INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN OVERVIEW

FACULTY TESTIMONIALS

The fact that the majority of our work together has been accomplished at a distance, and that I can state unequivocally that he is an ideal colleague, speaks volumes to his astonishing level of expertise and creativity. In my view, Thomas Sweeney is as good at his job as it’s possible to be: he is technologically expert, totally collegial, and amazingly timely. Equally important is his ability to move adroitly from understanding the computational issues involved in any such scenario to communicating clearly, directly, and comprehensibly to those whose issue he’s solving, whether that be an individual, a small group, or the entire assembled faculty. -Dr. John Cipora, Concentration Coordinator, Early Childhood Education

I worked with Thomas in the development and execution of our new course management system, Angel. Thomas helped me to design my courses and introduced me to sources on the web I had not considered using which added depth and quality to my online classes. As a result of Thomas’s help, I am significantly more advanced in my course development and I often mentor other online educators. Working with Thomas is easy; he is well informed and shares knowledge freely. He provides information in an easy manner without the difficulty many tech people find in sharing information with true novices. I turn to him frequently with questions and he is always willing to help me if I get into any issues. -Dr. Sandra Coyne-Westerkam, Campus Director for the MBA Program, Bay Path College

THOMAS F. SWEENEY, JR.

Master of Education in Educational Technology, Instructional Design Concentration, M.Ed.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Minor in Communications, B.A.

Westfield State University, Westfield, MA

Associate of Arts in Visual Arts, A.A.

Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA

Massachusetts Educator Licensure

Instructional Technology All Levels
Art/Visual Art 5-12

Instructional Design Resources

Backwards Design

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ID Competencies (ibstpi)

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ID Standards (ibstpi)

ADDIE Model

Bloom's Taxonomy

Universal Design

OSCQR Course Design Review

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QM Higher Ed Standards Rubric

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QM K-12 Standards Rubric

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Music Demo

Instructional Design Mission & Goals:

When you go to the hardware store to buy a drill, you don’t actually want a drill, you want a hole. They don’t sell holes at the hardware store, but they do sell drills, which are the technology used to make holes. We must not lose sight that technology for the most part is just a tool” -Dr. Geoffrey H. Fletcher

Instructional Design supports the development and growth of online and blended learning by providing pedagogical and design support to faculty. We provide visual design in the development of course content, course layout and UI. We assist with planning and coordinating the delivery of course materials; collaborate and consult with subject matter experts/faculty to ensure courses are suited to the online learner and meet presentation and instructional design standards. We work closely with faculty to embed outcomes assessment methods into instruction including the use of Blackboard Outcomes using instructional design principles. We partner with faculty to evaluate, select and implement emerging and current learning technologies, digital content and instructional delivery methods for possible inclusion in the curriculum. We also provide training and documentation on Blackboard and a variety of other technologies used to facilitate learning.

Goals:

Create interesting, engaging and visually appealing online courses with a consistent layout and sequencing that make it easy for students to navigate and locate pertinent resources and activities.
Design and develop engaging course materials utilizing appropriate formats and technologies that are compatible with Blackboard as well as across multiple computer platforms and mobile devices.
Develop a training program that puts pedagogy and content above push button instruction.

What Do Instructional Designers Do?

Education is a constantly evolving process. As new innovations and findings occur, educational materials need to be revised and adapted to accommodate these changes. However, it is not as simple as revising a textbook or adding in the new information to a course. The entire learning process often needs to be reshaped, so individuals are able to digest and retain the material in an effective manner. This is where the instructional designer’s role comes into play. Instructional designers are paramount in the process of learning. They are tasked with redesigning courses, developing entire courses or curriculums and creating training materials, such as teaching manuals and student guides. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) defines the responsibilities of instructional designers as “the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.” Essentially, instructional designers implement theory and research processes to design and implement learning materials that produce greater outcomes for a specific group of people.

Visual Design, Layout and Sequencing
Content Developer- Develop instructional materials
Activities- Develop learning activities
Assessments

Professional Foundations

Communicate effectively in visual, oral and written form.
Apply current research and theory to the practice of instructional design.
Update and improve one’s knowledge, skills and attitudes pertaining to instructional design and related fields.
Apply fundamental research skills to instructional design projects.
Identify and resolve ethical and legal implications of design in the workplace.

Planning and Analysis

Conduct a needs assessment.
Design a curriculum or program.
Select and use a variety of techniques for determining instructional content.
Identify and describe target population characteristics.
Analyze the characteristics of the environment.
Analyze the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and their use in an instructional environment.
Reflect upon the elements of a situation before finalizing design solutions and strategies.

Design and Development

Select, modify, or create a design and development model appropriate for a given project.
Select and use a variety of techniques to define and sequence the instructional content and strategies.
Select or modify existing instructional materials.
Develop instructional materials.
Design instruction that reflects an understanding of the diversity of learners and groups of learners.
Evaluate and assess instruction and its impact.

Implementation and Management

Plan and manage instructional design projects.
Promote collaboration, partnerships and relationships among the participants in a design project.
Apply business skills to managing instructional design.
Design instructional management systems.
Provide for the effective implementation of instructional products and programs.

Instructional Design Mission & Goals:

When you go to the hardware store to buy a drill, you don’t actually want a drill, you want a hole. They don’t sell holes at the hardware store, but they do sell drills, which are the technology used to make holes. We must not lose sight that technology for the most part is just a tool” -Dr. Geoffrey H. Fletcher

Instructional Design supports the development and growth of online and blended learning by providing pedagogical and design support to faculty. We provide visual design in the development of course content, course layout and UI. We assist with planning and coordinating the delivery of course materials; collaborate and consult with subject matter experts/faculty to ensure courses are suited to the online learner and meet presentation and instructional design standards. We work closely with faculty to embed outcomes assessment methods into instruction including the use of Blackboard Outcomes using instructional design principles. We partner with faculty to evaluate, select and implement emerging and current learning technologies, digital content and instructional delivery methods for possible inclusion in the curriculum. We also provide training and documentation on Blackboard and a variety of other technologies used to facilitate learning.

Goals:

Create interesting, engaging and visually appealing online courses with a consistent layout and sequencing that make it easy for students to navigate and locate pertinent resources and activities.
Design and develop engaging course materials utilizing appropriate formats and technologies that are compatible with Blackboard as well as across multiple computer platforms and mobile devices.
Develop a training program that puts pedagogy and content above push button instruction.

What Do Instructional Designers Do?

Education is a constantly evolving process. As new innovations and findings occur, educational materials need to be revised and adapted to accommodate these changes. However, it is not as simple as revising a textbook or adding in the new information to a course. The entire learning process often needs to be reshaped, so individuals are able to digest and retain the material in an effective manner. This is where the instructional designer’s role comes into play. Instructional designers are paramount in the process of learning. They are tasked with redesigning courses, developing entire courses or curriculums and creating training materials, such as teaching manuals and student guides. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) defines the responsibilities of instructional designers as “the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.” Essentially, instructional designers implement theory and research processes to design and implement learning materials that produce greater outcomes for a specific group of people.

Visual Design, Layout and Sequencing
Content Developer- Develop instructional materials
Activities- Develop learning activities
Assessments

Professional Foundations

Communicate effectively in visual, oral and written form.
Apply current research and theory to the practice of instructional design.
Update and improve one’s knowledge, skills and attitudes pertaining to instructional design and related fields.
Apply fundamental research skills to instructional design projects.
Identify and resolve ethical and legal implications of design in the workplace.

Planning and Analysis

Conduct a needs assessment.
Design a curriculum or program.
Select and use a variety of techniques for determining instructional content.
Identify and describe target population characteristics.
Analyze the characteristics of the environment.
Analyze the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and their use in an instructional environment.
Reflect upon the elements of a situation before finalizing design solutions and strategies.

Design and Development

Select, modify, or create a design and development model appropriate for a given project.
Select and use a variety of techniques to define and sequence the instructional content and strategies.
Select or modify existing instructional materials.
Develop instructional materials.
Design instruction that reflects an understanding of the diversity of learners and groups of learners.
Evaluate and assess instruction and its impact.

Implementation and Management

Plan and manage instructional design projects.
Promote collaboration, partnerships and relationships among the participants in a design project.
Apply business skills to managing instructional design.
Design instructional management systems.
Provide for the effective implementation of instructional products and programs.