Instructional Designer & Content Developer: Blended English

About the project

The British Council India’s myEnglish blended learning courses were launched in May 2015.  Courses are currently available in three cities and demand for courses is growing rapidly. There are six courses available at three levels of proficiency.  The courses are a blend of face-to-face classes, virtual online classes and guided online tasks. The courses are built around self-access material on LearnEnglish Pathways (a British Council general English self-access course). 

The British Council India blended learning team is about to implement a restructuring of the course material in order to provide three shorter courses at each proficiency level, and will be migrating the Virtual Learning Environment to a new platform (from Moodle to Thinking Cap). We also plan to pilot a course with no face-to-face element, as well as create a new course built around self-access material on LearnEnglish Select (a British Council business English self-access course) in preparation for the growth of our offer. 

We are seeking an instructional designer to refresh and revise our existing myEnglish course materials in readiness for the platform move and to design materials for the pilot courses. Materials will be designed in line with British Council Curriculum Framework guidelines and our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Framework, as well as meeting the brand and academic quality standards set by the team.

About the role

Proposed Fee: 250GBP per working day.

Duration: We estimate 40 working days for completion.  

Location: No travel to India is required for this role and you will liaise with the team remotely.

Main tasks: 

• Refresh existing learning programme design and materials for migration to a new platform by reviewing and updating tasks, online and face to face lesson plans and materials, trainer & student handbooks and other related course or training materials.
• Work with the academic and operations team to ensure designs meet syllabus and learning objectives and key success criteria.
• Design varied and engaging learning content to agreed processes and methodologies and incorporating a variety of digital solutions.
• Design a pilot for an existing B1-level course with face-to-face element removed.
• Design a pilot for a B1-level business English course which utilises LearnEnglish Select materials.
• Add completed materials to the new course platform and ensure these are ready for launch.
• Provide information sessions/training for the team on revised and pilot courses. 

Outcomes: 

• All materials for nine myEnglish courses at A2, B1 & B2 levels completed and added to the new course platform. 
• All materials for one pilot course at B1 level (with no face-to-face content) completed and added to the new course platform. 
• All materials for one pilot business English course at B1 level completed and added to the new course platform. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential 

• Cambridge ESOL Delta (or recognised equivalent) and substantial classroom English language teaching experience, including general and business English courses for adults. Experience of teaching / facilitating online or blended courses / digital learning.   
• Demonstrable instructional design experience. Samples / evidence should be available on request .
• Track record in successful writing of high-quality ELT materials that facilitate effective learning and are also engaging.  Experience of materials design for online / blended courses. If not commercially published, then other evidence of success required. Samples should be available on request 
• Track record in delivering quality work, as commissioned, to deadline and without close supervision.  To be confirmed by referees from within the British Council or wider ELT community .    
• Genuine interest in digital and blended learning. 

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of using HTML and CSS. Candidates with strong, demonstrable IT skills who are willing to learn these will also be considered. 

If you are interested, please send your CV tailored to the above requirements to: beth.caldwell@britishcouncil.org.

We are sure that for the right candidate, this project will be very interesting and a lot of fun!

We will reply to shortlisted applicants within five working days of the application deadline, and then arrange to view materials portfolio and for telephone interviews as required.