Learning Design & Technology - Competency Based Portfolio

All artifacts are accessible through download at the bottom of each reflection. Note that it may ask you to rename the file upon download.

Challenge #1: Comply with organizational and professional codes of ethics

Artifact: Plagarism Certificate 

Reflection:

As part of the Master of Science in Education in Learning and Technology program at Purdue University, I was required to complete a plagiarism course. The course discussed the importance of avoiding plagiarizing as students, recognizing plagiarism and shared best practices on how to detect plagiarism through a series of tutorials. To proceed in the course, it was imperative that I passed and received the plagiarism certificate, which I am glad that I did. As part of challenge one I am going to share my artifact which is my plagiarism certificate. Following a Code of Ethics is important not only as an Instructional Designer but in any role and in any profession. A Code of Ethics is a guiding document that brings awareness and helps professionals understand how to behave or conduct themselves under a specific set of and generally non-negotiable rules or guidelines. A Code of Ethics may differ by type of industry, field, or job. As a working professional with over five plus years of experience, I have read and obliged to many “Code of Conduct” policies in the organizations where I have worked. A “Code of Conduct” or Code of Ethics is widely enforced by many organizations to ensure good behavior and conduct in the workplace. 

How Following a Code of Ethics Affects my Decision-Making Process in Instructional Design/Other Aspects of my Work

There are several ways in which following a Code of Ethics affects my decision-making processes in instructional design: 

• Designing with the user experience in mind: By adhering to a Code of Ethics, I must design content that fosters a positive and seamless user experience. This means both respecting and understanding that all learners learn differently and may require certain experiences to make learning more accessible to them. Developing accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning experiences are some ways in which I can develop content that will equally benefit all learners.

• Respect for diversity and perspectives: By adhering to a Code of Ethics, I must design content that applies to all learners. The audience is very crucial – can they relate or understand the content? Knowing the language preferences, gender or other biases to ensure that the learning is inclusive. Some ways to do this is by including scenarios that are reflective of all gender types, offering content that is available in various languages, including closed captioning and so forth.

• Collaboration and communication: A Code of Ethics encourages collaborative relationships as well as clear and friendly communication. Collaboration and communication both result to better outcomes and overall strong working relationships.

• Continuous improvement: As an Instructional Designer I must constantly update and refine my work to keep it relevant. Regularly seeking feedback from my stakeholders to adjust the content to continue meeting learner needs and to improve the overall effectiveness is key.

The artifact I am sharing with you is my plagiarism certificate from course EDCI 60001: Introduction to Demonstrating Professional Competencies in LDT. 

This artifact was achieved because I demonstrated that I understood and will apply what I have learned in the course to my work not only in this master’s program but also as a learning professional in the workplace. In my current role as a Learning and Development Specialist but also the only Instructional Designer on the team, I am responsible for supporting business stakeholders by developing instructional materials such as job aids, elearning courses, videos etc., which may require conducting external research. As an Instructional Designer it is my responsibility to ensure that the work I produce is free of plagiarism and is reflective of my own knowledge and experiences. In the events where I am required to do research and seek out external resources, they must be properly cited.

Challenge #2: Aquire and apply new technology skills in instructional design practice

Artifact: This site is the artifact - website Development, LDT Portfolio

Reflection:

As part of the Master of Science in Education in Learning and Technology program acquired a new skill: Website Development / Web Design. In this reflection, I will share my process of developing a website, my experience developing a website for the first time, what skills I acquired, am continuing to build or can improve through this experience, and how I have or will apply (and will continue as I enhance my website) my existing ID knowledge in my website development. 

Website Development Process

To develop my website, the first thing I did was storyboard or build a high-level “strawman” of how I envisioned my website. To storyboard my website plan, I used my Remarkable 2 notebook to sketch a few rough images of my website homepage and the remaining pages/tabs. The sketches identify what my vision is for each page using the various blocks available on the website tool. When I was ready to develop a first draft of my site, I used this outline to develop my website on Site123, which is a free site development tool. See my rough work below:

My Experience Developing a Website

As a Learning professional who has been in the industry for over five years now, I have thought of developing a website to display my work or portfolio. However, I never got the opportunity to do so. When I found out that it’s the LDT program requirement to develop a portfolio, I was thrilled! Though I am in the early stages of building out my website, I would say that it has been a good learning experience so far. I am using Site123 to develop my website and it has been quite seamless to use the different blocks (text, about, contact, timeline etc.) and overall to use the website as well as adjust/move items around. While I have experience in HTML (self-taught through my experience with developing Zendesk articles for a previous job), coding skills were not required to develop this website. 

Skills Acquired and Applying My ID Skills

The idea of building a website on itself is a new skill that I have gained through this challenge. However, I have existing experience with design and development as I have developed and designed SharePoint pages, Zendesk articles, eLearning courses, job aids, guides, and infographics for professional and job-related work. There are several design considerations that I put into use while developing this website such as: 

• User experience: Anyone that visits my website should have a seamless and easy user experience. I have designed my website such that it’s easy to navigate and not cumbersome or overwhelming. Sometimes, simplicity is key!

• Color theory/backgrounds: The website should be accessible to all. One thing I have done to ensure that is if you look at my homepage, it’s white color font over a darker colored background so that it’s easily legible. It’s not an accessible experience if the font color is light and so is the background. However, I see opportunity to increase the overall text font size so it’s a little more legible as well as use better and more images to display my thoughts.

• Creativity: I display creativity using various available block components. My website includes several elements such as an about section, text blocks, timeline, contact, multimedia (images and video), and I have inserted a couple of links as resources for people to download.

• Clear and concise communication: Effectively articulating my work experience and my progress in the LDT program is necessary for peers, instructors, and employers that may view my website. It is imperative I write clear, well articulated, and concise messages as I continue to build my portfolio. Additionally, I want my portfolio to reflect my personality so this is an area I can continue to reinforce and work on. I should consider “What do I want others to know about me and how can my website best reflect that?” For example, while it is not a requirement to add my personal “core values” I think it adds value and context to who I am and my work.

In summary, these are some skills that are applicable and important to remember as an Instructional Designer in the workplace as well. Creating unique learning experiences that are accessible and easy to navigate is critical for developing engaging and effective learning experiences and journeys. I am looking forward to continuing to build my website and sharpen my ID skills in the process!

Challenge #3: Solicit, accept, and provide constructive feedback

Artifact: EDCI 531 Final Project: Job Aid, Peer Feedback

Reflection:

In this challenge I demonstrated requesting and providing constructive feedback to a peer. In this reflection, I will share my process of requesting feedback, utilizing the feedback received, and reciprocating or providing constructive feedback to a peer.

Requesting Feedback

For the EDCI 531: Job Aid final project, I was required to write a 4–5-page paper and develop a supplementary job aid. I wanted feedback from a peer in my class on my paper to ensure I was on the right track and didn’t miss any rubric requirements. The following is an overview of my process when requesting, utilizing, and providing feedback: 

• Identify who to ask for feedback: Over the course of the class, I developed a great relationship with one of my peers. For another final project called “Designing with the Theories” in the class, we were divided into “peer feedback groups” where we’d reflect on that week’s theory and apply it to our topic of choice. Then at the end of the week we’d get feedback from our peers and we’d participant in some back-and-forth conversations. There was three of us in that group. During the period of peer feedback groups, I developed a good relationship with one of my peers. For this project, I requested her for feedback. When identifying who to ask for feedback, it’s important you pick someone who is genuinely interested in giving good feedback as opposed to someone who is biased towards you or your work. This person offered great constructive feedback, which overall helped me improve my work.

• Request for feedback: Once the individual is identified, it is important to request for the feedback. I requested feedback over an Instant Message in Brightspace first before I sent over my assignment for feedback. By doing this, I was able to gauge my peer’s interest and availability in being able to provide me with feedback.

• Schedule a call: This can be done prior to or after the official feedback has been received and provided. A call can be useful to discuss the feedback in detail or provide additional context for why a certain comment was made as not everything can be explained in the way one intends or interpreted by others over written messages. In my scenario, this step is multipurpose as we used the call to both communicate and provide/clarify our feedback to one another.

• Provide constructive feedback: My peer kindly requested feedback as well, so I made sure I provided her with constructive feedback. In our call, I went over my comments, and she was very receptive of the feedback and informed me they were things she didn’t even think about and will greatly help her improve her project. To provide constructive feedback, I went over her paper and reviewed her job aid in detail. Then I left comments directly on her paper of things I suggest she can do to enhance her overall project. Additionally, for grammar related feedback, I made direct track changes in her document. Once I completed providing my feedback, I sent her an email with my revisions and then we had our call.

• Go though the feedback/apply as needed: I went through each of the comments provided and applied them to enhance my paper. My peer left several comments on my paper. Once I read through each of the comments, I selected the ones I could implement. It is not necessary to accept every piece of feedback as the intention is to provide constructive suggestions. To notify my peer I left replies with my actions/next steps, so they knew what feedback I accepted or rejected and why.

Prior Knowledge and Reflection on Experience: Requesting Feedback

I have had various opportunities in both my academic and professional careers to solicit feedback from peers has been valuable in refining my work. Having peers review my work who have fresh perspectives has helped me in identifying blind spots that I may have missed. As a designer it is very o easy to get sucked into what you're developing because you've looked at it so many times.  For example, in my current role as an Instructional Designer, I get my subject matter experts (SMEs) to review the instructional products I develop for them in two rounds of review - alpha review and beta review. The key is to ask with intention, which also sets an expectation for the SME on what to review and how. The alpha review is an opportunity for my SMEs to provide feedback on the content, the design, overall structure and flow of the content as well as grammer and puncuation. During beta review, the SMEs are asked to focus on the overall flow and structure of the content as well as share anything they may have missed during the alpha review. These review structures have helped me refine the outputs I deliever, greatly.

Challenge #4: Write and edit messages that are clear, concise, and grammatically correct

Artifact: EDCI 531 Job Aid

Reflection:

In this challenge I demonstrate writing a job aid as part of my EDCI 531 final project called Designing with the Theories to convey ideas in a consumable format that were shared in my paper. In this reflection I will describe the format and techniques I used to develop my job aid and general principles I take into consideration when developing job aids in the context of a workplace as well. I have also attached another sample job aid template that I like to use in a workplace context. Based on my general knowledge of developing job aids and what I seen in the workplace, job aids are two-three-page documents that act as resources and are developed to help a learner complete on-the-job task, learn how to access a certain platform or tool, or to educate learners on a given topic. Like quick reference guide, it acts as a “cheat sheet” to help the learner gain information on a topic or to do their job better. It is important to keep job aids brief so that it is easy for the reader to digest the information and use it as a reference document in the future. Job Aid Design Since my job aid is not an on-the-job resource, I did not include any specific images or step by step instructions. Rather, my job aid design is simple, and I use clear titles and headings so that the readers can navigate with ease. I had to summarize the different learning theories I discussed in my paper (this was the task) into a job aid style document.     

Job Aid Tools 

I have developed job aids in various tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint, Adobe, and Canva Pro. For this assignment I used Canva, which is a graphic design tool. I prefer Canva over a lot of other tools because of its simplicity and ease of navigation and use. It’s a very intuitive graphic design tool. 

Techniques/formats I used to write a QRG 

• Headings and sub-headings: I use headings to help inform the reader of the topic. I use capitalization of words and highlighted my headings in blue, so they are easy to distinguish from the rest of the job aid. Additionally, each heading has a corresponding number assigned so it’s easy to follow as there are six theories that I explore.

• Chunking information: Job aids should be easy to read and glance as needed so I use bullet points and brief sentences instead of writing large paragraphs.

• Bold, italicize, color words to help them stand out: I choose to bold the subheadings so they’re easier to distinguish from the actual content of the job aid. In addition, I bolded certain key words that I wanted to emphasize and use the color to red so it’s easier to identify.

• Write short and concise messages: I have used a combination of full but brief sentences or bullet points to convey my messages.

Overall, job aids can be helpful resources for sharing bite-sized information with learners or for on-the-job training.

Challenge 5: Apply systems thinking to instructional design and performance improvement projects

Artifact: EDCI 672 Paul Lindley Case Study Analysis

Reflection: 

In this reflection I will share and discuss how my artifact shows the breakdown of the design process into individualized pieces. My artifact is a case study assignment from the EDCI 672: Advanced Practices in Learning Systems Design class. I will discuss how I began the process of using a systems thinking approach to arrive at a recommendation or solution to the case study that I evaluated.

What is the Paul Lindley Case?  

The Paul Lindley case is a case study in The ID CaseBook: Case studies in instructional design (5th ed.)., edited by Peggy A. Ertmer, James A. Quinn, and Krista D. Glazewski. The case itself is focused on designing an educational video game for history education on the topic of the role of sport, specifically Baseball, for the Japanese Americans during World War 2. In EDCI 672, students completed a total of three case studies to carefully analyze the case to understand the design issue at hand before offering any instructional design related recommendations. Sometimes the solution isn’t the answer to solving the design or instructional issue at hand. This competency focused on teaching us how to evaluate all the parts of the scenario (in this case, the case study) prior to providing any final recommendations or solutions.

Applying Systems Thinking

My case analysis applies a systems thinking approach by understanding how different parts of the case study interact with one another within a larger case rather than treating issues in isolation. This allowed me to analyse a series of questions prior to jumping to final conclusions or recommendations. By reviewing each question before making a final recommendation, I analyzed the problem holistically. Even in the context of a workplace, systems thinking is essential for tackling challenges in a holistic and organized way.   

Many of the key questions I used in my case study analysis placed greater emphasis on the analysis phase of the ADDIE model as they helped identify where the core design issue or gap is. All the case study questions helped me better understand the role of each stakeholder and how their expertise or goals may influence the design and delivery of the learning content. Ultimately, this helps in defining the scope of the project, the learning objectives, and the constraints that need to be considered during the design and development phases.

  Below is the list of questions I explored in my case study:  

• “Who are the key stakeholders in the case and what are their primary interests and/or concern?” 

• “Describe important details regarding each stakeholder regarding the context of the project.”

• “What are the key instructional design challenges in the case?”

• “What has the designer been tasked to do?”

• “Where in the ID process does the main design challenge fall?”

• “How might other case-specific challenges impact the ability of the designer to address the design challenges?”

• “Think of the constraints in the case that make it hard for the designer to complete his/her ID tasks.”

• “How would you prioritize the design challenges and case-specific challenges you identified and explain why you would choose this order?”

• “Provide a concise reflection on how previous experiences have attributed to your understanding of the case.”

• “Many potential solutions exist for a given ill-structured problem. Outline two different but reasonable solutions/recommendations for the designer in the case.”

• “How do these solutions/recommendations address the challenges described in question #2?”

• “What is your final recommendation?”

Prior Knowledge and Reflection on Experience: Systems Thinking

I have come to appreciate the value of systems thinking in navigating complex challenges. In hindsight, especially when I worked at a start-up, I can say that several situations could have benefited from a more deliberate, systems-oriented approach. 

One professional experience that stands out to me is the "Rockstar" program when I was working in the Customer Experience team at a start-up. The initiative aimed to cross-train employees across five or six internal teams to create a flexible support system during peak business periods. While this structure temporarily increased team coverage and offered exciting incentives like free meals and stock options, it eventually led to burnout and disrupted work-life balance. 

A systems thinking approach could have helped the team see beyond the short-term efficiency gains and examine how different elements such as eam dynamics, incentive structures, workload distribution, and long-term employee wellbeing all interacted within the larger organizational system. Recognizing these interdependencies may have prompted adjustments to the program design, such as implementing wellness safeguards or capping the number of overtime hours an employee could do in a week, ultimately fostering a healthier, more sustainable way to support the business.

Challenge #11: Use Appropriate Message and Visual Design Principles

Artifiact: EDCI 672 Small Scale Lit Experience (kiosk design)

Reflection:

In EDCI 672 I developed a brief kiosk design as part of a small-scale literature experience. The assignment was part of a case study where the designer had to design a kiosk to accommodate learners at different age levels, with different levels of expertise, and different native languages.  There are several ways in which I incorporated message and visual design principles into my kiosk design. I will first review the message principles I applied followed by the visual design principles.

Message Design Principles

The first message design principle I use in my design is clarity and simplicity. I use plain language, avoid using abbreviations or language that may not be comprehensible by the audience, and structure information logically. Additionally, I chose to reduce cognitive load by limiting the amount of text on the kiosk slide, which makes the message easier to process and remember.

The second message design principle I use in my design is cognitive load management. I do this by presenting information in digestible chunks and I use various visuals to support the text on the kiosk slide. This helps the audience retain information by connecting the text and the imagery, while preventing overwhelm.The final message design principle I use in my design is developing an audience-centered design. The scope of my audience for this assignment was large as it ranged from children and families to educators and students to environmental enthusiasts to tourist’s and the public who are all likely to visit a marine museum. In my design, I chose to tailor the message to the needs, preferences, and background of the target audience as people are more likely to engage with and understand messages that feel relevant to them. For example, I added “fun facts” to keep the messaging relevant to the audience.

Visual Design Principles

The first visual design principle I use in my kiosk design is repetition of colors and fonts. For example, my color choices are tied to the topic at hand and I tend to maintain and repeat the colours. I also repeat the font, which is called Barlow. The purpose of doing this is to reinforce consistency and unity in the design.

The second visual design principle I use in my kiosk design is contrast. The purpose of doing this is to make elements stand out and improve readability. For example, on dark backgrounds, I use a white color font, so it stands out. If I chose a light color background and a light color font then that makes the design very difficult to see. Similarly, I have added various image backgrounds to my kiosk design. If I didn’t add an additional colored block on top, then the text would become very difficult to read on top of the image.

These design practices also ensure that the design is accessible by all audiences and is ADA compliant. The final visual design principle I use in my kiosk design is proximity. The purpose of doing this is to group connected elements together to improve the overall organization of the design. For example, on the “Welcome to the Wetlands Exhibit” slide I ask the user to pick a language. All the language options are grouped together on one slide as opposed to having different language options on different slides. Another example is on the “Learning Centre” slide I group the images and the text together. It wouldn’t make sense from a visual design standpoint if I showcased an image of a wetland, but I grouped it with the great barrier reef caption or if the image and text are too far apart.

Prior Knowledge and Reflection on Experience: Message and Visual Design Principles

Before stepping into the Instructional Design field, my understanding of message and visual design principles was limited. I selected fonts, colors, and designs based on my personal preference. But as I began working in the field and collaborating with senior content developers/writers and designers, it helped me formulate knowledge on these topics and the importance of message and visual design. I quickly realized how powerful these principles are in shaping clarity, engagement, and learner outcomes. I'm still sharpening and refining my design choices and most importantly to design with the learner in mind!

Challenge #12: Select or Create an Instructional Design Process Based on the Nature of the Project

Artifact: EDCI 577 Evaluation Plan

Reflection: 

For this challenge, I will showcase my Evaluation Plan to explain the how I determined which instructional design model I used and why. As part of the evaluation plan project in EDCI 577, my partner and I decided to use the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation to determine ways in which we could evaluate existing Breast Cancer Survivorship Programs at the Breast Cancer Education & Survivor Support Program (BCESSP) at a large, regional Health System in Michigan that has been in existence for over 25 years. Our evaluation plan had three parts, which includes an Evaluation Plan Proposal and a plan part 1 and part 2, which are versions of the original proposal but enhanced and more complete versions. The Kirkpatrick Model of evaluation breaks evaluation down into four levels: 

• Reaction: This measures how participants respond to the training

• Learning: This assesses what knowledge, skills, or attitudes learners have gained

• Behavior: This evaluates whether participants apply what they learned on the job

• Results: This considers the overall impact on organizational goals.

The Kirkpatrick model of evaluation helps organizations understand not just whether participants enjoyed the training, but also whether it led to meaningful changes and improvements. The ADDIE Model, which stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation, while it is incredibly useful for guiding an instructional design process, its evaluation phase tends to be built into each phase, rather than offering a standalone, comprehensive structure for measuring training outcomes.

The ADDIE model is an excellent choice for designing learning experiences, but it doesn’t offer the same depth as Kirkpatrick when it comes to analyzing post-training impact, such as changes in behavior or organizational results. Similarly, the Dick and Carey Model focuses on the systematic design of instruction, emphasizing the relationships between context, content, and learner needs. It's strong in identifying instructional goals and assessing learning through aligned objectives, but its evaluation tends to be limited to instructional effectiveness and learner achievement, without extending into behavioral or organizational metrics.

The Kirkpatrick Model was the best choice for developing an evaluation plan because of its holistic and layered approach. It moves beyond surface-level feedback and digs into whether learning occurred, whether it led to behavior change, and whether those changes produced measurable results for the organization. Its clear structure makes it adaptable across industries, and it encourages evaluators to think strategically about both short-term engagement and long-term outcomes.

Prior Knowledge and Reflection on Experience: Selecting an Instructional Design Process 

My first exposure to the Kirkpatrick Model was in the EDCI 577 class, where we had to apply the model to an existing real-life program. Prior to this class, while I have had experience with the different levels of the Kirkpatrick model especially level 1: Reaction and level 2: learning, I never knew there was a learning model for it nor did I have any hands-on experience applying it to any formal instructional design processes. Now I understand how much depth and structure it could bring to evaluating training effectiveness within the workplace setting. However, I’m still learning how to use it with intention and how to ask the right questions, collect meaningful data, and design programs with evaluation baked in from the begining rather than the later stages like the ADDIE model.

Challenge #13: Identify and Select Existing Materials That Support the Content Analyses Proposed Technologies, Delivery Methods, and Instructional Strategies

Artifiact: EDCI 556 Game Design Document

Reflection: 

For this challenge, I will showcase my Game Design Document and game design prototype to explain the connection between my content analysis and instructional materials I selected. I am an adult educator who works in the Learning, Design and Development (LD&D) space and I find it’s always challenging to curate engaging learning experiences for adults vs. younger audiences. For this project I was tasked to develop a game prototype, and I chose to develop a game that I found was suited for my audience called 'Team Up.'

Selection & Creation of Instructional Materials 

Team Up is designed to promote active or cooperative learning that is engaging and interactive; a game that focuses on soft skill development and promotes key skills amongst the group of learners seemed like the best solution. My game offers various categories that represent soft skills and have related team-based challenges that mimic real-life scenarios that the players must ‘Team Up’ to solution. Generally, hard skills are easier to develop through on-the-job training, shadowing, teach-backs and so forth. 

On the other hand, teaching adults’ soft skills in the workplace often proves more challenging than hard skills because it requires shifting deeply ingrained behaviors, attitudes, and mindsets, which are things that aren’t easily measured or mastered through standard training. While hard skills follow logical steps and can be practiced with clear outcomes, soft skills demand emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and consistent interpersonal feedback. 

Hence, my game hopes to target soft skill development and allows learners to develop these skills in an interactive game format and using scenarios that they may be presented with in their role. Since the game is targeted at adult learners in the workplace and specifically those who are interested in the management level or at the management level, the game is designed to be available online as well as in-person. The game would be most effectively played in-person but again that option for working professionals in available through a Teams or zoom meeting.

Reflection on my Experiences

I have worked in the learning and education space for over five years now where I have had the opportunity to develop training on soft skill development. I have also completed a lot of online training available through LinkedIn Learning, OpenSesame and other online learning platforms to upskill myself on soft skills like communication and teamwork. However, I don’t think watching courses has been as effective for me versus the opportunity to engage in real conversations or work on actual projects with others. I learn by doing or what one may refer to as “hands-on learning.” That is exactly the experience I hope to recreate through my game - teach learners who play ‘Team Up.’ It’s about imagining yourself in a scenario and working with your team members to come up with the right solution to a situational problem, and through the process you build on skills (or new ones) that will be useful in a workplace context.

Challenge #14: Identify and Sequence Instructional Goals

Artifact: Game Design Document 

Reflection:

For this challenge, I will showcase my Game Design Document and game design prototype to explain the how I developed learning objectives for my game and how they were sequenced. As a recap, in EDCI 556 I designed a prototype for a team-based game called ‘Team Up.’ The idea is that this game would be played by adult learners within a corporate workplace setting who are aspiring leaders as it promotes scenario-based soft skill development. 

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives I developed as part of my game design documentation are the following: 

• Recognize the role of effective communication in fostering teamwork and achieving shared goals by identifying verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and by adapting leadership style to align with diverse audiences

• Apply conflict resolution strategies in leadership scenarios by identifying conflicts, explore resolution styles, and collaboratively select appropriate strategies to navigate workplace tension

• Apply effective interpersonal communication by practicing active listening and empathy to build trust and facilitate productive dialogue during challenging interactions

• Demonstrate strong collaboration and communication skills to enhance team dynamics and productivity by engaging in team-based challenges to practice inclusive collaboration, and navigate differing viewpoints

• Implement key soft skills to lead and support team members effectively in a leadership role by applying emotional intelligence, active listening, and decision-making skills to delegate tasks, mediate team conflict, supporting peer growth and more

• Develop a leadership action plan for how you will actively embed or integrate these skills into your role

• Reflect on your leadership style and team contributions by analyzing your role and decision-making process within team activities, identifying strengths and areas for growth in leading and supporting others

Objective Sequencing

These learning objectives are meant to act as a guide so that learners know exactly what knowledge or skills they should accomplish by the end of the gameplay. The purpose of sequencing the learning objectives in this order is to then design a game where it gradually progresses and builds off the first learning objective. Progressively, the scenarios/challenges in the game become more challenging. Additionally, I sequenced the learning objectives of the game in a way that focuses on building cognitive scaffolding starting with verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy. For example, I begin with informing the learner that they need to first recognize, demonstrate and showcase the ability to apply a certain skill. Then, the learner is informed that they will need to implement what they have learned into their role, reflect, and eventually develop an action plan that summarizes their plan of action.

Prior Knowledge and Reflection on Experience: Identifying and Sequencing Instructional Goals 

Prior to the EDCI 556 class, I never developed a gameplay experience for a learning audience. My experience in developing and sequencing instructional goals has primarily been in traditional course formats both eLearning modules and instructor-led training (ILT). In those settings, I focused on aligning objectives with measurable and actional outcomes such as "by the end of this course, you should be able to", and Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop outcomes that are actionable and start with a verb. The learning outcomes/goals were typically structured to support knowledge acquisition, skill development, and performance improvement. 

When transitioning into game-based learning, I applied a similar lens, particularly because the game I designed focused on adult learners and soft skill development. That context shaped how I approached the learning goals: instead of reinventing the wheel, I adapted familiar course-based objectives to suit the interactive nature of gameplay. For example, instead of a passive objective like “explain the role of effective communication in fostering teamwork” I focused on encouraging learners to apply, demonstrate, develop and implement newly learned skills through game scenarios.

However, I believe that learning objectives or goals in games need to balance cognitive outcomes with engagement and playability. I’m still building experience in this space and will continue to build on my knowledge on how I can blend instructional strategies with game mechanics especially in a workplace enviornment.

Challenge #15

Artifact: CX on-the-job checklist, job aid, post-training survey, and pitch-deck (additional supporting document).

Reflection:

In EDCI 528, I developed several resources to support my Solutions & Change Management report – a paper/digital based on-the-job checklist for trainers, a job aid for learners, and a survey questionnaire for post-training evaluation. In addition, I developed a blended-learning pitch deck for the executive sponsors which aims to highlight the current state and desired future state and how my planned interventions will help the organization achieve it. 

The resources I developed:  

• Customer Experience Personnel Checklist, Applicant Documentation Process: This checklist is designed as a solution to support the trainers within CX and is beneficial for several reasons such as:

  • Improved Consistency and Quality: A checklist ensures that tasks are completed in a standardized way every time. This consistency helps maintain high quality across operations, reducing errors and missed steps.

  • Better Accountability and Tracking: With an on-the-job checklist, it's easier to track learner progress and hold them accountable for completing their assigned tasks. It provides a record of what has been done and what needs attention, which is useful for performance reviews or audits.

• Job Aid: This job aid is designed to support learners as they complete a given task. 

  • Reduces errors and increases error accuracy: A well‑designed job aid gives learners a quick, reliable reference now they need it, which helps them follow the correct steps and avoid mistakes especially in complex processes.

  • Improves efficiency and saves time: Instead of relying on memory or searching lengthy manuals, learners can complete tasks faster by following a concise, step‑by‑step guide.

• Survey: This survey is designed for program managers/supervisors to collect data about the impact and effectiveness of the training.  

  • Measure Training Effectiveness: Surveys help assess whether learning objectives were met, they reveal how well learners understood and retained the material, and they identify gaps in knowledge or areas that may require additional reinforcement.

  • Enhance Future Training Programs: Surveys enable data-driven decisions for curriculum updates; they help tailor future sessions to better suit learner needs while building a culture of continuous improvement and responsiveness.

 The on-the-job checklist and job aid I designed as a part of this project are effective due to their clean layout, intuitive flow and ensuring minimal cognitive load on the learner. What worked particularly well was applying principles of visual design and content chunking, which make it easier for the learner to consume the content in the resources. One challenge in the design process was ensuring the materials remained accessible and intuitive for a wide range of users with varying levels of experience. Overall, as an instructional designer, I can continue refining the effectiveness of the instructional products I design. This means regularly seeking input from end users, keeping accessibility top of mind, and staying current with design trends and technologies that enhance overall learner clarity and engagement. Prioritizing simplicity, consistency, and adaptability across formats will help me ensure that materials remain practical and relevant to the learners I am designing for. 

Building Instructional Materials in a Variety of Formats  

Developing instructional materials in a variety of formats ensures that diverse learning styles and needs are met, making education even more inclusive and effective. Whether it's job aids/quick reference guides, eLearning, video or simulation, each format offers unique ways to engage learners and reinforce understanding. Flexibility in design also allows instructional designers or educators to adapt content for different environments such as synchronous or asynchronous. Ultimately, this enhances accessibility, retention, and learner motivation.

Reflection of Previous Experiences

Reflecting on my experience as a Learning & Development Specialist, I’ve had the opportunity to design instructional materials that drive performance and engagement across diverse learner audiences. Whether crafting job aids to support on-the-job learning, developing on-the-job checklists to reinforce job/role-based accuracy, or designing surveys to assess training effectiveness, I’ve applied a learner-centric approach rooted in adult learning principles. Additionally, developing pitch decks to communicate training initiatives to stakeholders has furthered my ability to align L&D strategies with overall business goals, ensuring that every resource I develop is both practical and impactful.   

Challenge #16

Artifact: Game Design Document and Prototype

Reflection: 

In EDCI 556, I developed a video game prototype to for a game called “Team Up!” I believe people develop their soft skills through exposure to situational experiences and my game is designed to help adult learners within a workplace setting to develop and strengthen their soft skills through the game. 

The Instructional Goals of the Project

The key instructional goals of the project were: 

• Evaluate and Test Game Mechanics: This goal is tied to creating a prototype that allows others to successfully play and evaluate the game’s rule base and mechanics. It’s meant to give the game developer/student (in this case me) gives the opportunity to test if the game works as intended, identify any issues, and make improvements based on player feedback. Students were asked to submit a test report based on the testing experience and feedback with the intended audience of the game.

• Communicate Game Vision: This goal is tied to developing a prototype that clearly communicates the developer/students’ (in this case me) vision for the game. Overall, the goal for me was to demonstrate I could convey the intended experience, theme, and mechanics to others, so they can better understand and engage with the game.

• Scope Representation: The third goal of the project was to ensure that the prototype represents a reasonable scope of my game.

 Process of Selecting Instructional Strategies

In selecting instructional strategies for my game, I focused on promoting collaboration and teamwork, which is why I chose a cooperative learning style. I considered how gamifying usually difficult topics such as developing communication skills, managing team conflict, developing empathy etc., that are easy to learn through attending workshops or completing courses, but harder to practice and embody. The intention of the game was to encourage players to work together toward common objectives, rather than compete against one another. This approach ensures that players must communicate, strategize, and rely on each other's strengths to succeed, which aligns with the goal of creating an engaging, team-based experience. I also made sure the rules and game design facilitated equal participation and allowed players to take on different types of roles, giving everyone a chance to participate, promoting teamwork and problem-solving. 

Benefits of Cooperative Learning

1. Enhanced Social Interaction: Cooperative learning encourages players to interact, share ideas, and work through challenges together, improving their interpersonal communication skills. This fosters a positive group dynamic and can build a sense of community among players.

2. Increased Engagement and Motivation: When players are working toward a shared goal, they are more likely to stay motivated and engaged. Cooperation creates a sense of collective responsibility, where success or failure is a group effort, making the experience more meaningful and rewarding for everyone involved.

Reflection of Previous Experiences My experience in the video game design class has been both challenging and enlightening. Although I don’t have much experience in the field of game development, I decided to approach my project from the perspective of an Instructional Designer (ID). I focused on creating a game prototype that could help develop soft skills, something I often see as a challenge in the workplace. While the project wasn’t exactly a "video game" in the traditional sense, it gave me the opportunity to think critically about how games can be used as tools for learning and skill-building. While I found the process to be a little more difficult then I expected or hoped, especially given my lack of technical experience, it provided valuable insights into how gameplay can be structured to address real-world challenges in professional environments.   

Challenge #17

Artifact: Game Design Document

Reflection:

In EDCI 556, I developed a game design document to support my game concept. In the design document I outline key concepts such as the intention of the game, the target audience, implementation context, learning objectives, game mechanics and elements, how AI will be leveraged, story overview, and how the user interface will look like. In this reflection I will describe my process for establishing clear and measurable learning outcomes to help the learners understand the learning processes within the game and how the learning outcomes relate to the overall instructional plan to support the learning processes identified.

Establishing Actionable Learning Outcomes 

The audience of my game is adult learners so my goal was to developed learning outcomes/objectives that would suit their needs. To establish clear and measurable learning objectives for an adult learning-based game, I identified the specific knowledge, skills, or behaviors learners should be able to demonstrate after gameplay. I use action-oriented verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy (e.g., recognize, apply, demonstrate, develop) to ensure objectives are observable and assessable. I then aligned each objective with key soft skills learners would develop in the game to further reinforce relevance. The learning objectives I developed for my game are: 

• Recognize the role of effective communication in fostering teamwork and achieving shared goals by identifying verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and by adapting leadership style to align with diverse audiences

• Apply conflict resolution strategies in leadership scenarios by identifying conflicts, explore resolution styles, and collaboratively select appropriate strategies to navigate workplace tension

• Apply effective interpersonal communication by practicing active listening and empathy to build trust and facilitate productive dialogue during challenging interactions

• Demonstrate strong collaboration and communication skills to enhance team dynamics and productivity by engaging in team-based challenges to practice inclusive collaboration, and navigate differing viewpoints

• Implement key soft skills to lead and support team members effectively in a leadership role by applying emotional intelligence, active listening, and decision-making skills to delegate tasks, mediate team conflict, supporting peer growth and more

• Develop a leadership action plan for how you will actively embed or integrate these skills into your role

• Reflect on your leadership style and team contributions by analyzing your role and decision-making process within team activities, identifying strengths and areas for growth in leading and supporting others

How Learning Activities in the Game Supports the Learning Process 

The learning activities in the game are designed to support the cooperative learning process by placing learners in realistic workplace scenarios where they must work together to solve challenges. For instance, by assigning different roles within the group, each participant contributes unique perspectives and skills, fostering engagement. Through opportunities for collaboration, reflection, and structured decision-making, learners practice key soft skills such as communication, conflict resolution, teamwork etc., in a safe environment.

Reflection of Previous Experiences

I have had many opportunities in my current and previous roles with developing clear, actionable and specific learning objectives to drive engaging and meaningful learning experiences delivered through synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences. However, I found developing LOs for a game-based learning experience to be a bit more challenging. In traditional formats, the focus is often on clear, measurable outcomes that align with specific content delivery, making it easier to define success. However, with a game, there’s a need to strike a balance between creating objectives that are measurable and specific, while also ensuring they are motivating and engaging for learners given the exciting and dynamic nature of games.