Instructional coordinators typically need at least five years of experience working as a teacher or as a principal, and some employers require experience teaching a certain grade level or academic subject.
Instructional coordinators must be excellent communicators and have strong interpersonal skills in order to gather information and explain proposed changes in curriculum to teachers, principals, school board members, and others. They also need good analytical skills (to assess existing programs, student test data, and teaching strategies), decision-making abilities (to make the best, evidence-based decisions regarding changes to curriculums, textbooks, and teaching methods), and organizational skills (to effectively collect and assess large amounts of information to help them make decisions). Other important traits include good teaching, time-management, and project management skills; creativity and imagination; and a willingness to continue to learn throughout one’s career.
Depending on the employer, instructional coordinators may need to be proficient in the following software:
- computer-based training software: Adobe Captivate, Articulate Studio, Moodle
- database user interface and query software: especially Blackboard software and Structured query language, but also Oracle software
- desktop publishing software: especially Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Publisher, but also Adobe FrameMaker
- graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Flash and Photoshop, as well as Microsoft Visio
- spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Adapted Physical Education Specialists
- Adult and Vocational Education Teachers
- Art Teachers
- Athletic Directors
- Biophysicists
- Book Editors
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- College Administrators
- College Professors
- Community Nutrition Educators
- Computer Trainers
- Cooking Instructors
- Curriculum Coordinators
- Dance School Owners and Managers
- Distance Learning Coordinators
- Driving School Owners and Instructors
- Education Directors and Museum Teachers
- Edupreneurs
- Elementary School Teachers
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Environmental Education Program Directors
- Flight Instructors
- Guidance Counselors
- Health Educators
- Instructional Designers
- Journalism Teachers
- Learning Innovations Designers
- Library and Information Science Instructors
- Mathematics Teachers
- Music Teachers
- Nursing Instructors
- Physical Education Teachers
- Political Scientists
- Preschool Teachers
- Real Estate Educators
- School Administrators
- School Nurses
- Secondary School Teachers
- Special Education Teachers
- Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
- Teacher Aides
- Tutors and Trainers