Instructional communication is used in numerous professions from teaching to healthcare and more. Careers that focus on interactions in instructional contexts would benefit from a professional with an instructional communication background. This certificate complements many graduate degrees including both our library science program and our information communication technology program.
The graduate certificate can be completed with 12 hours of course work in specific instructional communication courses while completing either the library science or information communication technology programs. The certificate consists of four courses and each course also counts towards either the 36 credit hour library science or information communication technology programs. You will not need to complete extra hours to earn the certificate.
Instructional communication is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. 97% of academic librarian positions require some form of instruction. In the corporate world, instructional communication is valuable when onboarding and training new employees. The graduate certificate can help set you apart from other applicants. Instructional communication can be a valuable skill in any workplace and especially when instruction is required.
For more information about the certificate, contact the Certificate Director Anthony Limperos. For more information about instructional communication and research, click here.
Recommended Certificate Courses for LIS and ICT Graduate Students
This course blends three disciplines including pedagogy, educational and cognitive psychology and communication. Students will critique various communication and instructional models, plan for and deliver instruction both in-person and computer-aided venues, learn various methods for assessing teaching and learning and discuss the managerial and political aspects of instructional delivery and thinking.
Teaching and learning now incorporate a variety of technologies, ranging from supplementing traditional lectures to holding classes online with students across the world. This course marries traditional areas of concern for instructional communication and technology to explore the landscape of teaching and learning.
This course examines video, board and roleplaying games as activities that involve literacy practices. You will learn how to think about literacy practices beyond just reading and writing and how to evaluate the design of a game. Building on these skills, you will then learn how to identify the literacy practices associated with meaningful games, meaningful game contexts and game design activities for youth and/or adults. Practical considerations for using games in libraries and other contexts will also be addressed.
How people learn has implications for how learning environments should be designed. This course examines theories of informal learning - primarily drawing upon research from the sociocultural tradition of learning and human development - and considers how they can be practically implemented into information organization contexts. Being grounded in a sociocultural tradition means that this class will center issues of equity, diversity and justice as they relate to the organization and design of information organization contexts and settings (e.g., libraries, museums, youth programs, new media centers, non-profit organizations). For example, how do issues of culture and learning inform the development of afterschool literacy programs in public libraries or maker spaces in school libraries, especially those that serve predominantly minoritized communities? By gaining a deep understanding of how people learn across their lifespan, students will be able to consider how to create a community of learners in a range of settings in which people from various backgrounds participate. Topics covered include issues related to culture and cognition, identity development, adult-youth partnerships, access to/relationships with new digital media and design thinking.
