Results of a national study on the research engagement and training of instructional designers in higher education

Concurrent Session 4
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Brief Abstract

Recent literature has started to explore the importance of the role of instructional designers within higher education. However, one area that has received little attention is the role of instructional designers in teaching and learning research. Anecdotal evidence suggests that instructional designers may feel underprepared to collaborate with faculty on teaching and learning research. This presentation reports on a national survey study conducted by the Oregon State University Ecampus Research Unit that explores the research engagement and training of instructional designers in institutions of higher education. This study targets instructional designers with a range of experience levels and training backgrounds in order to better understand what previous training they have received in research methods and design; how they are using and engaging in research on teaching and learning in their current roles; and whether they feel prepared to conduct research on teaching and learning in their current roles.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Katie Linder, Oregon State University

Dr. Katie Linder is an avid writer and researcher with a passion for process and peeking behind the scenes at what it takes to be a successful academic. Currently, Katie directs the Oregon State University Ecampus Research Unit and serves as an associate editor for the International Journal for Academic Development. She is also the creator of the Radical Self-Trust Podcast Channel and the host of a weekly interview-based podcast called Research in Action. She writes a weekly essay series called The Academic Creative. Her most recent book is Managing Your Professional Identity Online: A Guide for Faculty, Staff, and Administrators.

Tags

OLC Accelerate 2017 Research Decision making Engagement Innovations Methodology Multi-institutional Planning Reporting

Extended Abstract

Recent literature has started to explore the importance of the role of instructional designers within higher education (Intentional Futures, 2016; Willcox, Sarma, Lippel, 2016). However, one area that has received little attention in this literature is the role of instructional designers in teaching and learning research. Additionally, professional development literature for this field is also missing a focus on research methods and design (see, for example, Aleckson, 2011; Bean, 2014). Anecdotal evidence suggests that instructional designers may feel underprepared to collaborate with faculty on teaching and learning research.

This presentation reports on a national survey study conducted by the Oregon State University Ecampus Research Unit in early summer 2017 that explores the research engagement and training of instructional designers in institutions of higher education. This study targets institutional designers with a range of experience levels and training backgrounds in order to better understand what previous training they have received in research methods and design; how they are using and engaging in research on teaching and learning in their current roles; and whether they feel prepared to conduct research on teaching and learning in their current roles.

This survey study engaged OLC, WCET, UPCEA, EDUCAUSE, and QM as recruitment partners. The survey included closed- and open-ended questions and was designed to collect data on the ways in which instructional designers engage in research in their current positions, their previous training in research methods and design, and their perceptions of their current research training and design needs. The following participant characteristic variables were also gathered: gender, race/ethnicity, level of degree attainment, institutional type of current higher education employer, institutional type of previous higher education employers, amount of time working in an instructional designer role within higher education, number of higher education institutions employed at over time of career, amount of time in the field (in higher education and elsewhere), original discipline of study, industries worked in other than higher education, amount of supervision of other instructional designers, and management experience.

The survey results reported in the presentation focus on three main areas:

  • Instructional designers’ formal education and training in research methodology and research design
  • Current research practices by instructional designers
  • Research methodology and research design training needs of instructional designers in higher education environments

References

Aleckson, J.D. (2011). Mind Meld: Micro-collaboration Between eLearning Designers and Instructor Experts. Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing.

Bean, C. (2014). The Accidental Instructional Designer: Learning Design for the Digital Age. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.

Intentional Futures. (April 2016). Instructional Design in Higher Education. Retrieved from http://intentionalfutures.com/reports/instructional_design/files/Instructional%20Design%20in%20Higher%20Education%20Report.pdf

Willcox, K.E., Sarma, S., Lippel, P.H. (2016). Online Education: A Catalyst for Higher Education Reforms