Profession 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.

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Personality Type

• Social / Artistic
• Social / Investigative

Knowledge

• 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.

• 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.

• Publishing strategy

  The methods, rules, media and tools of publishing content from content management systems in single sources or cross media.

• 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.

• Task algorithmisation

  The techniques to convert unstructured descriptions of a process into step-by-step sequence of actions of a finite number of steps.

• 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.

• Learning management systems

  The e-learning platform for creating, administrating, arranging, reporting and delivering e-learning education courses or training programs.

• Cognitive psychology

  The human mental processes such as attention, memory, language use, perception, problem solving, creativity and thinking.

Skills

• 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 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.

• 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.

• 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 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.

• 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.

• Apply ICT terminology

  Use specific ICT terms and vocabulary in a systematic and consistent manner for documentation and communication purposes.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Conduct content quality assurance

  Carry out validation of content by reviewing it according to formal and functional quality, usability and applicable standards.

• Create script for artistic production

  Develop a script describing the scenes, actions, equipment, content and realisation means for a play, film or broadcast.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Proofread text

  Read a text thoroughly, search for, review and correct errors to ensure content is valid for publishing.

• Create SCORM packages

  Develop educational packages for e-learning platforms using the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) standard.

• 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 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.

• 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.

• Teach writing

  Teach basic or advanced writing principles to varying age groups in a fixed eduction organisation setting or by running private writing workshops.

• Translate requirement concepts into content

  Develop digital content by following given requirements and guidelines.

• 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.

• 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.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB