Keys to Choosing the Right Partner for Instructional Design

This post was authored by Nikki Hartley, Content Marketing Manager of Six Red Marbles. RNL and Six Red Marbles have partnered together to provide high quality instructional design for colleges and universities as part of RNL’s Graduate and Online Enrollment Solutions.

High-quality instructional design pays enormous dividends for colleges and universities. Having the right mix of programs and formats helps attract students to your institution. Creating engaging courses makes it more likely that students will complete those courses and retain what they have learned. And successful students help enhance the reputation of your programs—which strengthens your recruitment efforts.

However, for many institutions, creating high-quality courses and curricula at scale is not easy. It requires expertise and resources that institutions may not have. That’s why RNL has added Six Red Marbles as a partner, to provide an experienced provider for instructional design. Six Red Marbles is a forward-thinking educational solutions company with more than 30 years of commitment to innovation and excellence. We offer a comprehensive suite of solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of higher education institutions and continuing education providers. Our higher ed services include custom course design and modernization, consulting, LMS support and migration services, and our course prep solutions, all designed to create efficiencies for faculty and instructional designers.

It’s critical to produce learning experiences that align with how modern students want to learn

Strong instructional design results in high-quality courses that provide enriched learning and a dynamic student experience. Understanding the value of instructional design reveals how critical it is to create a unified approach at your institution. At Six Red Marbles, we prioritize the needs of learners while balancing the requirements of faculty and institutions. Our instructional design team excels at transforming complex educational content into meaningful learning experiences. Whether moving your courses online or creating blended programs, we help your students learn material in the most impactful way possible. By integrating instructional design, educational pedagogy, design thinking, learning science best practices, and UX/UI, we ensure every experience is created with the best interest of your learners in mind. This comprehensive approach gives your institution an edge over the competition, identifying and testing product risks early in the development cycle to avoid costly changes. By focusing on the product, the learner, and the learner’s peers and environment, we produce learning experiences that align with how modern students want to learn, helping institutions compete in the evolving educational marketplace.

Provide customization and flexibility to faculty

Flexibility and customization in course development are paramount for faculty members. Our instructional design team, many who have experience as higher education teachers, specializes in crafting high-quality online learning experiences tailored to meet the unique needs of your students and faculty.

Flexibility: We work with your faculty’s timelines and schedules, ensuring that our process accommodates their needs and constraints. Our team assists in finding the right balance between institutional requirements and what faculty members believe is best for their courses and learners. We provide support throughout the entire process, allowing faculty to focus on their core teaching responsibilities while we handle the heavy lifting.

Customization: Unlike one-size-fits-all solutions, we do not impose generic templates or rigid frameworks. Each course or program we develop is uniquely designed to meet the specific needs and goals of your institution. We collaborate closely with your faculty to ensure that every course reflects your institution’s vision and standards. Our approach involves leveraging the latest technology to optimize the learning experience and help faculty effectively integrate these tools into their teaching methods.

Look for higher education experts who truly understand great course design

One of the most important factors in choosing a partner for instructional design is having a team of professionals who have worked within higher education institutions and in collaboration with them. Our team brings that deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within higher education. We understand the academic environment, the specific needs and expectations of faculty members, and the importance of maintaining academic rigor while creating engaging and effective online courses.

Our higher education experience means that not only are we familiar with instructional design principles, but we also appreciate the nuances of academic culture, governance, and the diverse needs of students and educators. This insight enables us to create customized solutions that truly resonate with faculty and students alike, fostering a more impactful and enriching learning experience. This expertise is what allows us to deliver exceptional support and solutions that meet the evolving needs of higher education institutions.

Deliver engaging learning experiences

Effective instructional design needs to be learner-centered to ensure that every interaction is meaningful and memorable, tailored to the unique needs and preferences of your students. By blending pedagogy, creativity, and technology, we create dynamic and interactive course content. With a focus on creative instructional design and a deep understanding of learning science, our experts are dedicated to fostering growth, empowerment, and excitement in the learning process.

Uphold the highest standards of quality analysis

A strong learning experience requires consistency and excellence of educational materials. Our copyediting and quality analysis services are designed to meticulously review and refine every piece of content, ensuring it meets stringent criteria for accuracy, functionality, and effectiveness. From thorough proofreading to comprehensive review processes, we proactively identify and address potential errors, guaranteeing the quality of your educational materials. We also meticulously analyze every aspect of the content to ensure it aligns with educational standards and delivers an exceptional learning experience. This process maintains the integrity and reliability of your educational materials, ensuring they meet the highest standards and contribute to a superior learning experience for students.

Achieve speed to market

One of the biggest advantages of using a partner for instructional design is timely delivery of courses without compromising quality—and relieving faculty of that burden. Our development process is aligned with the academic semester as a default, ensuring that course materials are ready when needed. This alignment helps faculty members manage their schedules without feeling overwhelmed by requests for content and input. Our instructional designers can collaborate with faculty to provide input and direction, then handle the heavy lifting of course builds or course updates. Because of our extensive resources and ability to focus solely on instructional design, we can deliver new courses or updates in weeks. Entrusting us with your course updates also allows faculty members to reclaim valuable time and focus on other priorities, confident that their courses are in capable hands.

Ready to transform learning experiences? Let’s talk!

Whether you’re starting from scratch or wanting to improve existing offerings, our team of experienced instructional design professionals is ready to assist you. Let’s collaborate to bring your learning goals to life—innovatively and with impact. Reach out for a complimentary consultation and we will discuss how we can deliver high-quality instructional design that engages your students and aligns with your goals.