Melissa Kingon, Instructional Design Coordinator (IDC) for Sage Campus, takes us into the world of course design and development. Learn how she leverages her teaching background, collaboration with others, and Instructional Design principles to shape excellent online courses that are engaging and effective. Gain exclusive insight into the ever-changing realm of educational content development.
What lessons did you learn in your teaching career that are relevant to your role in Instructional Design?
Early in my career, I realized that teaching is so much more than PowerPoint presentations and worksheets – it is a significant experience that I had the power to make or break. The curriculum in the textbook is one element that is needed in teaching, but it was up to me to make that content come alive. Similarly, Instructional Design is about taking high-quality content and presenting it in a way that ensures learners will have the best learning experience possible. The way a course feels, how easy a course is to navigate, and how the content is organized and structured all play a part in the overall learning experience. After researching Instructional Design, I realized that I had been implementing these theories and principles in my teaching all along. Although I’ve had a career change, there is a part of me that has known and deeply understood this field for a long time.
How do you approach course design?
Firstly, I take note of the Learning Objectives presented at the beginning of a course or module. Once I have reviewed the course content, I loop back and double check that the content achieves what the Learning Objectives claim. I ensure that the content is clear, organized and structured logically to support a smooth journey throughout the course. Additionally, I think of creative ways to present the content through different interactive activities and multimedia to maintain leaner attention and assist with the transfer of knowledge and skills. It is a delicate balance to achieve active participation in online courses, while being mindful to not include interaction merely for the sake of it. I also make sure that low-risk knowledge checks are scattered throughout the course to allow learners to apply their knowledge and enable them to gauge their progress. We also strive for inclusivity and accessibility, which underpins this entire process and informs many of our decisions in the course design process.
What’s the best bit about developing courses for Campus?
Collaborating with highly competent team members and vendors makes the process an absolute dream. Everyone loves and stands by this product, which means that working towards the common goal of creating excellent learning experiences comes naturally. It is amazing working with passionate people who do not settle for mediocrity, but instead strive for excellence.
What does a typical day for an IDC look like?
The “Coordination” aspect of my job means that I do a fair bit of scheduling and liaising with various people, over and above any Instructional Design work. A typical day would involve me ensuring that our course builds are on track and making any necessary adjustments to the schedule. This involves communication with Editors as well as our external Instructional Designer who builds our courses. I also review content at the storyboard stage and suggest different types of activities, interactives, and knowledge checks that would work well with the content. Collaborating with the UX team to ensure accessibility is another piece of the puzzle. Once the course has been built, I review and test it to make sure that the experience is smooth, effective and engaging, and communicate any necessary changes with our external Instructional Designer. When our courses are ready, I will prepare the site and complete final checks to ensure a smooth launch.
How do you work with other team members to design the course experience?
I work closely with the Editors during the storyboard phase and suggest appropriate ways to present content. The way that content is presented plays a critical role in a learner’s initial understanding, as well as their ability to recall that knowledge in the future. The Editors and I collaborate with the goal of turning content into usable knowledge. I also engage the expertise of the UX team to make our content accessible. It is important for everyone to have the same learning experience and not feel singled out for any diverse needs they may have.
Which course/project are you most excited to be working on right now?
Sage Campus is currently undergoing a design refresh ahead of the launch of our Collection 2 courses. It is exciting to have a major influence on how Collection 2 will look and feel. Alongside that, it has been a thrill to start incorporating these new features and ideas into the storyboards together with the Editors.
What are 5 things that you would recommend other instructional designers do during the course design process?
Firstly, put yourself in the learner’s shoes. This involves setting your pride aside! Get serious about how you’re experiencing this from the learner’s point of view. If you’re bored, so are they. If it’s confusing you, it’s confusing them.
Secondly, keep going back to the learning objectives or goals and make sure your content is aligned with that. Don’t include any unnecessary content, as it can be overwhelming and distracting.
Thirdly, use a variety of interactive activities and media to maintain the leaner’s attention. It is one thing to capture attention, and another thing entirely to maintain it.
Next, reduce cognitive load by thinking of creative ways to present information. Chunking is vital for online courses, but other elements play a part, too, such as the color palette. The best way to reduce cognitive load is to strive for simplicity.
Finally, make sure that your content is accessible and inclusive. It is important that whoever engages with your content feels seen, but not singled out.
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