Section 6 of your textbook focuses on how to get a job in the profession of instructional design. These rules can also apply to educational technology as well since the two are so intertwined.
- Chapter 24 takes a look at lessons learned from the chapter's author for obtaining a position in instructional design. Take a look at a few of the sources provided for job openings from lesson 1 and search for at least 3 positions that are of interest to you. Describe the general nature of the positions and list the skills required for the job. Do you have these skills?
1. Instruction Designer (e-learning) Developer, Harrison College, Indianapolis, IN (Remote) (http://education.indiana.edu/Default.aspx?TabId=10529)
This position is involved with the college’s curriculum team. Responsibilities include:
o designing, creating, and developing online courses;
o analyzing and updating existing courses;
o collaborating on curriculum design;
o assisting faculty in designing effective interactive course materials
Skills required include:
o Experience using Photoshop, PowerPoint, Captivate, Adobe Premiere Pro, or other similar software;
o Masters degree in instructional design or other related discipline;
o 2-5 years experience designing highly interactive classroom and online courses.
o Excellent editing skills.
o Solid communication skills (written and verbal).
o Solid project management experience.
o Knowledge of visual and media design principles and practices, computer-based multimedia technologies and creative, effective writing.
o The usual: ability to maintain positive attitude, meet deadlines and budgets, work both independently and as part of a team.
I do not have all of the required skills listed. I have minimal experience with Photoshop (I basically know enough to be dangerous.). I have never heard of Captivate and have never worked with Adobe PremierePro. I also have no experience with animation software. I lack experience in designing interactive online courses; some of my students might say I do not create interactive classroom courses either, although I try. My experience in project management is not recent and was focused more on event coordination. Finally, my knowledge of visual and media design practices is minimal and also not recent. But apart from those things, I’m a great fit! When do I start?
2. Learning and Development Manager, Estee Lauder Companies, Melville, NY (http://jobs.astd.org/jobs#/detail/3789521)
This position works with several different departments (learning and development team , SMEs, Human Resources and business leaders) within the company, as well as with vendors (if I understand what they mean by “business leaders”). Responsibilities include:
o Apply knowledge of instructional design and adult learning theory to the strategy, design, and delivery methods of learning programs of exempt and non-exempt audiences.
o Understand functional, team and role specific learning requirements
o Design and develop instructor led, self study, and online instructional content that effectively engages the learner.
o Develop instructional plan/design document for review and approval
o Write instructional content and assessments
o Conduct learning needs assessments, identify learning solutions and present to business partners for approval
o Deliver and/or facilitate learning to exempt and non-exempt audiences
o Update and maintain learning programs to ensure continued effectiveness
o Administer training metrics, program evaluation, ROI and tracking training programs
Requirements for this position include:
o Minimum 5 years experience;
o Excellent interpersonal skills including oral and written skills;
o Demonstrated instructional design and development experience;
o Experience using group facilitation skills;
o Proficiency in MS Office;
o Demonstrated learning process and content mastery;
o Certificate in Adult Learning and/or Instructional Design preferred.
I don’t have the required 5 years experience (although they didn’t really say what they want 5 years experience in). I believe my teaching experience would provide transferrable skills that I could use in this position, but I think I would need to teach longer before taking on a position of this sort. My instructional design and development experience needs to grow more.
3. Head of Learning & Effectiveness Experience, Travelers Insurance, York, PA. (http://www.jobtarget.com/c/job.cfm?vnet=0&str=26&keywords=instructional%20design&max=25&site_id=2637&jb=7309602)
This mid-level management position is part of the Claim University senior leadership team and handles live training and events experience for Claim University participants. Responsibilities include:
o Developing team talent;
o Selecting instructors who are competent in both subject area and adult learning (theory and practice);
o Ensuring that instructors are cross-trained in multiple specialties (e.g., Property, Auto, Workers Compensation, General Liability, or Systems, or Leadership);
o Securing adjunct faculty;
o Event coordination;
o Developing facility management policy/procedures; and
o Meeting budgets and deadlines.
Requirements for this position include:
o College degree or equivalent.
o Typically 10+ years increasingly responsible professional experience.
o Demonstrated management experience of staff or major program/ function.
o Professional training credentials preferred.
o Property Casualty insurance knowledge and experience desirable.
o Demonstrated expertise through career/business development.
o Comprehensive understanding and background of business needs.
o Effective presentation and communication skills.
o Strong influencing and collaboration skills.
o Ability to build and maintain strong relationships.
o Exhibits flexibility and self awareness.
o Applies critical thinking.
I don’t have the required number of years experience. I also have no experience with property casualty insurance. While I do have experience with event coordination, it is not recent and was not extensive to start with.
- Remember that the field of instructional/educational technology is not just focused on education, but on business and industry as well. Look at the resources provided on page 258 in chapter 25 and select one of these links and complete the self assessment. What did you learn about yourself from the assessment?
I used the ASTD assessment and learned that my strongest area appears to be in delivering training. I guess this is good since I’m a teacher, huh? My weakest area is in designing learning, but it’s not too bad. Based on my results, I think that if the time ever comes when I decide to leave the K-12 classroom and pursue a career in instructional design, my teaching experience will have given me many skills that will transfer to my new career field. I also think that it would probably be best if that change didn’t happen very soon; the more experience I can get, the better off I will be.
- Chapter 26 lists several websites for professional organizations and websites for professional publications. Visit 2-3 websites for professional organizations and 2-3 websites for the professional publications and address the following:
- Professional organization #1: Association for Educational Communications and Technology
- Mission: The mission of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology is to provide international leadership by promoting scholarship and best practices in the creation, use, and management of technologies for effective teaching and learning in a wide range of settings.
- Cost of membership: $125.00 – Regular Membership (comes with all Member Benefits, including discounts on publications, a one-year subscription to TechTrends For Leaders in Education and Training, and other member-only benefits.
- Publications: Educational Technology Research and Development, Tech Trends, Instructional Science
- Conferences and meetings: 2011 AECT International Convention: Celebrate 3.0: Design.Learn.Community, November 8-12, 2011, Jacksonville, Florida
- Opportunities for professional development: None specifically listed on website
o Professional organization #2: American Educational Research Association
- Mission: The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
- Cost of membership: Regular Membership: Eligibility requires satisfactory evidence of active interest in educational research as well as professional training to at least the master's degree level or equivalent. $150/calendar-year.
- Publications: Educational Researcher, various books available in online store.
- Conferences and meetings: 2011 Annual Meeting, Friday: "Inciting the Social Imagination: Education Research for the Public Good", April 8 –12, 2011, New Orleans, LA; Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
- Opportunities for professional development: Annual meetings, Brown Lecture, Special Interest Groups, research studies
- Professional publication #1:
- Focus/Goals of the journal: AJDE is the internationally recognized journal of research and scholarship in the field of American distance education established with the mission of disseminating information about research and scholarship in the Americas.
- Submission guidelines: articles about methods and techniques of teaching at a distance, about learning, and about management and administration but also encourages authors to write about policies, theories, and values that drive distance education. Articles should be based on research, although all methods and approaches to research are welcome. Authors are advised to ensure that their work is appropriately grounded in a review of existing literature. Submissions are accepted with the understanding that they will be subject to review and editorial revision and that they neither have been nor will be published elsewhere. The Chicago Manual of Style, fifteenth edition, should be used as the guide for manuscript style, especially for quotations, references, reference lists, punctuation, style, and grammar. If the manual is not available, authors should study previous issues of AJDE. Manuscripts should be submitted electronically by e-mail as an attachment in Word format. The length should not exceed three to four thousand words, including captions, bylines, notes, and references.
- Is this a peer reviewed journal?: Yes
- Is the journal online?: Yes, subscription only
- Professional publication #2: CITE Journal (Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education)
- Focus/Goals of the journal
- Submission guidelines
- Is this a peer reviewed journal?: Yes
- Is the journal online? : Yes
- How is the journal and organization useful to you and your career? Were you aware of the organizations/journals that you researched?
The professional organizations can provide training and professional development, as well as networking contacts. Journals can provide information about best practices, new and emerging issues, strategies, current and ongoing research. I was not aware of the specific organizations or publications that I researched for this assignment, but having previously worked for a nonprofit, I was not surprised to learn that so many exist.
The journals and organizations are good for networking contacts. I think the conferences the organizations provide would also be good for networking.
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