My Philosophy as a Learning Designer
I love learning. I love making learning accessible to others and inspiring people with my passion for understanding and applying educational practices that make the world a better place. I believe the desire to learn exists in every single person on our planet. Some people can become so discouraged when it comes to learning because, try as they might, they run into all kinds of problems, some internal such as learning disorders, some external such as access. I prefer to think of what I do as learning design rather than instructional design because of the holistic approach I take in viewing my work as not just designing and delivering instructional content, but rather designing an overarching learning experience that will not soon be forgotten.
Coupled with a holistic approach to learning design is a necessity to remain current and adaptable with our world’s changing technologies. Technology is the vehicle with which information is delivered. It is my goal to work towards a better world for everyone; one where education and learning is accessible to all, where interventions are easily obtained and everyone’s hard work is valued. There is no one size fits all learning nor teaching style, but those which can be compounded to produce a magnificent opportunity for learners to reach out and meet success, no matter what the subject or topic. This is one of the reasons why understanding and being able to apply design online, blended, and in-person experiences is a valuable skill today.
I am an engaging and strong outside the box thinker who loves making technology work for me in new and improved ways to reach people of all demographics in my pursuit to educate the masses. I believe 90% of the challenge of teaching starts and stops with engagement. The moment engagement is lost, if not reestablished, is the moment your influence stops and learning is lost. From my experience, in order to initiate and maintain learner engagements, content must be presented in an exciting and varied manner which appeals to all styles of learners: visual, auditory, and kinetic. I enjoy creating content and material that can be used and enjoyed by all styles of learners.
Keeping learners engaged is hard work, but it is necessary in order to make your course successful. Combinations of text, videos, and interactive modules can help, as well as course discussions and instructor feedback. Tying new concepts and their relevance to familiar experiences is important as well. It is essential to consider instructor and learner feedback when evaluating the success of a course or a module because this feedback is the key to success. If redesign is needed, this feedback can provide vital insight.
Learning design is important in expanding our conscious minds and connecting with the world in which we live. With our adapting technologies, it is critical for me to stay current with knowledge of apps and Learning Management Systems and to update my skills as the new technologies become available in order to bring my clients the most up to date and innovative learning design experience. In doing that, I will be able to offer engaging tools and opportunities to enhance the quality of life for many.
