Learning Designer

Current Employees:
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Position Title:

Learning Designer
Job Category:
Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular
Job Profile:
Instructional & Media Designer

The Instructional & Media Designer plays a critical role in advancing student success by shaping high-quality online learning experiences that are meaningful, inclusive, and academically rigorous. The designer partners with faculty Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to translate disciplinary expertise into thoughtfully designed online courses and programs that support student engagement, persistence, and achievement. Grounded in learning theory, this role balances creativity with intentional design—bringing together pedagogical strategy, hands‑on course production, and instructional technology support.

Working within UWM Online's established development processes, quality standards, and supported technology tools, the designer supports courses from initial review to program launch, and throughout ongoing refresh cycles. Success in this role requires strong collaboration and communication skills, careful attention to detail, comfort working within defined timelines, and the ability to apply professional judgment, data, and feedback to continuously improve the online learning experience for students.

The role requires strong instructional design skills, proficiency with Canvas and instructional technologies, effective communication and collaboration with faculty, and the ability to manage multiple projects with accuracy and attention to detail. Candidates should apply data‑informed judgment, ensure consistent and high‑quality course materials, and demonstrate solid knowledge of accessibility standards including ADA, WCAG 2.1, and UDL.

• Collaborates with SMEs to design engaging learning experiences that align learning outcomes, assessments, learning activities, and course content.
• Identifies and curates instructional materials, prioritizing open educational resources (OER) when appropriate, and ensures proper licensing and attribution.
• Applies Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ADA, and WCAG standards to support accessibility and inclusive course design.
• Works effectively within structured, multi‑course development cycles, using UWM Online's established processes, structured templates, and quality standards.

• Builds faculty capacity by coaching instructors on effective online teaching strategies, student engagement approaches, assessment practices, and workload management.
• Assists faculty in organizing and refining course materials, including framing language, assignment prompts, and technical instructions.
• Partners with instructors to implement equitable and inclusive teaching approaches that promote student belonging and success.
• Maintains confidentiality of course materials and internal communications, adhering to FERPA requirements and demonstrating strong professional judgment.

• Meets regularly with SMEs to provide structured guidance and maintain development momentum.
• Manages workflow in Teams and Asana, tracking progress, documenting deliverables, and maintaining organized design records.
• Balances multiple courses simultaneously across development waves and communicates timelines, expectations, and project milestones clearly to SMEs and program partners.
• Ensures course development deadlines are met, anticipating challenges and escalating risks when needed.

• Builds clear, consistent, and student‑centered course materials in Canvas and related platforms.
• Creates and integrates multimedia and interactive components to support learning goals.
• Provides proofreading, editing, and consistency checks across all course materials to ensure clarity, accuracy, and alignment with templates.
• Troubleshoots instructional technologies and supports faculty in resolving technical issues during development and delivery.

• Conducts comprehensive online course reviews to evaluate quality standards including outcome…