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My Goals as a Learning Designer

 Why I’m Here

    After 16 years in K-12 education, I have seen how powerful thoughtfully designed learning experiences can be, especially when technology is integrated with purpose. I now want to play a larger role in shaping and creating experiences that reach a broader audience of diverse learners in the higher education setting.

    Throughout the LDT program at ASU I have learned that designing instruction is foundationally grounded in systematic processes that encompass creativity, technology, empathy, and learning theories. Delivering effective and equitable learning experiences is my main objective as I enter the learning design field. The field incorporates a broad array of disciplines such as design thinking, media production, data analysis, psychology, and many others (Wagoner, n.d). The depth of the profession is deep, this both excites and challenges me, to explore and discover, as I work toward being able to design effective learning experiences.

    As I embark on my journey as a learning designer, I have identified three different goals that are time bound, relevant, and important to my professional identity and development over time.

Short-Term Goal:

    By the end of this course, I will be able to apply a systematic instructional design approach to deliver an effective learning experience. I understand ADDIE and have used backward design throughout my career. Through this course I plan to take it a step further by working with a team of my peers to apply an instructional design model to solve an instructional problem while documenting design decisions, communicating effectively, and articulating rationales behind each design decision and the subsequent implementation of instruction.

    The achievement of this goal will provide a strong foundation for my career as a learning designer. As an educator working in the public-school sector, I have always planned lessons with the end result in mind. As an instructional designer I will do the same, but at a higher more impactful level that reaches a broader audience of learners. Through data driven objectives, research, and cyclical iteration, I will gain the experience and knowledge needed to engage learners in measurable, adaptive, and inclusive learning experiences.

    To achieve this goal, I will engage in course activities with a team of my peers to apply a design model in a simulated context. I will also read the literature provided throughout the course to attain a well-rounded view of the history of the profession, the responsibilities of learning designers and the skill sets needed to be effective. As my journey continues, I will use my blog to document my experience through thoughtful reflection and to showcase my work for future employment. My mentors for this goal will be my course instructors and my peers. Through their help and feedback, I will gain the skills needed to design effective instructional materials.

Midpoint Goal:

    By the midpoint of the LDT program I will have expanded my technical skills to be proficient in creating instructional videos, audio communications, and in creating interactive multimedia-based learning experiences. In conjunction with this I will also gain an understanding of a variety learning management systems (LMS).

    Effective instructional design encompasses the use of multiple modalities. My goal is to move from a platform user to a creator who uses the platform to deliver instructional materials to achieve learning objectives. I want to build a portfolio that highlights my skills, shows confidence, and makes me competitive in the job market.

    To attain this goal I will complete all of my course assignments and experiment with designing experiences using authoring tools available to me. I will share what I have created with my instructors and peers and gain the feedback needed to improve. Mentors for this goal will include eLearning developers such as Jutta Treviranus and Valerie Landau who have impacted the profession with their work designing and implementing accessible and inclusive learning. By studying what they have done, I will apply the principles they have instituted to my work. These professionals, serve as a model that will offer me guidance as I strengthen my portfolio throughout the LDT program.

Long-Term Goal:

    Upon completion of the program I will gain employment in a higher education setting. As an instructional designer I will work to create inclusive, data driven learning experiences that are inclusive and effective. I will combine my life’s work as an empathetic and creative educator with the skills learned throughout the LDT program to produce effective evidence-based outcomes for the university I work for.

    Throughout my teaching career I have worked with a diverse range of learners such as students with IEPs, English language learners, and students with social and emotional challenges. I know how design decisions, like clarity of instructions and accessibility of materials, can either open or close doors. As a learning designer I will work to create experiences that provide pathways to opportunities.

    To achieve this goal, I will continue to use and implement Universal Design Principles. I will learn how to use learning analytics to improve outcomes in the online and blended learning modalities, like that found in higher education. I will also seek to work with a university that is focused on equitable educational access which aligns with my professional passions and values.

    I will meet mentors as I secure employment. I will learn from the people I work with and ask for their feedback to continuously improve. I will learn from their experience while gaining my own experience to eventually mentor others. It is my firm belief that collaborative work procures greater, more effective, outcomes.

Looking Ahead

    As I reflect on my current journey, I see the transformation happening. I am in the process of redefining and refining how I think about learning and instruction. The field of learning design has transformed from instruction driven materials to a more learner centered focus (Reiser, 2001). The field is exciting, and I want to grow and contribute to it. My goals build upon one another to procure the skills needed to create, implement, and analyze results effectively. As Wagoner (n.d.) noted, today’s learning designer must possess many skills and be proficient in many ways. This challenge not only excites me but will allow me to broaden my impact as an educator. As a learning designer working in higher education, I will design and collaborate to create inclusive, accessible, learning experiences that improve engagement and reduce barriers for marginalized learners.

References

Reiser, R. A. (2001). A history of instructional design and technology: Part II: A history of instructional design. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(2), 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02504928

 Wagner, E. D. (n.d.). Becoming a Learning Designer. A Course Reader for Learning Experience Design, 3–15. https://edtechbooks.org/eme_6606/learning_designer

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