ATHENS– Athens State University’s College of Education has reacted to employment trends by offering an Instruction Design Program within their Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Education. The program combines theory with hands-on experience to equip students for jobs in the instructional design and technology field.
To produce effective instructional designers, the curriculum at Athens State will help their students to develop skills to assess, create and manage training materials. The combination of these skills help support technology supported training in educational institutions and corporate training classrooms.
“As more and more options become available for the process of transferring knowledge,
Wendy Cowan65
the need for professionals that are able to disseminate the best processes for their particular institutions is on the increase,” states Wendy Cowan, Associate Professor of Education and Department Chair of Philosophical Foundations and Technology. “Being proactive in offering this specified major program will bring our students, as job candidates, to the front of the line.”
Cowan added, “We also realize that there is a need outside of educational institutions for this particular training. Corporations, the military, and many other private sector firms have training needs where instructional design is an important element.”
The career field of an Instructional Designer includes job opportunities such as Instructional Design Specialist, Instructional Technologist, Coordinator of eLearning, Computer-assisted Instruction Specialist, and Education or Development Specialist. These positions can be found in corporations, consulting firms, school systems, community colleges, vocational schools, adult education programs, and land-based and online colleges and universities.
In addition to the degree program in Instructional Design, the College of Education has developed a minor option in Instructional Design that is interdisciplinary and is available to all students at the University.
“We could have Human Resource, Management, or Computer Science concentrators who, with this minor, could work as corporate trainers in any corporation or firm,” remarked Cowan. “This added minor simply makes these job candidates more viable for such positions.”
Athens State requires 18 hours of specific coursework to obtain the Instructional Design minor. This consists of four designated classes with six additional hours in related electives.
Whether through a Bachelor of Science in Technical Education, or as a minor partnered with a different course of study, Athens State’s College of Education is preparing graduates that are focused on an improved delivery of instruction – whether in or out of a classroom.
