Design

This project involved the development of a theoretical analysis and application plan focused on aligning instructional strategies with established learning theories. Through this assignment, I analyzed a real-world instructional context and identified how behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories could guide both design decisions and learner support strategies. The project required me to articulate the theoretical foundations of my instructional choices and demonstrate how these theories manifest in practice. This includes  content sequencing and scaffolding to learner motivation and feedback mechanisms. By applying theory to a practical design context, I deepened my ability to select appropriate pedagogical approaches and connect them meaningfully to instructional outcomes.

Artifact

This artifact is a written report that explores how different learning theories can inform instructional design in a specific instructional setting. The paper presents a detailed alignment between behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories and the instructional strategies used to support learner engagement, knowledge construction, and skill development. The artifact includes examples to support the practical application of theory in a professional context.

Reflection

This project reflects my competency in connecting theoretical knowledge with instructional practice by grounding my decisions in established learning theories. I demonstrated the ability to design instruction that is both research-informed and learner-centered and to communicate the rationale behind my design choices to stakeholders.

This project applied Schema Theory within the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) framework to create a learning experience on the topic of minerals. Using a systematic instructional design process, I  analyzed students’ prior knowledge to identify existing misconceptions and knowledge gaps. I then designed an interactive game that introduced new mineral-related content in a way that built on familiar concepts and encouraged active participation. To support schema integration, I developed a concept mapping activity that required learners to connect new information with their existing understanding. This activity fostered deeper cognitive processing and promoted long-term retention. The implementation phase provided opportunities for students to expand their mental frameworks, while the evaluation phase used concept maps as a formative assessment tool to measure conceptual change and growth. The project illustrated the ISD model’s emphasis on iterative planning, learner analysis, and formative feedback in support of meaningful learning outcomes.

Artifact

This artifact includes two instructional components: an overview outline of an interactive mineral-themed game designed to engage learners and introduce new content, and a concept mapping activity used as both a learning tool and an assessment strategy. These materials were designed to help students actively reorganize their knowledge structures and deepen their understanding of mineral classifications and properties.

Reflection

This project demonstrates my ability to integrate Schema Theory with ISD principles to support meaningful learning.  The project engaged learners cognitively and encouraged conceptual reorganization. By using concept mapping as both a learning and assessment tool, I was able to evaluate not just content recall but schema expansion. This artifact highlights my skill in designing instruction that prioritizes learner mental models and supports deep, transferable understanding, essential components of effective instructional design.

This project focused on applying Systems Communication Theory to the design of an instructional experience that improves communication within complex systems. Guided by the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, I began by analyzing communication breakdowns in a hypothetical organizational setting and identifying key barriers to effective message transmission. From this analysis, I designed a structured training module that introduced core concepts of systems communication and provided practical strategies for improving message clarity, feedback loops, and cross-departmental coordination. This document explores the relationship between communication effectiveness and  learner performance.

Artifact

This artifact is a written instructional design plan that incorporates Systems Communication Theory into a workplace training context. It outlines the analysis of communication needs, instructional goals, proposed strategies, content organization, and assessment methods. The document demonstrates how theoretical principles can be applied to solve instructional challenges in real-world professional environments.

Reflection

This project exemplifies AECT Standard 1.1 by showing how instruction can be systematically developed through a structured process grounded in analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Each step in the project was intentionally aligned to the needs of the learners and the goals of the organization. I used the ISD framework not only to organize the instructional content, but to guide decision-making around sequencing, delivery methods, and formative feedback. This artifact demonstrates my ability to respond to complex communication issues with a research-based, iterative design approach. 

This project involved designing a structured introductory training session to help faculty effectively use the Centra virtual classroom platform. The instructional strategy was carefully sequenced to match learner needs, beginning with simple, low-risk tasks like logging in and uploading content and gradually progressing toward more complex interactions such as managing polls, using text chat, and facilitating live feedback tools. Each instructional event was chosen based on its relevance to the faculty’s teaching responsibilities and designed to build user confidence incrementally. By scaffolding the experience, the lesson helped participants move from basic technology use to more dynamic instructional engagement. The design emphasized alignment between learner characteristics, content complexity, and the desired performance outcomes, ensuring that every instructional event was purposeful and appropriately placed.

Artifact

This artifact is an instructional plan for demonstration for faculty on using Centra, a virtual classroom environment. It includes a structured sequence of activities, demonstrations, and guided practice opportunities, all designed to help instructors build skills progressively and apply them in their own teaching contexts.

Reflection

This project exemplifies AECT Standard 1.3 by demonstrating how the strategic selection and sequencing of instructional strategies can support skill acquisition and learner success. By starting with foundational technical tasks and gradually increasing task complexity, a clear learning pathway was planned so that the time constraints of adult professionals were considered. This project highlights my ability to apply instructional models and strategies that respond to real-world learning situations in a systematic way.

This document demonstrates identifying and applying instructional strategies to help faculty effectively use the Centra virtual classroom platform in a teaching context. I developed a set of scaffolded instructional activities that aligned with faculty learners’ prior experience, teaching responsibilities, and technology comfort levels. The lesson plan emphasized active engagement, starting with straightforward tasks such as accessing the platform and uploading documents, and progressing toward more interactive strategies like conducting polls, managing breakout rooms, and using real-time feedback tools. 

The instructional sequence was deliberately structured to build confidence and mastery over time, ensuring each new skill was supported by opportunities for practice and reflection. The strategy also accounted for time constraints and varying levels of technical proficiency, integrating just-in-time support and low-pressure practice opportunities. This project highlights how targeted instructional strategies can transform a technical training into a meaningful, pedagogically sound professional development experience.

Artifact

The artifact includes a structured instructional plan, demonstration materials, and sample activities that train faculty to use Centra effectively. It illustrates how the careful selection and sequencing of instructional strategies can promote both skill development and instructional confidence among adult learners.

Reflection

This project reflects AECT Standard 1.3, which emphasizes selecting and sequencing instructional events to align with learning goals, content, and learner characteristics. My instructional design decisions were guided by a deep understanding of the faculty audience, including their workload, expectations, and comfort with instructional technology. I applied scaffolding and incremental learning strategies to guide users through increasingly complex features, allowing for meaningful progress without overwhelming the learner. 

This project focused on understanding the unique challenges faced by online students in accessing and engaging with academic advising services. Drawing on learner analysis, I explored key characteristics of this population, including limited face-to-face access, time constraints, varying degrees of self-regulation, and diverse levels of digital literacy. These insights informed the development of a learner-centered resource that not only provided clear information about advising processes but also offered strategies to help students advocate for themselves and persist in their academic goals. The project emphasized accessibility, clarity, and relevance, and was intentionally designed to reflect the real-world conditions under which online students engage with support services. By recognizing and responding to learner characteristics, the design promoted both awareness and empowerment for students navigating complex systems remotely.

Artifact

This artifact is a presentation document that discusses research on the unique challenges of online students. It also identifies common advising challenges and provides practical strategies and tools for overcoming them. The material is designed to be concise, supportive, and easy to navigate, with special attention given to tone and accessibility.

Reflection

This project exemplifies AECT Standard 1.4 by demonstrating how an understanding of learner characteristics can inform every phase of instructional planning. In this project, I addressed the real-life context and needs of online learners by designing a resource that acknowledges their time constraints, need for self-direction, and reliance on clear, accessible communication. This artifact reflects my commitment to designing instruction that starts with the learner, not just the content.

This project focused on analyzing learner characteristics and contextual factors to inform the instructional design of a faculty module. The project includes a detailed analysis of participants’ prior experience, comfort with instructional technology, and professional motivations.This analysis resulted in a contextually responsive design and ensured that the training respected the learners’ strengths while directly addressing skills gaps.

Artifact

This artifact is a learner and context analysis report that guided the development of the Centra faculty training. It outlines learner characteristics, environmental factors, and instructional implications, all of which shaped the tone, sequencing, and content of the instructional design.

Reflection

This project clearly aligns with AECT Standard 1.4, which emphasizes the role of learner characteristics in determining the success of instructional interventions. By tailoring instructional strategies to match the learners’ expertise, motivation, and unfamiliarity with synchronous online environments, I created a training experience that was both respectful and effective. This artifact reflects my commitment to designing instruction that begins with a deep understanding of who the learners are and how their experiences shape the way they learn.

This project applied Keller’s ARCS Model of Motivational Design (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) to address engagement challenges among first-year engineering students learning to use computer-aided design (CAD) software. The instructional design was grounded in a learner analysis that identified key motivational barriers, including limited prior experience with CAD tools, low initial confidence, and difficulty seeing the relevance of CAD to their broader engineering coursework. I used the ARCS model to craft strategies that captured attention through real-world examples, established relevance by linking CAD tasks to professional engineering applications, and built confidence through scaffolded practice and supportive feedback. The instruction concluded with opportunities for success-driven reinforcement, allowing learners to experience satisfaction in their progress. This project emphasized that motivation is not a static learner trait but something that can be intentionally supported through thoughtful instructional design.

Artifact

This artifact is an instructional plan and design analysis that maps learner needs to each of the four components of Keller’s ARCS model. It includes strategies for maintaining attention, building relevance, supporting confidence, and encouraging satisfaction, specifically tailored to the motivational profiles of novice engineering students working with CAD technology.

Reflection

This project directly reflects AECT Standard 1.4, which recognizes that learner characteristics, uch as prior experience, confidence levels, and motivational needs, significantly influence the effectiveness of instruction. By applying Keller’s model, I designed instruction that was informed by learner psychology and customized to address both cognitive and affective learning barriers. The work demonstrates how motivation research can inform the selection of instructional strategies that engage learners meaningfully, especially in technically demanding environments. This artifact illustrates my ability to apply motivational theory to real-world instructional design, ensuring that content delivery supports knowledge acquisition, as well as learner persistence and engagement.