Navigating Difficult Conversations: 7 strategies to increase instructor buy-in for improving assignments
Brief Abstract
In this interactive discussion, we will identify common objections to improving assignments; and describe 7 strategies that instructional designers can use to help increase instructor buy-in for improving assignments.
Presenters
Extended Abstract
Instructional design is hard!
Instructional designers are expected to be proficient in ID models and processes, learning theories and strategies, technology, project management, assessment, evaluation, professional development . . . (Ritzhaupt et al., 2021).
Just as importantly, instructional designers must be expert communicators and collaborators (Lowell & Ashby, 2019; Richardson et al., 2019; Ritzhaupt et al., 2021).
Role confusion can contribute to the challenges instructional designers face when working with instructors (Halupa, 2019). Indeed, when it comes to improving assignments, the line between what is content--typically the purview of instructors--and what is pedagogy--typically more of the instructional designer's interest--can blur.
Short of gaining full institutional buy-in or carte blanche control to redesign a course, instructional designers need strategies that give space to the concerns of the instructors with whom they are working while also helping those instructors to realize the importance of making strategic adjustments to assignments to obtain better alignment with objectives and better overall student outcomes.
In this interactive discussion, we will identify common objections to improving assignments; and describe 7 strategies that instructional designers can use to help increase instructor buy-in for improving assignments.