Instructional Designer: College of Veterinary Medicine

Instructional Designer

College of Veterinary Medicine

The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine invites applications for an instructional designer who will collaborate with appropriate stakeholders and enhance course development and delivery in the college's degree programs. The successful applicant will support the sustainable advancement of teaching and learning in a top tier veterinary educational program. They will join the Academic and Students Affairs team to serve as an educational expert consultant to educators and content planners. This includes support for teaching strategy selection, curriculum mapping, assessment blueprinting and design, exam question writing, learning outcome development, and problem solving around complex teaching scenarios. Additionally, they will make recommendations for the revision of curricula, instructional strategies and overall course design based on assessment data. The Instructional Designer position will work primarily with pre-clinical curricula, collaborating with course coordinators, instructors, and academic staff to develop, review, and revise teaching strategies for a variety of contexts (lecture, laboratory, problem-based learning, hands-on simulated skills practice, discussion, clinical, etc.). The selected individual will be an ex officio member of the college Curriculum Committee and Assessment Committee. The Instructional Designer will also help lead faculty and staff development and educator training through involvement with the college's Master Teacher Program and related offerings. As a member of the Academic and Student Affairs team, the Instructional Designer will join a collaborative workplace. While each team member has different primary roles, overlap is common, and shared problem solving is encouraged. The designer is expected to work closely with the Associate Dean, Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator, Veterinary Technology Program Director, and Preclinical Program Coordinator. The team keeps semi-flexible work schedules, with more emphasis placed on meeting deadlines than fixed hours, except that we must maintain a minimum office presence for solving issues as they arise.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with course coordinators, instructors, and academic staff to select and implement best fit educational strategies for the given content, context, and instructor abilities in a competency-based curriculum.
• Using strong interpersonal skills to facilitate productive conversations and build positive working relationships with faculty.
• Contributing to the community toolbox of best practices, and act as a spokesperson for evidence-based instruction.
• Applying instructional design and pedagogical principles to guide instructional development for accessibility, engagement, and adaptability to diverse learning needs.
• Providing expert guidance and support to faculty in designing and redesigning courses to align with best practices in instructional design and pedagogy.
• Providing expert guidance to instructors and course coordinators in the preparation, delivery and analysis of quality assessments.

Qualifications:

Typical Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with course coordinators, instructors, and/or academic support staff to design, develop, and/or promote sustainable learning strategies and delivery methods support desired student learning outcomes.
• Supports the development, review, and revision of courses, incorporating college and/or university-supported instructional tools, where appropriate or necessary. Counsels instructors on evidence-based best practices in course design and revision, including the development of objectives, student learning outcomes and assessments to evaluate and measure student learning. Advises and helps instructors use instructional tools such as video, Canvas, Exam Soft, poll-everywhere, artificial intelligence platforms, Zoom, kahoot! and Microsoft Teams to meet educational goals in lectures, labs and course assignments or activities. Stays abreast and informed of new tools, how to implement them effectively in various teaching modalities, and evidence to support their use in practice. Advises course coordinators in review of student evaluations of their teaching and peer feedback as well as the preparation of course reports for the college curriculum committee and accreditation documents. Advises the college curriculum committee and college leadership regarding course feedback and actions needed to meet course, program and accreditation needs.
• Applies current research and theory to the practice of instructional design.
• Creates project timelines by coordinating with course coordinators, instructors, and/or academic support staff, abiding by established timelines.
• Provides expert guidance to instructors and course coordinators in the preparation, delivery and analysis of quality assessments.
• Provides expert guidance and support to faculty in designing and redesigning courses to align with best practices in instructional design and pedagogy.
• Evaluates faculty and staff training needs related to instruction in the classroom and clinic.
• Develops and provides appropriate training opportunities for stakeholders within the college.
• Assesses effectiveness of the educational development program and revise as needed.
• Develops and teaches about instructional strategies.
• Contributes to the college Master Teacher Program by attending monthly and ad hoc sessions, facilitating discussion, and answering questions for participants, including internal and visiting faculty, staff and visitors; preparing and delivering presentations, workshops and engaging activities to provide professional development in instruction and assessment for faculty and staff; and researches and maintains a listing of educational conferences of potential interest to faculty and staff, and manages these travel opportunities by actively sharing them with faculty and staff and encouraging attendance in accordance with the available travel fund budget.
• Serves as a member on college and/or campus committees and professional groups related to instructional design and development and other areas of expertise as assigned.
• Supports other Academic and Student Affairs units on an as-needed basis.
• Promotes the development of educational research within the college by preparing and delivering professional development in educational research methods and interpretation, collaborating and directing educational research projects within the college programs, and drafting and revising the reporting of educational research projects at conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.
• Assists faculty with their educational research.
• Remains current with research trends and innovations.
• Pursues professional growth through workshops, seminars, demonstrations, or self-guided learning to explore areas of knowledge not already fully represented within the college. This can be a deep dive on an educational theory we do not yet apply, following a curiosity beyond the bounds of veterinary education, or other topics.
• Brings learnings back to the team for adoption and adaptation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed:

• Ability to Translate evidence-based best practices into practical lesson plans for a complex learning environment
• Ability to Balance multiple concurrent projects and diverse intersecting teams
• Ability to Problem-solve collaboratively and conscientiously
• Ability to Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
• Ability to Manage data through spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) and student information systems
• Knowledge of issues and common practices in veterinary or health-professions education
• Ability to synthesize research-based evidence and applying it to the design of instruction and instructional resources
• Knowledge of Canvas learning management system and Turnitin platforms and tools
• Ability to Construct valid assessments of skills and knowledge in a competency-based backwards design curriculum using learning outcomes for blueprinting.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Instructional Design or related field.
• 3 years of experience in a higher education environment or health professions educational environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Experience teaching and training adult learners.
• Proven success in instructional design or faculty development.
• Engagement in organizations committed to health professions education.
• Experience in basic program evaluation or accreditation practices.