We are committed to providing the highest quality of services and resources for our faculty and department partners. TXST Instructional Design Services provides course consultations with faculty to apply current research on learning and innovative teaching practices that support student-centered learning. An array of faculty development training and workshops and support for the design and effective use of active learning spaces, including training faculty on teaching with technology.

We Provide:

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Instructional Design Resources

Our Faculty Resource Hub is built to support you in every stage of online course design. Inside, you’ll find practical tools, templates, recordings, and handouts to help you enhance your teaching, explore technology solutions, and create engaging, accessible learning experiences.

Services For Online and Hybrid Faculty

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Consultations

Instructional Design Consultations are one-on-one, topic-focused sessions designed to support online and hybrid faculty with specific questions or challenges related to course design.  

Consultations are a great option when you're looking for expert feedback or targeted guidance, and they are scheduled based on Instructional Designer availability. Request a consultation below and an ID will get back to you within 48 hours. 

Consultation topics may include but are not limited to:

Course Review

Feedback using the Texas State Best Practice Checklist with actionable suggestions for improvement.

Accessibility

Guidance on improving course accessibility using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

Course Mapping

Support in aligning learning outcomes with materials, activities, and assessments.

Interactive Multimedia

Support creating engaging, interactive content and multimedia activities for your online course.

Assessments

Help designing effective formative and summative assessments aligned with outcomes.

OER Integration

Support developing and integrating OER learning materials within your online or hybrid course.

Active Learning Strategy

Advice for implementing strategies that promote student engagement in online settings.

Design Tool Support

Help using course design tools in Canvas such as DesignPLUS, TidyUP, and others.

📌 Please note: Please note: ID Consultations are designed as “guide-on-the-side” support. We provide guidance on best practices, design strategies, and tools, along with tutorials, resources, and feedback to help you move your work forward.
Course design and build support are not included, allowing our team to support more instructors through flexible, focused consultations.

Instructor leading a class in front of students

Faculty Professional Development

Instrucional Design Services offers faculty professional development for online and hybrid faculty, including the Teaching Online @ Texas State Certification course and the annual Summer Institute. You can also request group training and professional development on instructional design topics such as Accessibility, Active Learning Online, Course Mapping, and Instructor Presence. 

Online Proctoring

Using online proctoring adds a layer of security to distance and hybrid courses while allowing students to take tests outside a classroom or testing space.

student taking a test on the floor next to laptop
instructor giving a lecture in front of a chalkboard. A camera sits on the desk filming her

Teaching Continuity Guide

Situations may arise that might require faculty to temporarily offer some of their class online with minimal notice including a campus closure or absenteeism (faculty or a significant number of students) during illness or emergency. This guide is designed to provide a starting place for making this transition quickly if necessary and to make some recommendations in case faculty would like to anticipate a need and make advance preparations.

Award for Excellence

The Award for Excellence in Online Teaching

Nominations will be accepted for the Award for Excellence in Online Teaching beginning on March 31, 2026. Learn more about this annual award and nominate yourself for the 2027 award!

Golden Trophy

THE BEST PRACTICES CHECKLIST

The Best Practices Checklist for Online & Hybrid Courses must be completed for every distance learning course by each faculty member who teaches the course.

Services For Academic Departments

Course Design & Development

Our team partners with academic departments to support the design and development of online, hybrid, and correspondence courses. Instructional Designers work closely with faculty Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to ensure each course is aligned with best practices in pedagogy, accessibility, and student engagement. 

We provide a comprehensive, systematic design process that includes course mapping, assessment planning, accessibility review, and support for implementing effective learning strategies in digital environments. 

We are currently supporting large-scale course development through the Accelerated Online Programs (AOP) initiative. Departments participating in AOP can find resources, timelines, and support materials in our AOP Administrative Portal. 

📌 Please note: Course development projects require advanced scheduling and approval from the Director of Instructional Design Services. Due to the high volume of ongoing development, we recommend reaching out as early as possible to discuss availability and timelines. 

If your department is planning to launch a new program or transition existing courses to online or hybrid delivery, we’d love to collaborate. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your goals. 

various design tools laid around a worktable