My design philosophy
The most effective lessons we learn are those which are the most memorable. As a class teacher, I soon discovered that the lessons best remembered by my students were those which provided:
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clear, simple directions
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engaging, attractive materials
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opportunities for intuitive exploration
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just the right amount of challenge in activities
I believe these exact same principles should also form the cornerstones of any learning technology design - be it an educational app, instructional video, or Virtual Learning Environment.
An instructional designer's role is at the epicentre of a course's production, and so storyboards need to provide detail for developers, subject matter experts, voiceover scripting and the design and media team.
Activities don't all have to be multiple choice questions. In this example, learners are required to drag a rag doll and its office equipment into the correct working posture
Recording voiceover and presenter videos doesn't just benefit course accessibility; it lends them a personalised touch too. People like to be taught by, well, people.
An instructional designer's role is at the epicentre of a course's production, and so storyboards need to provide detail for developers, subject matter experts, voiceover scripting and the design and media team.
Instructional design
Since March 2016, I've worked full-time as an instructional designer. The career move couldn't have been smoother, after all, applying the lesson-planning skills from my teaching with the theory and resource knowledge of my MA covered so many of the bases when getting started.
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Being involved in every aspect of an e-learning course's production, from conception to learner completion, is always immensely satisfying - all the more so for the variety of steps and teams involved, including:
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meeting clients and brainstorming initial ideas in kick-off meetings
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discovering activity opportunities when examining source materials
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finding the best aesthetic themes to match context
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experimenting with user interface functionality with the developer team
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attending shoots with the media team to see scenarios brought to life
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recording voiceover for each course
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sending across client-requested amends
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hearing how the final course benefits learners
The grammatical accuracy and high standard of English in my courses led to me being called upon as my company's interim proof-reader, which felt like a real throwback to my years of marking work as a school teacher and a reminder of the journey my career has taken.