The ID Interview

Many instructional designers will face similar questions in all of their job interviews. Here I'll offer answers to a few common questions to help you out. I have given more information than necessary for each answer so it may be modified to fit your personal needs.

Especially in 2020, teachers are being asked to condense their courses from 16 week to 8 week terms. This task can be extremely challenging. Schools may decide to hire instructional designers who specialize in shortening courses without compromising the quality of learning. Interviewers will want to know which design method or theory you typically utilize, and how you measure learning success. Additionally, they'll probably give you a scenario involving your interaction with subject matter experts. Connect back to your personal experience when relevant.

Practical Practice - The Interview

Hi, thank you for having me here today.

My instructional design skills set me apart from the others

• First, because I am able to effectively collaborate with subject matter experts to deliver the best content possible

• I have experience in the eLearning industry as a learning aid at the CU Boulder observatory and a class content developer for their planetarium.

• I am a current student at CU Denver in the Information and Learning Technologies program so I am developing and improving upon my skills each day.

• Finally, I’m able to collaborate with others and have a strong design and development process that includes frameworks like ADDIE

Where do you still need to develop as an instructional designer?

• One notable area I have struggled with as an instructional designer is organization. I’ve been able to overcome the issue by implementing frameworks like Blooms Taxonomy for deriving objectives and structuring assessments.

1. Question: what strategies would you employ to modify an existing full-term 16 week course into an 8 week course?

   1. For shorter terms, the sole focus should be on the course content, specific learning goals, and how to measure learning success. It's best to cover less material to make sure students understand and apply this knowledge correctly. Students should be able to carry this knowledge into their social or professional lives and tracking this information helps you measure learning success. The strategies I'd use to shrink the course include encouraging teachers to provide videos, about two minutes long, to begin each week's session in place of recording whole lessons. Virtual breakout sessions will allow students to collaborate, and teacher cold-calling can ensure students are on their toes and out of their screens.

2. Question: what is your process when designing?

   1. The process I generally use is adhering to a basic design model like a combination of the ADDIE Model, and principles of Universal Design for instruction. I continuously revise my plan between the five phases of ANALYSIS, DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, & EVALUATION. I believe in maximizing learning for all students and this means building courses that provide greater accessibility for students of all learning abilities. That’s why I look towards the UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING GUIDELINES to provide multiple means of ENGAGEMENT, REPRESENTATION, AND EXPRESSION. This goes back to my childhood and having a difficult time in school because I didn’t learn in the same ways as other kids. When environments are intentionally designed to reduce barriers, all learners can engage in rigorous, meaningful learning.

3. Question: how do you measure success?

   1. After determining the measurable learning outcomes in the analysis phase, I measure success by using frequent and low-stress evaluations based on Bloom’s taxonomy. Once I determine learning objectives, I can set up measurable content in evaluations. Bloom’s taxonomy helps me to classify educational learning objectives into three domains: knowledge-based, emotion-based, and action-based objectives. According to Bloom, knowledge is defined as recalling facts, recalling methods and processes, and recalling patterns. I also place a high value on experiential learning and I believe that learning occurs when we reflect on our experiences- reflection being a measurable tool for evaluation.

4. Scenario: you work with a faculty who strongly believes in “academic freedom” and wants to implement elements in the course that as an instructional designer, you strongly disagree with. What do you do to maintain a good working relationship with subject-matter experts while also providing design expertise? Questions I’d ask the SME include, how does this tie to our learning outcome?What do learners need to be able to do when this course is over?

   1. I believe it’s extremely important for the instructional designer to have a successful working relationship with the subject matter expert. I would initially start with a clear communication plan, and equal footing. This would establish roles and expectations up front. I would communicate with the SME frequently and in a well-organized and brief manner as I know they are busier than I am. I would listen to their views and arguments even when I don’t agree. Then, I’d remind them of the project’s goals and the importance of adhering to them since we both have the same goal, which is, creating a course that helps people learn. A specific suggestion I’d make for an “academically-free” project to meet learning objectives is one in which students create a presentation based on a scan for information. This is based on the theory of scholarship of teaching and learning. Students are free to present their scavenger hunt projects using any means they choose: video, paper, webinar, interview, powerpoint, collage, etc. This would return to our UDL design theory.

5. Question: what is your expected compensation for creating a 3 credit hour course?

   1. For question number five I'd suggest giving an annual salary commensurate with your skill level and experience. Consider that a graduate degree is nice, but employers really want to see a portfolio with your "real-world" experience in designing courses. This makes it really difficult to find a job right after you finish school (speaking from experience). This doesn't mean you should sell yourself short and give a lower number. For me, this means being more open to taking opportunities as they come to build a portfolio, even if they seem less than ideal when starting out. I hope this list helps get you started. Good luck, you'll do great!