Instructional Design

"[I]nstructional design refers to the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation. An instructional designer is like an engineer. Both plan their work based on principles that have been successful in the past - the engineer on the laws of physics, and the designer on basic principles of instruction and learning." Smith, P.L., & Ragan, T.J. (2005). Instructional Design. New York: Wiley.

The "Evidence-Based Instructional Design Strategies Program" at the USC Libraries aims to leverage best practices from the education research literature to maximize the effectiveness of information literacy and research instruction at the USC Libraries. Each moth librarians from multiple areas of subject expertise come together in a collaborative environment for an "Instructional Design Conversation," where a particular pedagogical strategy is discussed, and applications to the information literacy instructional context are considered. 

These Instructional Design Conversations are based on an original infographic created by USC's Instructional Design and Assessment Librarian and sent out to all library staff at the beginning of each month of the academic year. Several examples of these instructional design infographics are available below. 

For questions about Instructional Design at the USC Libraries, please contact Kevin Klipfel, Instructional Design and Assessment Librarian, (213) 740-1700, kklipfel@usc.edu