Instructional Designer for Practical Problem Solving Course (Cognitive Psychology background pref.)

Job Description
Instructional Designer - Practical Problem Solving

Foundry College (foundrycollege.org), a new type of two-year college, is designed to educate working adults to fill in-demand jobs by teaching skills and knowledge that are valued by employers and unlikely to be automated in the foreseeable future. Foundry College seeks a Ph.D.s in cognitive science or related field to develop a course in Practical Problem Solving.  Foundry College courses are innovative online courses taught in a synchronous manner. All courses are competency-based, and each 90-minute class session includes a mixture of lecture and active learning exercises. Foundry is also seeking faculty to teach these courses beginning in January 2019. 

Applicants should be passionate about education and excited about Foundry's unique online format, science-based teaching methods, and commitment to giving every student the best possible chance of success. Applicants should also have expertise in a relevant field, experience teaching, have excellent communication skills, be open to new ways of teaching, and be flexible and adaptable as the curriculum and pedagogy continue to evolve. 

Responsibilities:

I. Create detailed lesson plans for 90-minute class sessions. Lesson plans are developed as Google Slide decks. Each plan contains:

• On average, 30 minutes of slides that constitute a lecture, with detailed Presenter Notes beneath each slide. This lecture focuses on conveying particular practical skills and knowledge, as specified in the syllabus.
• Polls, which are inserted into the lecture in order to keep students engaged.
• Breakout Groups (of 2 – 8 students, as appropriate) following the lecture, during which active learning (e.g., debates, role play, group problem solving) occurs.
• A 10-minute quiz at the end of class, which assesses how well students learned the material presented in class.

The Instructional designer is responsible for all aspects of the lesson plan, including the quiz.

II. Meet weekly with the faculty team who are developing courses

III. Iterate on each lesson plan with an Editor, who will help ensure that the lesson plans are clear and comprehensive.

Practical Problem Solving: Course Goals

Humans are born problem solvers. When we see a gap between our desires and reality, we find a way to close the gap. Of course, we aren’t perfect, and some problems are easier to solve than others. However, by refining our approach to problems, we can better equip ourselves to solve them no matter where they pop up. In this course you will learn a set of simple techniques that you can use in real-world situations to find and feel confident in your solutions. The course will be designed to teach students:

1. how to characterize problems and plan an approach;
2. a set of strategies to help students see many possible solutions to a problem;
3. a set of techniques that will help students narrow down the possible solutions to a problem;
4. how to know when you've reached the most appropriate solution

Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. in a relevant field.
• At least two years teaching experience, some online preferred.
• Open to new ideas; adaptable.
• Highly organized and responsible.
• High energy and entrepreneurial spirit.

How to Apply:

• Please submit your cover letter, resume, work sample, and three references to careers@foundrycollege.org when applying and reference the role you are applying for in the subject line.