UChicago IT Services’ Post

Organizing course content and improving accessibility are crucial steps in creating an inclusive and effective learning environment. Here's how you can achieve both: Structure Your Content Logically: Start by structuring your content logically, with clear headings and summaries. Break down your course into modules and lessons. Incorporate summaries and overviews to reinforce key points. Use Accessible Formats: Provide text alternatives for images, videos, and other multimedia. Ensure that all materials are screen-reader friendly. Use high-contrast colors and readable fonts. Incorporate Universal Design Principles: Design for diverse learning preferences and abilities. Include captions and transcripts for audio and video content. Offer content in multiple formats Test: Regularly gather feedback from learners to identify accessibility issues. Conduct accessibility audits to ensure compliance with standards. Continuously update and improve your materials based on feedback and new best practices. . . . #EdTech #AccessibleLearning #Elearning #CourseDesign #InclusiveEducation #OnlineLearning

Adding accessibility to text, images, and videos is not just about compliance—it's about ensuring that every learner has equal access to the content, regardless of their abilities or limitations. When it comes to text, we prioritize clarity and readability, using appropriate font sizes, styles, and contrast ratios to enhance legibility for all users. Additionally, we provide alternative text descriptions for images, allowing visually impaired individuals to understand the content through screen readers. For images, we employ descriptive captions or labels to provide context and meaning, ensuring that no visual element is lost on any student. Our goal is to make the content comprehensible and engaging for everyone. Read more here about how we incorporate accessibility into our Canvas LMS Courses: https://lnkd.in/gwrc3af6 #HigherEd #InstructionalDesign #BabbEducation #HigherLearning #HigherEducation #HigherEdLeadership #Accessibility

🎬 Join the Discussion: Are Video Tutorials Missing the Mark? Swerzenski, J. D. (2021). Producing professionalization: analyzing the discourse of Adobe Premiere’s Learn More tools in shaping student practices. Media Practice and Education, 22(4), 325–341. https://lnkd.in/eUNx-Ttb This article dives into research on Adobe Premiere Pro's impact on video production pedagogy. Have often do technical skills overshadow critical thinking and creative expression? Let's rethink video training's role in instructional design. #EdTech #InstructionalDesign

When used by instructional designers (whether in-house or otherwise), tools like Adobe Premiere, Camtasia, Articulate, and various movie editing software empowers universities and colleges to produce high-quality multimedia content in their courses. In using these resources, educational institutions can deliver content that is not only visually appealing but also effectively conveys complex concepts and engages learners on multiple levels. Parter with us to produce professional-quality multimedia content that adapts to diverse learning styles and preferences, ultimately enriching the educational offerings of your university or college. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/grZ4n29k #HigherEd #InstructionalDesign #BabbEducation #HigherLearning #HigherEducation #HigherEdLeadership

Making the leap from teaching to instructional design? Here’s a game-changing tip: Embrace your inner detective! 🕵️♀️🔍 As a teacher, you're already great at understanding student needs. In instructional design, take it up a notch by investigating your audience. Conduct surveys, hold focus groups, and dig deep into data to uncover what truly engages and challenges learners. Think of each project as a mystery to solve. What motivates your learners? What obstacles do they face? Use these insights to craft personalized, impactful learning experiences. 🎯💡 Leverage your classroom creativity to design interactive content that captivates and educates. Interactive videos, gamified modules, and real-world scenarios can turn mundane lessons into memorable adventures. 📽️🎮🌍 Ready to make the switch? Share your thoughts or questions below! 👇 #CareerChange #InstructionalDesign #FromTeachingToID #EdTech #LearningDesign

Thrilled to share insights from 7 months of working with top industry clients! 🚀 One key revelation: a gap exists between what stakeholders desire and what learners truly need. 🌊 Information Overload: Stakeholders often seek a wealth of information, potentially overwhelming learners. Real-life examples and scenarios hold more significant value for effective learning. 💡 Representation Matters: Unfortunately, rich knowledge often succumbs to text-heavy presentations. Instructional designers play a pivotal role in creatively presenting content to captivate learners. Let's bridge the gap and make learning engaging! 🌐✨ #InstructionalDesign #EdTechJourney

How can you use visuals to make your lectures more engaging? A wise teacher integrates technology to enhance students learning experience. I believe that visuals are to support our teaching, not replace it. We should engage our students, have fun, and watch them learn. Teacher needs to choose relevant visuals i.e. pictures, diagrams, or videos that directly connect to his points, not just decoration. We should not overload slides, keep them clean and easy to digest. I use varieties of visuals i.e. mix things up with charts, infographics, even animations to break the monotony, for making more interactive I use polls, quizzes, or ask students to analyze visuals together. Sometimes telling story becomes more fruitful i.e. I use visuals for my narrative and making complex concepts easier to grasp.  

How can you use visuals to make your lectures more engaging? A wise teacher integrates technology to enhance students learning experience. I believe that visuals are to support our teaching, not replace it. We should engage our students, have fun, and watch them learn. Teacher needs to choose relevant visuals i.e. pictures, diagrams, or videos that directly connect to his points, not just decoration. We should not overload slides, keep them clean and easy to digest. I use varieties of visuals i.e. mix things up with charts, infographics, even animations to break the monotony, for making more interactive I use polls, quizzes, or ask students to analyze visuals together. Sometimes telling story becomes more fruitful i.e. I use visuals for my narrative and making complex concepts easier to grasp.  

Knowing things and having knowledge is great! I truly mean that. I happen to be one of those neurospicy individuals who hyper-fixates on random hobbies and topics. Usually, I don’t stick with these hobbies or topics for long, but just long enough to have built quite the knowledge base filled with factoids and information. (And given even the slightest opportunity, I will share them with you! Seriously, any small opening and I’ll start spouting off facts. Also, I’m fantastic at trivia). However, despite my vast collection of random knowledge, it often doesn’t serve me in many other ways. Why? Simply because knowledge is best when we know HOW to apply it. Otherwise, it's just an impressive party trick (trust me, I’ve tried!). This is true in any field, but as Instructional Designers, we really have to consider not just what we want someone to know, but what we want them to do with that information. It’s about transforming knowledge into actionable skills. In our work, it’s not enough to fill learners’ heads with information; we need to design experiences that enable them to apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios. We must ask ourselves: How will this knowledge help them perform their jobs better? How can we create engaging, interactive content that bridges the gap between knowing and doing? So, while my trivia skills might make me a hit at parties, it’s the ability to turn knowledge into action that truly makes a difference in the world of instructional design. And that’s the real challenge – and joy – of what I do. Got a fun fact or a trivia question for me? Let’s geek out together in the comments! 🤓 #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #Neurodiversity #eLearning

Calling All Instructional Designers! 🎓✨ In our field, we’re constantly adapting to new trends, technologies, and learner needs. I'm curious— **What’s a challenge you’ve recently faced in instructional design, and how did you overcome it?** Whether it was working with a tight timeline, designing for accessibility, or finding creative ways to engage remote learners, I’d love to hear about it! Let’s share our insights, learn from each other’s experiences, and build a resourceful network. Who knows? Your tip might be just what another designer needs right now! Please join the conversation: 💡 Comment with your story or solution 💡 Tag anyone you think could add valuable insights 💡 Share if you think this could benefit others Looking forward to connecting and learning from you all! #InstructionalDesign #IDCommunity #LearningSolutions #CollaborativeLearning #EdTech