Instructional Design and Online Learning

The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) is a registered private higher education provider and a wholly owned subsidiary of ADvTECH Ltd, listed on the JSE.

The IIE’s Central Academic Team (CAT) is the custodian of academic quality, educational technology, and governance across the institution. It leads academic strategy, compliance, and operational integrity through robust governance structures.

The current CAT is in the process of being repositioned as a Centre of Excellence, a hub for academic innovation, staff capacity building, quality assurance, and governance across both the schools and tertiary divisions.

**The purpose of the job**:
An Instructional Design and Online Learning (IDOL) Team Lead leads the design, development, and implementation of engaging, accessible online courses that align with institutional strategies and meet diverse learner needs. The role involves collaborating with stakeholders, managing instructional design projects, and ensuring the continuous improvement of the LMS environment. By leveraging advanced instructional design principles, cutting-edge technology, and thorough analysis of student needs, the IDOL Lead ensures that all modules, programmes are engaging, accessible, and optimized for maximum effectiveness. The role involves collaborating with IDs, stakeholders, leading project initiatives, and continuously refining learning strategies to support the growth and development of individuals and teams within the organization.

**Reporting to**:
**Main Outputs and Responsibilities for this Position**:
Manage the Delivery of Modules
- Manage and support the instructional design and learning technologist teams, overseeing workload and priorities.
- Facilitate collaboration between instructional designers, faculty, SME-developers, and learning technologists.
- Manage, according to the production plan, processes and timelines related to the delivery of online material, including own modules.
- This includes the delivery of frameworks by the faculty/developers.
- Mitigate risks and manage delays.
- Check the material on the LMS.
- Provide weekly progress reports to the Digital Learning & Design Manager.
- Manage and ensure that all the IDs (internal and external, including any third-party members) adhere to the required level of support for the faculty.
- Report on team performance, project progress, and identify capacity needs.

Delivery of Modules
- Design engaging, pedagogically sound digital learning experiences aligned with learning outcomes.
- Develop storyboards, scripts, and activity guides for multimedia and online courses.
- Integrate emerging tools, technologies, and learning theories into course designs.
- Collaborate with SMEs, academics, and technologists to create accessible and interactive courseware.
- Ensure all allocated Learning Management System (LMS) modules are developed as per the IIE framework and requirements and presented on the LMS page accordingly.
- Integrate multimedia tools and technologies to create interactive learning experiences.
- Create and utilize the LMS elements within the course page to deliver a strong online learning path for students.
- Manage allocated modules according to agreed timelines and quality standards.
- Provide constructive feedback to and support independent contractors (ICs) and external partners.
- This involves regular communication to ensure alignment of tasks ahead as well as to address any concerns.
- Implement evidence-based instructional strategies to enhance learning.
- Incorporate mechanisms for continuous feedback and improvement.
- Ensure all content is accessible to students with diverse needs and abilities meets all regulatory or accreditation standards.
- Provide technical support and troubleshooting for students and staff.

Quality Assurance
- Using insights from work done by the IDs, Lecturers, and developers, provide documented ongoing support and training during the design and development of modules for the LMS.
- Ensure design standards and project deadlines are met across multiple projects.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives and training for the instructional design and learning technologist teams.
- Ensure that new team members are properly trained and inducted and that their first work is carefully supervised.
- Respond directly to all quality issues identified or raised by users and escalate as required.

Improve the effectiveness of the LMS platform
- Support & guide IDs and faculties for effective use of the LMS.
- Improve the capacity of both in sound instructional design principles.
- Implement strategies, after evaluation & collaboration, to develop engaging, effective & appropriate modules, for required modes, programmes & associated disciplines.
- Develop the team’s capacity to work collaboratively with SMEs & HoPs.
- Conduct & encourage IDs to conduct relevant research that informs LMS-related practices, etc.
- Develop strategies to enhance user engagement and interaction