UCO: Why is the Demand for Instructional Designers so High?
Our member, University of Cincinnati Online (UCO), recently wrote a blog post on Industrial Design and Technology (IDT) and their new Master’s degree in IDT.
Here is a short excerpt from the blog post:
“University of Cincinnati Online’s master’s in instructional design degree focuses on the design, creation, use and evaluation of high-quality instruction materials, with a focus on technology. We designed the 100% online M.Ed IDT for working adults who need a flexible program so they can attend virtual classes wherever and whenever they want — in the evenings, on the weekends or over their work lunch breaks.
In our program, you’ll learn how to create high-quality instruction for numerous industries and enjoy learning from professors who are experts in the areas of design, evaluation and the use of media and technology. (To say our professors enjoy instructional design is almost an understatement!)
You’ll work through 30 credit hours of courses expertly developed for immediate real-world application as an instructional designer, such as:
Multimedia Studio – This course covers the essential skills and techniques needed to create powerful multimedia products. You’ll learn fundamental design principles and explore a range of innovative technologies to generate new solutions for visual communication and multimedia representation. You’ll enjoy a dynamic interactive design space where you collaborate with fellow students, gain hands-on experience and exchange constructive feedback.
Universal Design for Learning – In this course, you’ll get an overview of how fundamental principles are used to design online and blended learning experiences that meet the needs of diverse learners, including those who are accelerated and those who are struggling, for whatever reason.
User Experience Questionnaires – In this course, you’ll learn how to create and distribute online questionnaires, how to analyse results using descriptive statistics and how to report these findings to your organisation.
At the end of our master’s degree study program in its “capstone” course, you’ll get the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you gained in the design and development of an instructional design project. Examples include:
Improving Online Instruction Using One-to-One Evaluations
Using Heuristic Evaluation to Improve the Design of a Canvas Lesson
Using One-to-One Evaluation to Revise a Mobile App Prototype”