer

Instructional designers develop instructional material for training courses using multimedia technology and authoring tools. They aim to create instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skills more efficient, effective, and appealing.

The following job titles also refer to instructional designer:

instructional developer
instructional engineer
designer of corporate training
instructional designers
instructional design professional
corporate training designer
practitioner of instructional course design
instructional design specialist
instructional course designer
training course designer
designer of training courses
designer of instructional courses
training designer
instructional course design practitioner
learning process designer
instructional systems designer

Master’s degree is generally required to work as instructional designer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Instructional designer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to instructional designer.

ICT trainer
e-learning developer
e-learning architect
web content manager
technical communicator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of instructional designer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of instructional designer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of instructional designer.

Cognitive psychology: The human mental processes such as attention, memory, language use, perception, problem solving, creativity and thinking.
Web programming: The programming paradigm that is based on combining markup (which adds context and structure to text) and other web programming code, such as AJAX, javascript and PHP, in order to carry out appropriate actions and visualise the content.
Learning management systems: The e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.
Task algorithmisation: The techniques to convert unstructured descriptions of a process into step-by-step sequence of actions of a finite number of steps.
Authoring software: The software that provides pre-programmed elements which allow the development of interactive multimedia applications in order to edit, structure and lay out content intended for publication.
Publishing strategy: The methods, rules, media and tools of publishing content from content management systems in single sources or cross media.
Standards for web-based e-learning: The standards and specifications used for web-based e-learning, such as Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), which define communications between client side content and a host system supported by a learning management system.
Instructional design models: The guidelines or strategies for designing and developing instructions to ensure learners achieve the intended learning outcomes.
Content development processes: The specialised techniques used to design, write, compile, edit and organise digital content, such as text, graphics and videos for publishing purposes.

These skills are necessary for the role of instructional designer.

Use markup languages: Utilise computer languages that are syntactically distinguishable from the text to add annotations to a document, specify layout and process types of documents such as HTML.
Translate requirement concepts into content: Develop digital content by following given requirements and guidelines.
Identify customer requirements: Apply techniques and tools, such as surveys, questionnaires, ICT applications, for eliciting, defining, analysing, documenting and maintaining user requirements from system, service or product.
Teach writing: Teach basic or advanced writing principles to varying age groups in a fixed eduction organisation setting or by running private writing workshops.
Conduct content quality assurance: Carry out validation of content by reviewing it according to formal and functional quality, usability and applicable standards.
Translate requirement concepts into visual design: Develop visual design from given specifications and requirements, based on the analysis of the scope and target audience. Create a visual representation of ideas such as logos, website graphics, digital games and layouts.
Apply tools for content development: Use specialised content development tools such as content and terminology management systems, translation memory systems, language checker and editors to generate, compile and transform content according to specified standards.
Create scorm packages: Develop educational packages for e-learning platforms using the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) standard.
Design web-based courses: Create web-based training and instruction courses using dynamic and static online tools to deliver learning outcomes to the audience of the course. Web tools used here can include streaming video and audio, live internet broadcasts, information portals, chatrooms and bulletin boards.
Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
Identify training needs: Analyse the training problems and identify the training requirements of an organisation or individuals, so as to provide them with instruction tailored to their prior mastery, profile, means and problem.
Apply teaching strategies: Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
Use scripting programming: Utilise specialised ICT tools to create computer code that is interpreted by the corresponding run-time environments in order to extend applications and automate common computer operations. Use programming languages which support this method such as Unix Shell scripts, JavaScript, Python and Ruby.
Proofread text: Read a text thoroughly, search for, review and correct errors to ensure content is valid for publishing.
Conduct educational activities: Plan, perform and supervise educational activities for a variety of audiences, such as for school children, university students, specialist groups, or members of the public.
Compile content: Retrieve, select and organise content from specific sources, according to the requirements of the output media such as printed materials, online applications, platforms, websites and video.
Manage content metadata: Apply content management methods and procedures to define and use metadata concepts, such as the data of creation, in order to describe, organise and archive content such as documents, video and audio files, applications and images.
Manage content development projects: Plan and implement the creation, delivery and management of digital or printed content, develop a system that describes the entire editorial content development and publishing process and use ICT tools to support the process.
Develop digital educational materials: Create resources and instructional materials (e-learning, educational video and audio material, educational prezi) using digital technologies to transfer insight and awareness in order to improve learners’ expertise.
Provide written content: Communicate information in written form via digital or print media according to the needs of the target group. Structure the content according to specifications and standards. Apply grammar and spelling rules.
Create script for artistic production: Develop a script describing the scenes, actions, equipment, content and realisation means for a play, film or broadcast.
Structure information: Organise information using systematic methods such as mental models and according to given standards in order to facilitate user information processing and understanding with respect to the specific requirements and characteristics of the output media.
Apply ict terminology: Use specific ICT terms and vocabulary in a systematic and consistent manner for documentation and communication purposes.
Identify ict user needs: Determine the needs and requirements of ICT users of a specific system by applying analytical methods, such as target group analysis.
Provide multimedia content: Develop multimedia materials such as screen shots, graphics, slide shows, animations and videos to be used as content integrated in a broader informational context.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of instructional designer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Wiziq: The computer program WizIQ is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.
Engrade: The computer program Engrade is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.
Javascript: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in JavaScript.
Schoology: The computer program Schoology is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.
Lams: The computer program LAMS is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs. It is developed by the LAMS Foundation.
Brightspace (learning management systems): The computer program Brightspace is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs. It is developed by the software company D2L Corporation.
Litmos: The computer program Litmos is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs. It is developed by the software company CallidusCloud.
Sakai: The computer program Sakai is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs. It is developed by the software company Apereo.
Ajax: The techniques and principles of software development, such as analysis, algorithms, coding, testing and compiling of programming paradigms in AJAX.
Moodle: The computer program Moodle is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.
Taleo: The computer program Taleo is a e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of instructional designer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Keep up to date with subject knowledge: Gather the latest information on the know-how which is related to the subject of the training process.
Perform ict troubleshooting: Identify problems with servers, desktops, printers, networks, and remote access, and perform actions which solve the problems.
Develop creative ideas: Developing new artistic concepts and creative ideas.
Give live presentation: Deliver a speech or talk in which a new product, service, idea, or piece of work is demonstrated and explained to an audience.
Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.
Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.

2359 – Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified

 

 

---

 

 

References

1. Instructional designer – ESCO