The path I have taken to become an instructional designer in education has been a long and winding road with some surprises. My graduate school experience at American College of Education (ACE) began in January 2023 but my interest in instructional design and technology began in March 2020 during my unexpected shift to implementing online learning for elementary-aged Montessori students during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then that I realized I had a talent for creating engaging online learning environments and that I truly enjoyed creating them. This came as a surprise to me since my Montessori training stressed the importance of hands-on, real-life experiences to engage our students in the classroom. How would I create these experiences through a screen and keep my students engaged and growing?

My courses at ACE reinforced my understanding of how learning theories relate to course design and development and introduced me to a variety of instructional design models and technology tools to become a master of design. The bedrock of my instructional design philosophy rests on the principles of design established by Richard Meyer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the C.R.A.P. model developed by Robin Williams (Cavanagh, 2023). The Design of Instructional Media course inspired my purchase of a variety of books (linked below) and drove home the importance of how understanding aesthetics contributes to creating a design that focuses student attention on the learning objectives. 

As I move forward with my master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology, my goal is to inspire my colleagues to embrace technology in the classroom and become a leader in designing online learning experiences that are both engaging and effective. I will continue to connect with other professionals in my field and the peers I have worked with throughout this program. I am excited to see what adventures await me as the sun sets on my time at ACE.

References

​​​​Cavanagh, T. (2023). Cognitive and graphic design principles for creating well-organized, visually appealing slide decks. Business & Professional Communication Quarterly, 86(1), 33–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/23294906221131988