What I’ve Learned

When I first began this degree, I was unsure as to what it meant to be an instructional designer. I found myself getting lost in the definitions of each design model. I also began to worry if becoming an instructional designer was too overwhelming and if I should just stay working as a preschool teacher. However, as each course went on, I found myself understanding a bit more with each assignment. I also realized that I was doing instructional design traits without knowing it. I noticed these traits within my classroom, from creating curriculum to implementing evaluation plans.

A couple things that I know more about are organization, outlines, communication and how to accept feedback. I learned that a timeline keeps my solution on track and helps me make changes if needed. Another major thing I learned was how to create learning objectives for my students. Instructional design is the core of all learning materials (Nagel, 2024). With that being said, the biggest take away from my courses so far has been understanding the utility and effectiveness of eLearning modules. Creating the eLearning modules has been the most challenging, yet most rewarding part of this degree. I have learned to explore different softwares in order to create beneficial modules. However, this is still a work in progress and I look forward to creating more in-depth modules.

References:

Nagel, S. (2024, September 12). Top 5 instructional design methods for effective teaching. School of Professional Studies at Wake Forest University. https://sps.wfu.edu/articles/instructional-design-methods/