brittany nicole

Introduction

Education is the key to success and technology is bridging the gap between the two entities. The University of North Carolina Wilmington defines instructional technology as the “theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of the processes and resources for learning. It is used to improve educational and training systems in organizational settings, school systems, and universities through the application of research and best practices from instructional technology.” This field of study is forever growing and evolving with the current trends centered around effective communication, information system design, and accessibility. The process of being an instructional technologist is to embrace the process from beginning to end. From the first drawn analysis to the evaluation component to the final design stages. Each layer of instructional technology is a valid piece to the puzzle.

Background of Instructional Design & Development

What exactly is an instructional designer and what do they do? Instructional designers create and deliver learning products for business, K-12, higher education, and government organizations. Instructional designers are the ‘architects’ of the learning experience and the ‘directors’ of the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process. Instructional designers are in high demand worldwide (particularly in North America, Asia and Europe), as organizations are turning towards instructional designers to solve business performance problems through the delivery of effective learning experiences.

“An instructional designer is somebody who applies a systematic methodology based on instructional theory to create content for learning events.”

The role of an instructional designer in my eyes is rather complex to explain to those who are not familiar with this field of work. It’s important to note that there’s a few different pathways that an instructional designer can choose to work in full time. The beauty of working in this field is that you have options to pursue as a career path whether you choose to serve in a role for a public or private organization. There’s also the option to tackle the education side of this field or the corporate ladder side of things.

Personal Commitment to the Role

I’ve been a problem solver since I was a kid. It just comes natural to me. In my line of work, I’ve learned the importance of creating systems to establish a means of consistency and improvement to the work that I do now. I currently work in higher education but have had a strong desire to work in the field of technology since the pandemic broke out in March 2020. As a professional, I want to educate others on the importance of establishing assessment techniques to enhance the overall learning experience in the corporate world. The job of an instructional designer involves utilizing a research based process to properly design and implement further instruction. When one takes time to establish the learning outcomes or the end goal, you can create materials that will cater to your audience. I would want to be flexible with my approach to ensure that all learners can take advantage of the instructional materials implemented for training manuals or learning modules to improve and enhance the overall learning experience.

So whether I’m updating the format of a training evaluation or developing instructional content or assessing curriculum goals, I’m committed to keep the following in mind:

1. Empower students through instruction development and implementation
2. Enhance the overall learning experience for all learners
3. Educate those in the corporate world about the importance of accessibility
4. Exhaust all options and create different modes of instruction to encompass all learning styles
5. Evolve and contribute greatly to being one of the greats in the field of instructional design

Conclusion

I believe wholeheartedly that with all the negative that stemmed from the Covid-19 pandemic, corporate America and business organizations will be forever grateful for the exposure of tapping into the alternative methods of doing business (virtually). Overall, I can even see that more companies made adjustments to how they approach the topic of creating systems that ensure accessibility and flexibility. The “work from home” life was one that I thoroughly enjoyed and it helped me experience first hand the possibilities of learning a “new way” to do the normal in-office tasks. That’s what inspired me to look into fields where I would have the chance to serve in a role that allows for me to continuously serve and assist others. Companies are even creating “work from home” policies to ensure that staff have the means and tools necessary while employed. I feel empowered to be able to step in and bridge the gap between assessing the overall end goals for the company and then creating content that helps fully train and educate staff on safety, the how-to, and the why behind the company’s mission. I hope to add value to this space and know that as a professional in the field, I’ll be elated to know that one way or another, “I’m making a difference” which is a personal commitment of mine. It’s been a driving force for the last 8 years and helped to motivate myself to go above and beyond for the students that I served in higher education. I’m committed and inspired to do the same as I make plans to transitions from one realm of education to another.

References:

Enyotalearning.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://enyotalearning.com/blog/why-is-learner-experience-important/

Frequently asked questions. University of North Carolina Wilmington. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://uncw.edu/ed/mit/faq.html#What

What is instructional design? home. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.instructionaldesigncentral.com/whatisinstructionaldesign