"Instructional designers in higher education face the challenge of being increasingly visible, yet often misunderstood. Their responsibilities and level of authority vary widely across institutions--and sometimes within the same institution. In Mentoring Instructional Designers in Higher Education, Drs. Rae Mancilla and Barbara Frey have assembled a cadre of experts who provide an ideal balance of research-based foundations and case studies from post-secondary institutions across the country. This book is rich in models and strategies that can provide inspiration and practical guidance for the development of onboarding, peer mentoring, communities of practice, and professional development programs for instructional designers and other professionals. Anyone who oversees instructional design, human resources, or professional development, will find a wealth of actionable ideas within these pages."-- Anthony Piña, Ed.D., Chief Online Learning Officer, lllinois State University "At a moment when higher education's expansion into online and hybrid learning has outpaced the support structures available to those who design it, Mentoring Instructional Designers in Higher Education arrives as both timely and necessary. Mancilla and Frey have curated a collection that reframes mentorship not as a soft amenity, but as critical infrastructure for institutional capacity-building. The blend of empirical research, frameworks, and reproducible models makes this volume immediately leverageable. Administrators can use it to justify investment; directors can adapt the onboarding and Communities of Practice models, and designers themselves gain language for advocating their professional development needs. This is essential reading."-- Morris Thomas, Ph.D., MBA, PMP, Wiley University, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs "For those looking to up-their-game when it comes to online learning in higher education, this is the book for them. Rae Mancilla and Barbara Frey have assembled an impressive collection of scholars to address a crucial topic—mentoring in instructional design. This assembly of theory, empirical research, and reports from practice provides readers with an invaluable resource; anyone concerned with how instructional designers can be supported in their work through improved mentoring will find something of interest."-- Jason K. McDonald, Professor, Brigham Young University, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Applied Instructional Design"Instructional designers occupy a unique place in the higher education landscape—one that is critical to the success of our faculty and students alike. Mentoring Instructional Designers in Higher Education offers deeply-needed insights, strategies, and practical takeaways for the mentorship of higher education instructional designers, with an eye toward helping all of us thrive. From early career designers to seasoned design leaders, this is a critical resource to equip yourself and others for effective mentorship, informed by rigorous research and wisdom earned through experience. A must-read!"-- Jason Drysdale, Ed.D., University of Colorado, Director of Program DevelopmentEndorsement 5"As a veteran instructional designer (ID) of 20 years, I believe this is the book our global ID community has desired for many years. It is the first book to focus on the theory and practice of mentoring design professionals through a systematic understanding and application of a sustainable, cost-effective mentoring ecosystem. Mancilla and Frey provide a comprehensive review of research on mentoring models, sharing evidence-based practices and inspiring success stories. It is a book written by IDs for IDs—a great resource and practical guide for design professionals, administrators, and talent development professionals, as well as faculty and students of instructional design and technology programs in higher education."-- Yunhong “Tom” Tu, Ed. S., M.Ed., Florida Instructional Designer Network/Florida Virtual Campus"Instructional designers are the architects of online learning, yet their own professional development has long been left to chance. This essential volume changes that. Moving well beyond theory, it offers practitioners, administrators, and scholars a wealth of real programs, reproducible frameworks, and case studies from higher education contexts, all spanning peer mentoring, communities of practice, onboarding models, and research-informed evaluation. Whether you are launching a mentoring initiative or strengthening an existing one, this is an indispensable guide for building the culture of mentoring and instructional design that higher education urgently needs."-- Jenna Linskens, EdD, CETL, Ithaca College, Director, Center for Instructional Design & Educational Technology"As instructional design has evolved into a more strategic, visible, and consequential function in higher education, the need to intentionally develop those who do this work has never been greater. This timely volume reframes mentoring as a core function of the field, positioning instructional designers not just as support staff, but as mentors, leaders, and agents of institutional and educational change. Drawing on both structured programs and cross-institutional networks, it shows how mentoring can be intentionally designed, scaled, and sustained to support the growth of instructional designers and strengthen the profession. Taken together, these contributions offer an important and practical perspective on the continued evolution of the instructional design role."-- MJ Bishop, Chair Quality Matters Board of Directors"Once a profession quietly working behind the scenes, instructional designers (IDs) are now visible and essential collaborators in successful institutional digital learning strategy and implementation. As early career IDs step into the practice, they can face the daunting tasks of navigating institutional culture, mastering complex collaborations, and bridging the gap from theory to practice. Too often, designers find themselves having to figure things out in isolation because coaching and mentorship have not necessarily been purposeful activities. Mancilla and Frey directly address this challenge by providing actionable frameworks, strategies and recommendations to support IDs throughout their career lifecycle, recognizing that while our field is continuously shaped by emerging technologies, it remains at its core a human-centric profession where practitioners thrive best through supportive communities of practice and sustained, intentional professional growth."-- Donna Petherbridge, North Carolina State University, Vice Provost for DELTA"As institutions scale learning in response to shifts like AI-driven curriculum transformation, I’m seeing firsthand how instructional design teams need to grow in both capacity and capability. This book offers practical, scalable approaches to mentoring and professional development—helping leaders build adaptable teams that can meet evolving workforce and learner needs."-- Camille Funk, Utah Valley University, Senior Director Professional and Executive Education"Instructional designers play a pivotal role in advancing quality and rigor in online learning. Their work looks different across institutions—shaped by mission, structure, and culture—but the need for thoughtful mentorship is universal. Developing instructional designers through intentional guidance, reflection, and community not only supports individual careers but also elevates course quality and organizational capacity. I welcome the attention this volume brings to mentorship in instructional design and the practical considerations it surfaces for cultivating thriving ID teams and communities of practice."-- Shannon Riggs, M.A., Assistant Vice President for Digital Learning, Oregon State University Ecampus
