Final Reflections

In August 2021 I started my journey with Dr. Arslan Ari in EDET 722.  I learned about the Morrison, Ross, and Kemp model of learning along with ADDIE.  These were all new concepts to me coming from a retail background of 20 years.  I learned why a needs assessment is important in establishing what can be used to address the level of instruction needed as well as what the difference between types of needs.  I wrote my first business style report in the class with my Front-End Analysis paper.  All while overcoming taking care of my husband’s grandfather who needed someone to stay with him as a 24-hour hospice caretaker.  It was one of the most rewarding firsts to be able to do this and create my first learning module ever.  I learned so much in this class with what I could achieve.  Looking back on the Front-End Analysis report and the Caring For Kittens Without Mom’s learning module I’m proud of what I created having no actual background for what we were doing. 

The second class for Fall of 2021 was EDET 603.  The Games We Play project reminded me of why was in school.  I wanted to help people learn in fun and creative ways.  Especially when they might not know they are learning.  This is when I discovered gamification.  Before this project I had done streaming and content creation as a twitch streamer.  I hope to start expanding this and make more game information.  In all honestly, I need to improve my video editing. This was originally assigned as a group project but my group mate never responded so I took the project on as a solo one.  This project showed me how important listing out each step of the process that needed to be done was and when.  Allowing me to plan a strategy to accomplish two people worth of work at once.  The biggest thing I struggled with was getting the audio to play evenly with the software I was using.  This project represents gamification and combines it with instructional design.  I learned through this project how to combine both and help others in the process.  I had never created a website, vlog or podcast before.  I have taken what I learned in this class and been able to apply it to informational content I create in my current job.

 In the Spring of 2022, I took EDET 703.  This class introduced me to learning where the learners’ choices guide the interaction.  Through this project I learned how to create interactive learning with the learner choosing the path.  This project challenged me with the learner choosing the path, but it is much harder to create.  I learned a lot from this project not only as the SME, but as the anti-SME (learner).  Anticipating all the possibilities is a true challenge.  The project is a little rougher than I would like to look at it now.  With this type of project, it is hard not to make the obvious choices the right ones.  Sometimes this can lead to the learner feeling like it was a waste of time instead of a benefit.  This was created out of my knowledge and skill.  As the new Store Manager at the USCL Bookstore, where twice a year we have two temps come in and they work for two weeks, this is to help them learn how to use the phones for that short period of time. 

In the Summer of 2022, I enrolled in EDET 755.  I learned a lot of valuable information from this project.  This project allowed me to create content as I was learning about this new program for the bookstore and trying to answer questions the faculty had.  This project was my first time videoing a PowerPoint that was narrated by me.  It pushed me to grow a great deal.  This was created halfway into the program.  I was comfortable with PowerPoint, but not narrating in this way.  This is a project that I'm already reworking for work to create a student version for orientations.  This project can always be improved with accessibility things, and updates to the information. I would love to revisit this from a Smith and Ragan learning model approach since it is for such a wide audience. 

In the Fall of 2022, I took EDET 650.  This class built on what we had already learned.  The technology survey was created using many of the techniques I had learned in other classes but used them for a different end goal.  Utilizing these skills for a more proposal of physical procurement plan was beneficial to see the translation of skills into this kind of project.  The biggest thing I would change about this project is the amount of time I had to work on it.  The re-word the survey questions.  I learned with a more hands on project that allowed me to find the big picture need within my own company and then conduct surveys to see if other stores agreed. 

In the Spring of 2023, I started my final semester with Dr. Arslan Ari in EDET 735.  This project was very research oriented.  This was a great learning experience for me in my growth as an instructional designer.  To be able to learn about a type of learning design and how it emphasizes the design of building in assistive technology was a new concept that changed how I looked at my older projects.  I realized through this project that my older work, though I use assistive technology on a regular basis wasn’t all disability accessible.  The only change I would make would be more time to develop this project further.