Instructional Designer

Job Title:Instructional Designer
Location: Middle GA State University
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Job ID: 272702
About Us

Middle Georgia State University (MGA), a multi-campus, baccalaureate and graduate degree granting public institution, is the most affordable public state university in Georgia. MGA has five campuses-Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins, all located in central Georgia-and global outreach through its fully-online campus. Its enrollment of 8,000 students is largely comprised of students from most of Georgia's 159 counties. The University has six academic schools, including Georgia's flagship aviation university, that support its mission to educate and graduate inspired, lifelong learners whose scholarship and careers enhance the state.

Job Summary

This Instructional Designer position reports primarily to the Associate Provost for Academic Success (APAS) at Middle Georgia State University (MGA) and secondarily to the Director of Instructional Development and Design at eCampus, a unit of the University System of Georgia (USG). This position splits the workload and accountability evenly between MGA and eCampus in the following structure:

1. Working with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) team, University faculty, and other colleagues at MGA to provide assistance with designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating courses that optimize learning and assessment via MGA¿s Learning Management System (LMS), regardless of course modality; and
2. Working with USG eCampus to provide curriculum development, instructional design support, and coordinated project management for online courses in collaboration with credentialed subject matter experts, instructional support staff, and USG eCampus leadership and external vendors to maintain program offerings in various academic disciplines in the LMS.

For both organizations, this position will rely on a data-driven, continuous improvement approach to support subject matter experts in analyzing, developing, designing, implementing, and evaluating course content to improve course delivery and student outcomes while abiding by SACSCOC and BOR accreditation guidelines and accessibility requirements of Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This position also provides LMS technical support to the teaching faculty of both organizations for assigned programs, maintaining a current knowledge base of best practices in instructional design and delivery by actively researching trends in instructional technology and making recommendations for process improvements. This is an on-campus position with the opportunity for occasional remote work. The Instructional Designer is expected to stay well-versed in research into existing and emerging instructional design technologies and methodologies, especially those relating to online education, and thus makes well-informed recommendations for new solutions as appropriate to the APAS. The Instructional Designer consults with and assists faculty to develop instructional strategies, activities, and materials that optimize learning and assessment in their courses. The Instructional Designer provides training, professional development, instructional design, and LMS-related support for faculty and staff as assigned by the APAS and collects and analyzes related outcomes-based data.

Responsibilities

MGA: Support for Instructional Practices (30%) -
Assist faculty with a wide variety of pedagogical and andragogical instructional strategies, activities, and materials in order to optimize learning quality and assessment by incorporating research-based practices.
Provide in-person (one-on-one and group) and telecommunication-based training, instructional design, and other support for faculty and staff as assigned by the APAS.
Integrate web-based learning resources¿specifically, Brightspace by D2L, LMS-integrated tools, productivity software, video conferencing tools, websites, blogs, and other web applications¿into courses.
Organize, prioritize, and schedule multiple work assignments to enable positive contributions to the CETL team.
Respond in timely and professional ways to requests for information and/or assistance.
eCampus: Lead Course Quality Review and Development Teams (20%) -
Provide instructional design and curriculum development support for an assigned suite of USG eCampus courses in collaboration with credentialed subject matter experts, instructional support staff, and USG eCampus leadership.
Attend eCampus instructional design team meetings, project planning sessions, and any relevant training as directed.
Plan and implement media enhancement projects for collaborative courses; collaborate efficiently with stakeholders to ensure timely completion of deliverables.
Support subject matter experts in analyzing, developing, designing, implementing, and evaluating course content to improve course delivery and student outcomes while abiding by SACSCOC and BOR accreditation guidelines, copyright requirements, and accessibility requirements of Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Review course analytics to develop data-driven course revision recommendations and prioritize revisions.
MGA: Knowledge Development and Application of Quality Standards (10%) -
Monitor and share developments in technologies, practices, and theory through research and professional activities, along with research into emerging instructional design technologies and methodologies, especially those relating to online education accessibility, quality, and evaluation to meet the needs of all learners.
Research and recommend educational best practices, instructional resources, instructional technologies, and multimedia hardware/software to support teaching and learning, addressing copyright concerns and ADA-compliance issues.
MGA: CETL Performance, Data, and Metrics (10%) -
Collect and analyze data relating to teaching and learning outcomes.
Monitor, document, track, and report on work performed in this position, along with the outcomes thereof.
Attend and function as a positive contributor at check-in and team meetings.
Other duties as assigned.
eCampus: Oversee Course Quality (10%) -
Oversee course quality in university system-wide collaborative online programs by making regular course updates, checking and maintaining links, and developing new multimedia-enhanced materials.
Collaborate with administration, faculty, staff, and external vendors to maintain program offerings in various academic disciplines in the Learning Management System (LMS).
Research trends in instructional technology and make recommendations for use in all collaborative programs.
Review, analyze, and report on course performance metrics on an ongoing basis.
eCampus: Serve as Collaborative Programs LMS Administrator (10%) -
As a Collaborative Programs LMS administrator, create new course online sections, grant (and remove as needed) users¿ course access, and maintain a secure LMS environment.
Provide GoVIEW technical support to USG teaching faculty for assigned programs.
eCampus: Report Outcomes and Other Duties as Assigned (10%) -
Track all costs related to the development and revision of courses and report them to USG eCampus leadership.
Monitor student outcomes and report findings to internal and external stakeholders.
Must be able to work evenings/weekends as needed and occasional instate travel.
Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited higher education institution in a field either related to instructional design, instructional media, or instructional technology or related to higher education disciplines.
Required Experience
Two years of related experience using Learning Management Systems and related online learning technologies or five years or more of experience in higher education teaching while using an LMS regularly and proficiently;
At least one year of experience in instructional design or support of online students and faculty in a higher education environment;
One or more years of project management experience, preferably in an educational setting; and
Broad-based knowledge and skill in operating various software applications used in multimedia, courseware development, and distributed learning products.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
Quality Matters' "Applying the QM Rubric" Certification - or equivalent (e.g., SUNY OSCQR)
Preferred Educational Qualifications
Master's degree related to instructional design, instructional media, or instructional technology, or a doctorate or specialist's degree (or equivalent) in a field related to higher education
Preferred Experience
Eight years or more of teaching experience with a verifiable record of effective practices that support academic outcomes for students
Experience in training faculty in the areas of academic web accessibility and technology-enhanced instruction
Experience in testing technology-enhanced learning environments for universal design
Experience in collecting and analyzing data and generating reports to ensure institutional effectiveness
Two years or more of experience in developing and/or teaching online courses in higher education
Experience with graphic design and video production.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

A solid level of knowledge and understanding of foundational learning science, pedagogical, and instructional design research
Knowledge of current practices and emerging trends in instructional technologies and in course design and delivery methods
Broad base of knowledge of operating a variety of software applications used in multimedia and courseware development
Ability to attend to multiple tasks or projects concurrently, meeting assigned deadlines
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, correct use of verbal and written communication, time management, project management, and presentation skills
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite, Adobe products, and similar)
Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills
Strong customer service skills and respectful etiquette

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Institutional Values

Middle Georgia State University is committed to four core values in what we do and represent: CORE VALUES: Stewardship - Engagement - Adaptability - Learning

Equal Employment Opportunity

Middle Georgia State University is an equal employment, equal access, and equal educational opportunity. It is the policy of the Middle Georgia State University to recruit, hire, train, promote and educate persons without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status as required by applicable state and federal laws (including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Sections 503, and 504, ADEA, ADA, E.O. 11246, and Rev. Proc. 75-50).

For questions or more detailed information regarding this policy, please contact the Middle Georgia State University Office of Human Resources at 478.471.2010. Individuals requiring disability related accommodations for participation in any event or to obtain print materials in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources.

Other Information

This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt (salaried) staff position and includes a comprehensive benefits package. Benefits include:

• Health insurance
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Sick Leave
• Vacation Leave
• Parental Leave
• Retirement
• Employee discounts
• Tuition reimbursement

Background Check

Employment offer is contingent upon completing a background investigation including a criminal background check demonstrating your employment eligibility with MGA, as determined by MGA in its sole discretion, confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application material and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check.