The role
The Learning Designer is responsible for the end-to-end development of high-quality online course content for four specific high school subjects: English FAL, Afrikaans HL, Design, and Consumer Studies.
Using an in-house course builder tool, the Learning Designer will transform curriculum requirements into engaging, pedagogically sound, and learner-centered digital modules. This role sits at the heart of the production workflow: you will build the content, collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to ensure technical accuracy, and perform the final quality polish to ensure materials are ready for student release.
The ideal candidate has a strong grasp of the South African high school curriculum, experience in digital content creation, and the ability to work at pace to meet end-of-year deadlines.
Key responsibilities
Course Content Development
- Build comprehensive digital learning modules for English FAL, Afrikaans HL, Design, and Consumer Studies using the internal course builder tool.
- Translate curriculum outcomes into logical Learning Design Plans, activities, and assessments.
- Ensure all content follows agreed templates, brand voice, and pedagogical standards.
- Develop instructional text, formative activities, and summative assessments that are age-appropriate and support learner progression.
Collaboration and Quality Excellence
- Hand over developed content to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for technical and accuracy reviews.
- Integrate SME feedback efficiently to correct inaccuracies while maintaining instructional integrity.
- Conduct final "quality for release" checks, ensuring the student experience is seamless, error-free, and visually clear.
- Ensure that course materials are suitable for fully online delivery and do not rely on unsupported facilitator intervention.
Pedagogical Application
- Apply learning science principles, including scaffolding, retrieval practice, and appropriate cognitive load management.
- Select and integrate multimedia elements (images, video, tables) that meaningfully enhance understanding.
- Ensure the reading level and pacing are appropriate for high school learners in the specific subject areas.
Key deliverables
- Fully developed course modules for all four assigned subjects within the Sep–Dec timeframe.
- Completed Learning Design Plans and assessment structures.
- Refined content iterations following SME feedback.
- Final, student-ready versions of all course materials signed off for release.
- Regular progress reporting against development milestones.
In Scope
The QA Learning Designer is responsible for:
- Content authoring and building within the in-house tool.
- Initial pedagogical structuring and sequencing.
- Reviewing and implementing SME feedback.
- Final quality assurance (QA) for student-readiness.
- Subject-specific alignment (English, Afrikaans, Design, Consumer Studies).
Out of Scope
The QA Learning Designer is not responsible for:
- Serving as the primary Subject Matter Authority (SMEs provide the final accuracy stamp).
- Line management of SMEs.
- Platform/Moodle technical backend maintenance.
- Marketing or commercial strategy for the courses
Skills and experience required
Essential knowledge and experience
- Fixed-Term Availability: Must be available for the full duration of the contract (September – December 2026).
- Learning Design Proficiency: Strong understanding of learning design and pedagogical best practices in a high school context.
- Digital Content Creation: Proven experience developing online learning materials or using course-authoring tools/CMS.
- Language Proficiency: High level of competency in English and Afrikaans (written and verbal) to develop language-specific content.
- Technical Adaptability: Ability to quickly master new in-house software and AI-supported development workflows.
- Detail Orientation: An eagle eye for grammar, formatting, and logical flow.
Desirable knowledge and experience
- A degree in Education, Linguistics, or Instructional Design.
- Experience in the South African secondary education sector beneficial.
- Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Moodle.
Key attributes
- Deadline-Driven: Able to manage a high-volume workload within a strict 4-month window.
- Collaborative: Comfortable taking constructive feedback from SMEs and turning it into better content.
- Proactive: Raises risks or blockers early to ensure delivery timelines stay on track.
- Independent: Capable of working with limited supervision once trained on the internal tool.
What success looks like
- All four subject courses are fully built and ready for release by December 2026.
- SMEs report that the content built is accurate and follows the curriculum closely.
- The final student-facing product is polished, engaging, and requires no further "clean-up" after the contract ends.
- Development milestones are met consistently without compromising on pedagogical quality.
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