Senior Lead Instructional Designer, Prototyping

Company: Western Governors University
Location: Salt Lake City
Posted on: January 25, 2023

Job Description:

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

.Current WGU employees must submit an internal application before1/28/2023 to be considered.In conjunction with other stakeholders, the senior instructional designer manages the course development process and evaluates curricular materials (e.g., courses, technologies, modules) based on quality rubrics, providing expertise on the instructional effectiveness of learning resources. This individual works closely with stakeholders, researching and incorporating proven learning strategies and quality practices into the curriculum of each degree program. In addition, the senior instructional designer collaborates with stakeholders to develop course competencies and objectives. This position is responsible for the success of several simultaneous projects, assessing risk, reporting progress, and communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders to promote collaboration and accountability.Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Manage the course development process for new, redeveloped, and enhanced courses.
• Ensure academic and quality standards as well as WGU's vision and mission are reflected in all aspects of the student experience.
• Ensure course learning material, student engagement strategies, formative assessments, practice activities, and feedback such as knowledge checks result in student attainment of skills, proficiencies and competencies.
• Seek and implement alternative and innovative student engagement and learning modalities.
• Application of learner-centered design to design and development of contextually rich, engaging, and objective-driven courses that focus on applicable real-world/workplace skills.
• Design and create high-impact learning experiences for online, CBE, and individually paced learning.
• Creation of learning through all stages of production from ideation to scripting and storyboarding, to production
• Identify learning resources, manage and assist in the design and development of curricular materials, and map learning resources to course or program objectives and competencies in collaboration with university partners.
• Develop and revise curricular materials, including competency statements, learning objectives, and other relevant documentation.
• Review learning resources and assessments to ensure proper alignment to the intended objectives and facilitate agreement for necessary changes.
• Collaborate with assessment portfolio specialist in designing and implementing the assessment traverse design and collaborate with assessment developers on the creation of formative experiences/assessments.
• Collaborate with the program owner and assessment developer to ensure alignment of curriculum and assessments.
• Ensure course development is completed on time and within budget and meets standards of quality.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews on courses and implement revisions.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:
  • Thorough understanding of curriculum development, instructional design, and assessment for learning (formative assessment)
  • Experience with implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • Demonstrated ability to design and create high impact pedagogy for online, CBE, individually paced learning.
  • Shepherding ideas from ideation to production and contributing to the creation process.
  • Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies, solve emergent problems, and share learnings and suggestions with a team to come to a quick, value-driven solutions.
  • Thorough understanding of project management, needs assessment, and risk management.
  • Advanced technical writing and editing skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects at different stages while meeting deadlines and quality standards.
  • Ability to work independently, under minimal supervision.
  • Advanced critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis skills
  • Advanced skills in planning, organizing, and self-management.
  • Ability to facilitate collaboration, support, and approval from a variety of stakeholders.
  • Problem Solving Skills: Investigates appropriate resources and involves partners when appropriate; future-oriented; assesses what will help/hinder achieving goals; focuses on what is important.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Deals with others in a considerate, respectful, and unbiased manner; approaches conflict proactively; solicits and shares feedback openly; listens with empathy and maintains composure.
  • Accuracy: Draws on information garnered from careful cultivation of a broad knowledge of WGU's goals and processes; investigates beyond assumptions.
  • Adaptability: Course corrects behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.
  • Reliability: Accountable to others; does what it takes to get the job done; actions are consistent with words; follows through on commitments; exhibits exceptional integrity.
  • Attitude: Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth; self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others; asserts self appropriately to champion ideas; tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.
  • Initiative: Self-directs with a strong bias for action; leads the way in improvement of performance or processes; displays keen interest in students and organization.Competencies: Organizational or Student Impact:
    • Accountable for decisions that impact the college or program cluster.
    • Leads complex college/cluster initiatives to improve Key Results.
    • Is a go-to person at the college/cluster level; is well networked in the college and (perhaps) in the university & nationally.
    • May actively contribute to initiatives at the university level.Problem Solving & Decision Making:
      • Resolves problems that require broad-based consideration of variables at the program/course level.
      • Implements and supports the creation of new educational methodologies at the college level.
      • Supports implementation and assessment of processes that reflect learning outcome achievement indicators at the college and cluster level.
      • Works with minimal supervision and operates collaboratively with management in developing goals and objectives at the college level.Communication & Influence:
        • Communicates with students if/as appropriate to the teaching practice area.
        • Communicates and collaborates with fellow faculty members within and across discipline practice and college.
        • This individual contributes to scholarly presentations and publications within content areas and disciplines.
        • Attends professional conferences and association meetings focused on the faculty member's discipline or practice area(s) and engaged in discourse with fellow attendees.
        • Shares ideas for new and revised curriculum, learning resources, and assessments with content area and discipline leadership.Leadership & Talent Management
          • A college leader and a source of advice, mentoring, and counsel across the college /cluster.
          • An innovative thought leader in discipline or practice with college-level impact with measurable results.
          • Innovates to ensure coverage within and between teams, enabling teams to meet field or practice service level agreements.
          • Leads and promotes exceptional change management.Job Qualifications:Minimum Qualifications:
            • Terminal degree and all applicable licenses or certifications.
            • 5+ years of relevant professional leadership experience.
              • This role will serve as a demonstrated subject matter expert in job-relevant content or practice area.
              • 2+ years designing, implementing, and leading strategic projects with data-informed decision-making and measurable, successful impact.
              • 2+ years contributing to the management of P&L budget.Department Specific Minimum Qualifications:
                • Master's degree in instructional design, educational technology, comparable degree or bachelor's degree with related areas of relevant work experience in instructional design, learning sciences, and educational technology.
                • Three or more years of online university course design experience or curriculum development
                • Experience in online learning technologies and pedagogies
                • Experience with graphic design and multimedia content creation
                • Experience with adaptive technologies (VR, mobile, etc.)Preferred Qualifications:
                  • Teaching experience
                  • Experience selecting, adapting, and using OER to support learning outcomes.Physical Requirements:
                    • Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
                    • Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.Disclaimer: This Job Description has been designed to indicate the general nature, essential duties, and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It does not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications that are required of the employee to do this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. This Job Description does not constitute a contract of employment and the University may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.#LI-TG1#LI-Remote
                      As an equal opportunity employer, WGU recognizes that our strength lies in our people. We are committed to diversity.

Keywords: Western Governors University, Salt Lake City , Senior Lead Instructional Designer, Prototyping, Other , Salt Lake City, Utah