Katie Beck, Commissioning Editor for Sage Campus, takes us behind the scenes to discover the inner workings of course development. Learn how collaboration, instructor selection, and pedagogy shape cutting-edge online courses that engage learners and stay ahead of the curve. Get an exclusive peek into the dynamic world of educational content creation.
What's the best bit about developing courses for Campus?
At Sage Campus our process is extremely collaborative, and we work closely with instructors and our Sage colleagues in many departments. Everyone is generous with their expertise and keen to share their ideas, and this collaborative way of working encourages me to be more creative in my own work. Our workflow at Campus is also lean and fast-paced which means we’re able to adapt quickly to new developments in the market and ensure our content is as up to date as possible at launch.
How do you find and choose your instructors?
As a Commissioning Editor it’s my responsibility to bring instructors on board to work on our courses. As a commissioning team we use a variety of methods for locating possible instructors – some traditional (e.g., researching recent publications and following up with conference speakers); and some more modern (e.g., checking social media hashtags or contacting people who’ve been active in conversations around emerging topics). We’re also occasionally contacted directly by instructors looking to work with us, and we welcome this direct approach.
The type of instructor I look to commission for each project is unique and will depend on the level of the content and the intended audience. We therefore work with a wide variety of instructors at Campus, from early year researchers to librarians to emeritus professors. I consider a variety of factors when selecting instructors, such as their level of expertise in the field, their writing experience, and how they communicate their ideas for what they’ll bring to the course.
What makes a good instructor?
A great instructor is someone who keeps the audience in mind when they’re writing and is keen to keep the learner as engaged as possible as they work through the course. Some of our instructors are new to writing for online courses, and while we offer a lot of support throughout the process, a key part of being a good Campus instructor is being open to developing these skills and learning new ways of working.
Tell us about a typical day for a Commissioning Editor?
I have to say… there really isn’t a typical day in this job! As a Commissioning Editor for Campus I’m working on multiple courses at once, most of which will be at different stages of development. This means that I start my day with a quick overview of the status of all my projects, and deal with anything pressing that has come in overnight. Then depending on the day, I might be delivering training to a new instructor, doing some focused editing on the latest draft of a course, meeting with Design to brief illustrations, reviewing built courses before publication, or pulling together a curriculum outline for an upcoming course. I work on courses throughout the entire lifecycle of development which gives me a unique level of project oversight and means that my work week is always varied.
How do you work with your Instructional Designer to design the course experience?
Our Instructional Designer (ID) is pivotal to ensuring that courses follow the Campus pedagogy and that there’s a clear learning journey. They act as an invaluable second pair of eyes for Commissioning Editors during course development by giving feedback on drafts and flagging areas where explanations need to dig a little deeper. Our ID also offers their expert opinion on the use of the Campus interactive activity library, and how we can best present content in a way that’s engaging but never distracting for the learner.
Which course are you most excited to be working on right now?
We have lots of exciting new courses in the Campus pipeline, including some excellent courses on data sampling, fact-checking and a beginner’s guide to research ethics all publishing in early 2024. In terms of courses currently in the research phase, I’m particularly excited about our new equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) focused courses. This is a new area for Campus, and we’re working with a fantastic advisory panel to develop our curriculum outlines and identify key areas for exploration.
Sage Campus is created with the learner in mind, empowering you to expand your skillset and prepare for the business world. From mastering foundational principles to honing specialized expertise, our online courses cater to the diverse needs and aspirations of future business leaders.
Start learning today with a 7-day free trial and recommend us to your library for continued access.