Join the growing field of online learning and instructional design
- Learn and apply best practices for designing effective and engaging e-learning.
- Build a portfolio of work to support your professional goals.
- Next program begins fall 2024 — details coming soon
- Flexible, online program that allows you to focus on the skills you want to develop.
- Potential financial options available — Elevate Delaware funding | Payment plan available; discounts including military, UD student/alum, 2 or more (group) and others.
- LEARN MORE — View an info presentation
What is an instructional designer? Instructional designers leverage learning theory and multimedia design to create engaging digital learning experiences.
Are you interested in learning how to design effective e-learning environments? Do you have a personal or professional online learning project you would like to develop? Are you interested in developing a career that involves developing digital training or teaching solutions? The objective of this program’s courses is to gain the skills and experience to help you succeed in the instructional design profession.
Certificate program: three-course series
This online noncredit professional development program is designed for anyone who wants to become an instructional designer. The hands-on, applied training method focuses on providing the opportunity to build out a portfolio of instructional design projects. Estimated time to complete the full three-course program is 10 months.
- COURSE 1: Foundations of Instructional Design — Focuses on foundational knowledge for instructional designers, including major learning theory principles applicable to instructional systems design, analysis of learner needs, and use of authoring tools.
- COURSE 2: Curriculum Development for Instructional Design — Focuses on curriculum design, including alignment of learning objectives, practice, and assessments, and the evaluation of eLearning modules.
- COURSE 3: E-learning and Course Development for Instructional Design — Focuses on developing eLearning modules and applying multimedia design principles, instructional design frameworks, project management for designers, and addressing feedback for continuous improvement.
Earn program badges and certificate
Earn a digital badge as you complete each course as well as a digital program completion certificate when you finish the third course. Click here for more details about digital badging.
Who should participate?
- Individuals considering a career in instructional design
- Anyone who wants to leverage instructional design principles to design an effective digital learning experience to meet professional or personal goals.
- Anyone who wants to learn how to apply multimedia skills (graphic design, video production, web design, or others) to develop digital training and learning solutions and open the door to new career opportunities.
- Instructional design applies to a broad range of fields and industries, such as healthcare, education, technology – any field or industry where internal or external training is needed or provided.
PROGRAM DETAILS
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
PRICE (3-course series) $5,500 includes the 3-course Instructional Design Certificate; all materials included.
LOCATION: ONLINE
SCHEDULE: Starts September 9, 2024
CEUs: 12.0 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) or 120 Contact Hours
POTENTIAL FINANCIAL OPTIONS: Elevate Delaware funding | Payment plan (certificate enrollment); scholarships and discounts including military, UD student/alum, 2 or more (group) and others.
Program format and duration
Course format — The Instructional Design Certificate program consists of three courses.
- Course 1: Foundations of Instructional Design — Sept. 9-Nov. 15, 2024 — This eight-week course is fully online with optional live-online sessions scheduled for course participants to connect with instructors or course facilitators, as well as fellow participants, to discuss coursework and challenges, share information and network.
- Course 2: Curriculum Development for Instructional Design — Winter/Spring 2025 — AND Course 3: E-learning and Course Development for Instructional Design — Spring/Summer 2025 — Course 2 and Course 3 are self-paced and fully online, with optional one-on-one meetings with a course facilitator. Course 2 and Course 3 have flexible start dates, and are typically completed in 10-12 weeks. After starting and accessing the course platform, will have access to all three courses and coursed materials through the completion of the program.
Time to completion — Each course can be completed within a 10- to 12-week timeframe. All courses must be completed within 12 months.
Design portfolio — As students progress in the program, they will have ample opportunities to add content to their professional instructional design portfolio.
Learner outcomes
The following learning objectives describe the learning objectives of the Instructional Design Certificate 3-course series:
- Describe common development models for instructional design.
- Describe major learning theory principles applicable to instructional design.
- Demonstrate application of graphic and multimedia design principles for e-learning.
- Evaluate application of universal design for learning principles to support accessibility.
- Identify an authoring tool for instructional design projects.
- Click here for detailed description of course objectives applicable for each course in the series.
Program faculty
Aviva Heyn is the program director and instructor for the University of Delaware Division of Professional and Continuing Studies (UD PCS) Instructional Design Certificate program’s three courses. Heyn, who serves as director of digital services at UD, has worked as both an individual contributor and manager of instructional design teams, contributing to the design and development of a wide variety of digital courses for industry, government and higher education. Her favorite aspect of the instructional design profession is the endless opportunity for continuous learning.
Heyn earned her doctor of education in educational leadership at the University of Delaware. She also holds an M.A. in social anthropology and an undergraduate degree in art history, sociology and anthropology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel.
Prerequisites
- No prior knowledge of or experience with instructional design is required.
- Multimedia design skills (graphic design, audio/video, web design, and others) are a plus, but not required.
- Experience with teaching or training is a plus, but not required.
- Completion of some undergraduate coursework is recommended.
- Basic computer skills are required.
- Technology requirements: A laptop or desktop computer (PC or Mac) is required, and a reliable internet connection.
