Improving Online Curriculum Design: Improving Online Curriculum Design Through Professional Instructional Designer and Subject Matter Expert Collaboration

Creating appropriate curriculum for online learning requires a new instructional regimen for Instructional Design staff and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Professional Instructional Design staff must be able to not only conceptualize vast amounts of information but also design courses using a student-centered approach with the overall goal of meeting the needs of the learner. Instructional Designers are often employed as part of a curriculum production team and must work in collaboration with SMEs. Investment in an Instructional Designer training program is a necessity in order to meet the demands and opportunities of the online learning environment. The Instructional Designer applies appropriate learning theory and technology, with established and emerging pedagogies to create effective course content. This study evaluated the partnership between SMEs and Instructional Designers to determine best practices related to curriculum development and the training requirements of Instructional Design staff. Understanding the roles of each and the collaboration necessary was instrumental to the development of the Instructional Designer training program.