This presentation reports on the results of an on going study that looks at what instructional designers need to know and be able to do to get a job.

1. An analysis of what instructionalAn analysis of what instructional
designers need to know and be abledesigners need to know and be able
to do to get a jobto do to get a job
Patrick Lowenthal
Brent G. Wilson
Joanna C. Dunlap

2. Regis UniversityRegis University

3. To Dw orTo Dw or
Not to Dw?Not to Dw?
——now that is thenow that is the
questionquestion

4. Searching for AnswersSearching for Answers

5. ““Times They Are a Changin”Times They Are a Changin”

6. ComplicatedComplicated

7. There Are No Easy AnswersThere Are No Easy Answers

8. Do your students learn Dreamweaver?Do your students learn Dreamweaver?
How about Flash?How about Flash?

9. Do your students learn Dreamweaver?Do your students learn Dreamweaver?
How about Flash?How about Flash?

10. Job PostingsJob Postings

11. •Job postings: Chronicle, AECT,
Indiana Job Board, ISPI, ASTD
•Searched: “Instructional
Designers”
•Coded: Open coded  Coded
 Quantized
MethodMethod

12. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

13. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

14. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

15. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

16. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

17. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

18. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

19. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

20. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

21. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

22. General ID Experience—80%
Communication Skills—80%
Collaborate—78%
General Technical Skills—70%
Project Management—65%
Training / Presentation Experience—63%
Needs Assessment—53%
LMS—53%
Theory—50% (e.g., Adult Learning, ISD)
Team Player—48%
Results—Top 10Results—Top 10

23. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

24. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

25. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

26. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

27. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

28. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

29. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

30. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

31. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

32. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

33. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

34. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

35. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

36. General Technical Skills—70%
LMS—53%
Web development—45% (e.g., Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS)
MS Office—43%
Screencasting—38%
Graphic Manipulation—35%
Research New Tools/Pedagogies—33%
Flash—30%
Rapid Authoring—28% (e.g., Articulate, Lectora)
Audio / Video 28%
Web Conferencing—15% (e.g., Adobe Connect)
Programming 10% (e.g., PHP)
Social media / New Media 10%
Results—Top Tech. SkillsResults—Top Tech. Skills

37. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

38. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

39. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

40. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

41. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

42. 1.Web development: Listed only 45% of the time
2.Flash: Listed only 30% of the time
3.Rapid authoring tools: Listed almost as much as Flash
4.Continue focusing on communication (written and oral)
5.Need to provide more opportunities for: collaboration,
project management, and training/presentations
6.Surprises: No mention of mobile or virtual worlds and
very little mention of Web 2.0 / Social media
DiscussionDiscussion

43. 1. Little consensus on job titles
2. Job descriptions aren’t always accurate (need to
triangulate w/ other data)
3. No K-12 representation in job postings
4. Job board bias
5. Limited sample (size and duration)
LimitationsLimitations

44. ImplicationsImplications

45. Patrick R. Lowenthal
patrick.lowenthal@ucdenver.edu
twitter: @plowenthal
Brent G. Wilson
brent.wilson@ucdenver.edu
Joanna C. Dunlap
joni.dunlap@ucdenver.edu
twitter: @jonidunlap
Paper & Slides
www.slideshare.net/plowenthal
Contact UsContact Us