Instructional Design Summit - Part 2: Breakout Topic Discussions
Thursday March 18, 2021 - 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM
Concurrent Session 5

Brief Abstract

In Session 2 of the ID Summit you’ll choose one breakout topic to explore. You’ll have a chance to brainstorm ideas and share resources about your chosen topic/prompt.  There will be a collaborative notes document where you’ll work together to create recommendations for addressing challenges associated with the topic. We have created an engagement key which describes the level of interaction that will take place in these breakout sessions.   

Extended Abstract

Here is the list of breakout topics to choose from:

Breakout Group Topic #1: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Moderated by German Vargas Ramos, Amy Archambault

Instructional designers are in a unique position to review an instructor’s course and ask meaningful, targeted questions about purpose and content. In this breakout, we’ll explore how we get at those sensitive topics, as well as, think about what it means to think functionally and ethically about course design within our roles as instructional designers. 

During this session, we’ll take the first 10 minutes individually to explore the “10 Principles” from Designjustice.org.  We’ll then spend some time reflecting and discussion how these principles might impact our work in 4 different areas: Learning Experience, Collaboration, Technology, and New Approaches.  By the end of our session, we’ll have a collaborative handout to share on the ways these principles might impact our work and how we might plan on using them at our institutions.

Engagement Expectations

• Interaction Level – Medium
• Participation Level – Medium
• Structure Level – Medium

Recommended Reading

• Use Decentralizing Whiteness: Where do we start? book chapter to develop strategies to fulfill principles from the article above.
• Draft of our participant reflection handout

Breakout Group Topic #2: Improvisation Skills for Instructional Designers
Moderated by Penny Ralston-Berg 

The subject matter expert (SME) / ID relationship can be complicated. Subject matter experts may not understand what designers do or push back on proposed solutions. Designers may not have the experience or confidence to react to a SME’s questioning and rejection in the moment. It can be difficult to establish trust and build collaborative relationships with SMEs. However, by adopting an improvisational mindset, IDs can learn to think quickly, react positively, and keep conversations moving forward in the moment. 

Whether you choose to share your improvisational skills with the group or just observe as a spectator, you will have the opportunity to play games, have fun, and gain insights into building better SME relationships. By practicing the improvisational techniques of noticing more, letting go of preconceived expectations, and using everything that is presented to us, we can build more productive and collaborative relationships with SMEs.

Submit an idea for a scene or volunteer to perform in a game.

Engagement Expectations 

• Interaction Level – Medium
• Participation Level – Medium
• Structure Level – High

Additional Resources:

• Improv Game Ideas
• Strategies for Collaborating with SMEs

Breakout Group Topic #3: The Good, the Bad, the Technology You Love and Hate
Moderated by Cindy Schanke 

How has the pandemic changed the tech you recommend to faculty? In 2020, Zoom became ubiquitous overnight and other technologies became more popular or fell out of favor. Considering all of the changes in teaching expectations and needs within the last year, think about tech you have grown to love this year and those that you no longer recommend. For the first half of the session, we will work independently in a collaborative form where you will list one piece of technology you love to recommend and one you don’t. For the second half of the session, add your comments, debate the pros and cons, add additional resources, discuss, and share ideas. Leave the meeting with a list of technology recommendations for 2021.

Engagement Expectations 

• Interaction Level – Low
• Participation Level – High
• Structure Level – Low

Breakout group topic #4: The Future of Design Work:  How will our work change as a result of the pandemic?
Moderated by Olysha Magruder

Think back to January 2020. How did you work? What was your main focus? Fast forward to today. How are you working now? How has work changed on your team, if at all? How will work be different going forward? As 2020 taught us, we can’t predict the future. We can, however, use the past year to inform it. In the first part of this session, we will review recent survey data on the state of work in design shops pre- and post-pandemic. We will explore the differences we have found in our own contexts and discuss how we think things will change in the long-term. We will document these ideas and thoughts in a collaborative space to look for overarching themes and ideas. 

Engagement Expectations 

• Interaction Level – Medium
• Participation Level – Medium
• Structure Level – Medium

Recommended Reading:

• (From Jan. 2020) Online Education and the War Against Remote Work (Inside Higher Ed)
• Post-pandemic plans for remote work (Educause)
• Learning from COVID-19 (Inside Higher Ed)