Studio Services

The instructional design team can partner with you to complete several types of course designs, including:

• Full course design – developing a new course at UIC
• Full course redesign – an existing course that needs a complete redesign in the same modality or adapted for a new modality, for example, redesigning an in-person course for an online asynchronous course

• Partial course design – an existing course that needs one element redesigned, for example, adapting traditional papers and exams to authentic assessments.
• Course conversion – an existing course in Original Course View is adapted to Ultra Course View and a UIC course review is completed with recommendations for continuous quality improvements.

The instructional design team can provide you with a course review to support the continuous quality improvement of your curriculum, instruction, and course, including:

• UIC course review – developed as a synthesis of the other course and peer review tools. Instructors are provided with a report containing feedback and suggestions to improve course design based on the evaluation criteria.
• UIC continuous quality improvement review – developed to support instructors in reviewing and addressing collected feedback and data. Instructors are provided with a report analyzing the collected data with recommendations for improvement based on the data.

• Quality Matters internal self-review – a course review using the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric that does not lead to official QM certification. Instructors are provided with a PDF from Quality Matters self-review tool with evidence on how each standard is met or suggestions for meeting the standard if not met. You can also schedule a consultation with an instructional designer to guide you through using the tool for a self-review.
• Accessibility review – developed based on the POUR (perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust) principles of WCAG to evaluate the accessibility of course elements. Instructors are provided with a report containing suggestions for improving the accessibility of their course, as well as a statement of work detailing the hours needed to make the course site accessible.

Do you have an upcoming project that you would like instructional design or media production support on? The Studio offers part-time instructional design and media production support for short-term and long-term projects and we can partner with you to support your project weekly over a three, six, nine, or twelve month period.

Examples of projects include designing e-learning modules, storyboarding, designing scripts, producing videos, writing grant proposals, developing courses, training, instructional materials, and more.

During the selected time period, you can have an instructional designer or media production team member work on a project weekly for an average of ten to fifteen hours per week.

From basic to cutting edge, the video production team can partner with you to take the guesswork out of creating high quality innovative videos for your course. Recording options include:

• Basic – in-studio shoot with basic background, professional lighting, audio and teleprompter.
• Green screen – Allows instructors to superimpose themselves onto virtually any background, opening up endless possibilities for enhancing course videos.

• Lightboard – Unlike traditional whiteboards, which require turning away from the audience, Lightboards keep instructors visible and connected, fostering a more engaging, interactive environment. This tool is especially effective in subjects like math, engineering, and science, where instructors can solve problems or explain complex diagrams in real time.

The graphic design team can partner with you to produce several types of media elements, including:

• Infographics –  visual representations of information designed to simplify complex data and concepts, making it easier for learners to understand and retain material.
• Data visualization – enhances learning by simplifying complex data, highlighting patterns, and making abstract concepts more concrete, thereby improving comprehension and retention.

• Animation – This dynamic medium helps students understand and retain challenging material more effectively, supports various learning styles, and enhances comprehension and engagement across diverse topics.

Interactive media allow learners to engage actively with content, such as through quizzes, simulations, and interactive videos. By creating an immersive, hands-on learning experience, interactive media encourages deeper comprehension, retention, and application of concepts, making complex ideas more accessible and engaging.

It also supports personalized learning paths, allowing students to engage with material at their own pace and revisit concepts as needed.