What Do Instructional Designers Actually Do? Defining Our Role through Professional Communities of Practice

As learning designers, how do we cope with the barrage of conflicting demands on our time? According to recent research, many instructional designers feel at once overwhelmed and alone, isolated and trying to define a newly emerging role with a lack of local support. Cue ID2ID, a professional community of practice (CoP) facilitated by ELI and Penn State. This opportunity has fostered interinstitutional professional growth and development. We'll share our experience in this remote professional community and draw on your expertise too, so we can each better define our role and be more effective in our work.

Outcomes: Examine CoPs across institutions as instruments for developing professional expertise * Engage in a discussion about how you can apply the lessons learned to your own professional development * Share expertise between and among session participants