Part-Time Instructional Designer and Course Developer

Title:Part-Time Instructional Designer and Course Developer

Department:The Orto Center

Reports To:Assistant Dean for The Orto Center

Internal Contacts:Orto Center & MSM staff; faculty & students

External Contacts:Instructure/Canvas LMS;
Educational Technology Vendors and Support;
Subject Matter Experts, Guest Artists, Course Authors

Employment Status:Part-time;
Non-exempt

Salary Range:$45-50/hour; approximately 20 hours per week

Position Summary:

This position's primary focus is the design, build, and media production of online and largely asynchronous courses for all MSM online programs, including the BFA Online and Global Conservatoire. Course-building and video work is produced on-site at the Orto Center studio.

• Serve as the primary builder for online courses, including new course construction, term-over-term updates, and ongoing maintenance in Canvas.
• Produce and edit course video and multimedia in the Orto Studio, maintaining a consistent visual look and feel across courses that supports the school's brand and can be repurposed for online promotion.
• Design asynchronous learning experiences for students the instructor may never meet live, applying online-specific engagement, pacing, and accessibility strategies.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Dean for The Orto Center on course-effectiveness evaluation, distance-learning research (e.g., policy, accreditation, curriculum standards, intellectual property, emerging technologies), and program-level design priorities.

The following domains are shared by both Instructional Designer positions in the Orto Center. Both roles are built on the same core so that either Instructional Designer can support the other's work when needed.

• Work with faculty, subject matter experts, and course authors to design, organize, and implement high-quality, interactive, and innovative course delivery.
• Develop multimedia learning assets (video, interactive content, assessments) that enhance student engagement, accessibility, and learning outcomes.
• Administer and optimize course delivery within the learning management system (Canvas), including course builds, quality assurance, and troubleshooting.
• Evaluate course effectiveness through data, student feedback, and quality standards (e.g., Quality Matters), and implement continuous improvements to design and delivery.
• Develop educational resources and conduct training sessions, workshops, and one-on-one consultations with faculty to promote effective teaching strategies and improve student learning experiences.
• Apply and disseminate various pedagogical and andragogical learning theories, instructional design models (e.g., ADDIE, Backwards Design, and Universal Design for Learning), assessment design principles, and best practices in innovative education modalities.
• In collaboration with the Assistant Dean for The Orto Center, research, evaluate, and recommend new and cutting-edge instructional technology tools to integrate into existing platforms to achieve optimal student learning outcomes.
• Serve on various institutional working groups related to blended learning development, accreditation, and other digital learning initiatives and faculty professional development.

• Perform regular assessment of student and faculty use of instructional technology systems to improve their use, implementation, and efficacy.
• Participate in interdepartmental collaboration with Information Technology and the Office of the Registrar as it relates to registration and course and term management in Canvas.

• Provide coverage and support across both online course development and on-campus instructional support as assigned, so that either Instructional Designer can step in for the other during absences, peak periods, or shifting priorities.

• Undergraduate degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, or its equivalent, and at least two years of relevant work experience.
• A successful record of supporting faculty engagement with learning management systems (Canvas LMS preferred) and designing courses at the college level.
• Successful…