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The SUNY Campus-Based ID Model

The Role of the Online Instructional Designer (ID)

The fulcrum of the SUNY Online Teaching course design process is our use of the online instructional designer, not as a collaborator in the design of the course, nor in a clerical or tech support capacity, but as a guide to the faculty in the online course design and faculty development process whose key role is pedagogical in nature – to ask questions and listen, and  to assist and support faculty to refine and challenge their thinking, assumptions, and understanding about how to best achieve their instructional and learning goals.

The development of the campus-based ID model grew out a combination of reasons that included being faced limited resources in 1994 (as the program began), rapidly expanding faculty development needs, and a desire to operationalize, scale, and institutionalize sustainable processes to ensure consistent quality and results in online course designs, and in effectively prepared online faculty. A comprehensive large-scale faculty development process resulted. Building a locally available campus resource facilitates campus ownership and investment in the program and makes access for faculty convenient. Campus-based IDs were historically trained by Open SUNY (formerly SLN) and were considered members of the extended instructional design team. (For additional history see  SLN Faculty Development Program – history and SLN Course Design Process – history).

The “ID” in our model is primarily an expert in online pedagogy, effective practices, and in online instructional design and  teaching and learning. Their role is to assist online faculty to design effective and engaging online teaching learning environments, and to become effective, engaging, and efficient online instructors. They assist faculty to understand how to present content online in an engaging and accessible learner-centered manner, how to effectively facilitate online interaction and collaboration, and how to provide effective and efficient online feedback and authentic online assessments. While they are adept in the use of learning management systems and instructional technologies, in their work with online faculty they focus on research-based online effective practices, and how to best achieve the individual instructional objectives instructors have for their online courses. This involves helping faculty to reconceptualize how they will achieve their course learning objectives given the options and limitations of the online environment.

start>>All SUNY online IDs are provided with the given an orientation to the program and trained in our technology and the Open SUNY faculty development and course design process. and have opportunities to observe courses, complete an online orientation, participate in course design reviews, review and familiarize themselves with our guidelines, tips, recommendations and our course developer handbook. They are also encouraged to take an online course, given a practice template and encouraged to develop and teach an online course. They become members of the program’s instructional design team and participate actively in bi-weekly meetings. As part of their training, new IDs carry a reduced load of faculty, partner with the lead instructional designer for support, and assume progressively responsible roles at the faculty trainings.

The relationship with faculty is a delicate and negotiated role that, in addition to technical and instructional design expertise, requires diplomacy and high-level interpersonal skills. We have learned that graduate assistants, experienced faculty, and staff may have pre-existing relationships and roles on campus that can inhibit carrying out the role of the ID successfully.

Additionally, the ID functions as a single point of contact between the instructor and the Open SUNY program. The ID team is kept up to date on the latest programmatic information, procedural changes, technology or instructional design issues, and provides a forum for designers to share information and tips, and the opportunity to brainstorm and problem-solve solutions to design and technology issues with each other. Working so closely with their faculty and having the Open SUNY Instructional Design Team to rely on, puts the IDs in an advantageous position to share information, strategies, and solutions with their cohort of assigned faculty and with each other.

The SUNY Online Teaching campus-ID model, is at its simplest a train-the-trainer model, providing tools, information, resources, mentoring guidance and a community of practice for online IDs across the sytem who not only disseminate the best practices collected or researched in a coordinated and consistent manner, but who have also contributed themselves to the data collection, evaluation, revision, feedback, and best practices collection loop. Today campus-based IDs are a unique and successful community in the SUNY system, and this role is now institutionalized across SUNY with almost every SUNY campus having at least one online instructional designer on staff. They comprise a large community of highly experienced online instructional design professionals all dedicated to the common cause of supporting online faculty from all disciplines and institutional sectors in the development of their online courses.

The comprehensiveness of the SUNY Online Teaching  processes, resources, and services, support the campus-based IDs in their pivotal role. The unique role of the SUNY online ID is a distinguishing factor in the SUNY Online Teaching faculty development and course design model, and a significant factor in the high degrees of reported satisfaction from online SUNY faculty and students.

Instructional Designer (ID) Responsibilities and Expectations

The campus IDs are considered part of the SUNY Online Teaching Community. Training, mentoring, and certifications are available via SUNY Online. They play liaison role on their campus with the SUNY Online supports and services, and have access to targeted tools, materials, resources, events, and activities. Reegular ongoing contact with SUNY Online Teaching = staff.

The Campus-ID program and general responsibilities for all online IDs

A campus-based online ID is the primary contact between their campus and the SUNY Online Teaching unit. The role of the campus-based online ID is to provide pedagogical and tech support leveraging the SUNY Online Teaching models, approaches, process, tools as needed for the online faculty from their campus. The primary goal as a ID is to keep their assigned faculty happy and well supported – SUNY Online Teaching recommends that online IDs:

  • Develop or adapt effective and efficient online faculty development and course design models, processes, and approaches to support the campus online learning activities.
  • Ensure that assigned faculty produce well-designed complete online courses on schedule according to development cycle deadlines and standards for consistency and high quality online instructional design.
  • Ensure that faculty are well-trained, well-informed, and well-prepared to teach and manage their courses in the online online LMS environment.
  • Act as conduit for information between the campus/faculty and SUNY Online to make sure that everyone is kept up to date and well informed on the many issues, activities, events, and opportunities that come up during every development and delivery cycle.
  • Engage in SUNY Online Teaching community of practice activities and opportunities to network, learn, and share for ongoing professional development purposes.
An overview of recommended activities for a new online ID in one development cycle follows:
  1. Review, develop, and implement the campus-based online faculty development program: SUNY Online Teaching offers new ID mentoring, consultation, program review, and direct online faculty and ID support services available to any SUNY campus under the SUNY Online Service-Level Agreement. These services are collaboratively customized to meet the expressed needs and budgets of the campus.
    • A sample plan might include:  an initial individual or small campus-based group ID training, a one-on-one ID training; a review and improvement recommendations of any existing faculty ongoing workshops/ or the collaborative development of an new online faculty development plan for new and experienced online faculty with an assigned ID mentor. New IDs  work with their SUNY Online mentor hroughout their first 2 full faculty development cycles – they may observe and lead workshops in the first cycle and lead and then transition to being observed in the second cycle.
    • Establish a campus-based online faculty development and course design processes informed by evidence-based standards. For example:
      • Work with the SUNY Online Teaching team to review and prepare campus-based online course DLE templates for new and returning online faculty and insure that all new courses are customized to the campus.
      • Conduct an initial technology check to verify instructor access to Brightspace, course shell, and access to and participation all campus-based workshops (in-person and asynchronous) and resources, supports and services.
      • Establish a course development plan and schedule with each assigned instructor.
      • Set up an appointment and conduct a 2-3 hour orientation/overview with each new assigned instructor to determine their: course modules, learning activities, and course design and to set up the course outline in the course shell template. This training can also be done by zoom if a face-to-face meeting is not possible. Best if it can be one-on-one with the instructor, but can be modified to a drop-in support design or done in small training groups.
      • Negotiate and stick to a development schedule with the instructor. The target is to have all online courses fully developed and complete one week prior to the term start date.
      • Guide assigned faculty in course design and in the optimum use of the SUNY DLE and the campus-adapted course templates to meet the instructional objectives specific to their course, and provide an introductory overview of OSCQR standards.
      • Develop wrap around support opportunities for faculty as supplemental faculty development activities and events on campus.
      • Follow up with training for any faculty that cannot attend the  faculty development trainings.
      • Develop an online quality review process that can be applied consistently and systematically to ensure quality in the instructional design of all online courses. For example, Conduct and produce a formal written course review of each course for each assigned instructor using the OSCQR rubric, or adapted course review checklists. Then, work with faculty to implement revisions detailed in course review. Best practices suggest that courses be complete: done, reviewed, and revised– one week prior to the term start date, or to the final campus based workshop to transition faculty from course design to course delivery.
      • Actively participate in all SUNY Online community activities.
      • Plan to provide new online faculty with at lease 3-4 weeks of assistance, observation, and support as the term begins for each assigned course.
      • Plan weekly written check-ins to faculty are required during this period.
      • Provide periodic checks-ins and ongoing support and coordination as needed throughout the term.
      • Assist in the review and revision of completed courses– to close the continuous improvement loop after the term concludes.
    • Expectations: it is recommended that campus-based online IDs be responsive and keep current with all online faculty, including email, asynchronous, and in person activities.  Online IDs typically require the capacity to be available and responsive to their online faculty and any communications and activities. In conjunction with other campus instructional technology and HD supports and policies/procedures, campus-based IDs are generally expected to track, triage, and troubleshoot LMS problems, answer questions, offer guidance, and make course design recommendations supported by evidence-based online course quality standards, policies, and regulations.  They typically function as the first point of contact with campus online faculty. The campus ID may be the point person who is responsible for adapting resources and sharing information from the SUNY Online office to the campus and faculty and vice versa. Check with your Distance Learning leaders for any campus specific policies, procedures, resources and approaches before creating new procedures, or implementing any changes to existing processes.
  2. Community of Practice: Campus-based IDs are invited to attend the monthly SUNY Online community meetings to network with others from across the system and keep in touch with any centrally provided events, programs, activities, tools, resources, etc. These meetings are facilitations by SUNY Online staff  and offered via Zoom. The SUNY Online community of practice is an important networking community for campus-based IDs. Membership and participation is highly recommended. Throughout the year there are a number of meetings and opportunities available to campus-based IDs. IDs are also encouraged to attend the SUNY Online Summit held typically at the end of February (alternating between NYC and Syracuse with virtual attendance options); the SUNY Conference on Instructional Technology (CIT) held typically in May (location rotates annually); National Distance Learning Week; and the SUNY OER Summit.