UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries’ Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), in collaboration with instructional design and learning design partners across the University, is launching CORE: Career Ownership, Recognition and Elevation for Instructional Designers. CORE is a new professional development workshop series designed specifically to invest in and strengthen the skills of instructional designers in higher education.
“CORE places instructional designers at the center of their own professional development,” said Marilyn Goodrich, TLT instructional designer and CORE planning team leader. "The series is designed to create intentional space for participants to build their expertise, strengthen their professional identity, and develop skills that directly support their growth and impact within higher education institutions.”
The multi-session program brings together instructional designers, learning experience designers, educational technologists and related professionals to explore topics such as career development, professional identity, collaboration, emerging technologies, inclusive design, leadership and scholarly contribution.
At its foundation, CORE is structured around four dimensions of professional growth: career development, ownership of professional expertise, recognition of impact, and elevation of practice and the profession.
A committee of four instructional design and teaching and learning professionals led by Goodrich were involved in the development of the program. She noted that CORE was intentionally designed to “create dedicated, ongoing opportunities for instructional designers to invest in themselves, build confidence in their expertise, and strengthen the skills that support both their individual careers and their contributions to teaching and learning across the University.”
CORE is intended to complement existing professional development opportunities while establishing a sustained space for instructional designers to grow their skills, connect with peers, and continue developing throughout their careers.
Sessions will be delivered virtually via Zoom, supporting participation across Penn State campuses and units. To encourage authentic dialogue and active engagement, sessions will not be recorded.
Registration for CORE sessions is now open. The program is free to participants, though advance registration is required for individual sessions. The first workshop will be held on Sept. 14, and participants are encouraged to register by Sept. 9. A full schedule of workshops and session descriptions will be available at launch.
For more information or questions about CORE, contact Marilyn Goodrich at mag313@psu.edu.