Gateway Launches Three Certificates as Part of New Instructional Design Program

Gateway Community & Technical College is launching three certificates as part of a revolutionary new Instructional Design and Learning Technologies (IDL) program currently under development at the college. Registration for the new certificates and the Spring 2013 semester, which begins Jan. 14, are currently under way.

The certificates include Foundations of Instructional Design, Instructional Facilitation and eLearning Developer. The three are the first offerings in an IDL program being developed under a $4.9 million federal Department of Labor grant in partnership with Covington's TiER1 Performance Solutions.

When fully implemented, the IDL program will be the first of its kind at the associate degree level in the nation, according to Josh Heinrich, program coordinator.

Instructional design focuses on systems, methods and technologies used to deliver information and instruction, Heinrich said. This is a growing field that offers high-skill, high-demand and high-wage jobs related to the information technology industry.

An instructional designer designs and develops learning experiences that integrate skills in writing, web design, graphics, collaboration, and planning with the knowledge of how people learn. Employers are seeking people who can develop instructional materials and products, assist in technology-based course design, coordinate educational content and incorporate current technologies into learning systems for the 21st century, Heinrich said.

Job opportunities related to instructional design include distance learning coordinator, instructional coordinator, multimedia artist/animator, and training and development specialists.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates a 22 percent increase in demand for these jobs in Kentucky by 2018, to more than 2,500 jobs, Heinrich said. Kentucky's median annual wage for such jobs ranges from $45,000 to $63,000 a year. As an instructional designer, a new graduate can expect to earn $30,000 to $35,000 a year directly out of Gateway's IDL program.

The new Gateway IDL certificates are industry-recognized and were created with industry experts to ensure that student classroom experiences mirror what he or she will be doing in the field, Heinrich added.

By law, Gateway credits can be transferred to any public four-year university in Kentucky. This means our associate-degree program, when fully launched, will dovetail perfectly with bachelors degree programs offered by four-year universities, such as those at Northern Kentucky University's College of Informatics.

Gateway is currently enrolling students in the new IDL certificate classes. For information about the IDL program, contact Josh Heinrich at (859) 815-7794 or email GW-IDL@kctcs.edu. For general enrollment information, call (859) 441-4500 and select the Admissions option. To apply online to become a Gateway student, visit http://www.gateway.kctcs.edu/Admissions/How_to_Apply.aspx.