Growing as a Learning Experience Designer
In the below reflection, I share my journey through the MALXD program. It highlights where I began, how it's going, and what the future holds. This reflection also discusses how the theories, skills, and learning design principles I acquired throughout the program has shaped my approach to creating impactful professional development experiences.
Where I Began
Before I began the MALXD program in Fall 2024, I was relatively new in my role as an educational developer and needed to deepen my understanding of learning design. At the time, I felt that in order to create highly effective training and professional development opportunities for the population I served, I needed to gain knowledge of adult learning theory and advance my design skills in. Although I had spent over 8 years as an academic advisor and supervisory roles, instructional design felt like an entirely new world. I was juggling excitement of taking on this new leadership role with significant feelings of imposter syndrome, which ultimately led me to pursuing the MALXD program.
When I entered the MALXD program, my academic interests were twofold. First, I had a strong commitment to equitable and inclusive learning experiences, and I sought to expand my understanding of how learning design and adaptive learning technologies can meet the needs of a wide range of learners. I was really interested in learning more about accessibility tools and emerging technology in the education space as a I felt this was a major skill gap of mine. Second, within the realm of learning design theory, I wanted to explore how theory-informed design could enhance professional development programs for adult learners, particularly when it came to training and development. I was drawn to the program's inclusion of theory and practical application, which closely aligned with my goals of creating accessible, engaging, and effective learning experiences within the workplace. This program offered a unique opportunity to strengthen my skillset in instructional design while also providing me with a framework that I could immediately apply in my work with adult learners.
How I Am Progressing
Throughout the MALXD program, I have made progress towards my goals, particularly in the area of accessible designs. In UX 835 (Accessibility and Design), as well as across the program's curriculum, I developed a strong understanding of assistive technologies, web accessibility standards (i.e., WCAG), and the common barriers learners with disabilities often encounter. One of the most meaningful takeaways from this coursework was that accessible design benefits everyone, not just those with identified disabilities. I now regularly apply tools that I learned from the program, including empathy maps and qualitative user assessments, to ensure my designs are human-centered and broadly accessible. The knowledge I gained has fundamentally shaped how I think about learners and learning environments.
In EAD 861 (Adult Learning), I was able to engage with adult learning theory (andragogy), including self-directed learning and situated learning, and apply it directly to my work in creating training and professional development experiences. This has been particularly helpful in a variety of live and asynchronous trainings in which I use hands-on activities, scenarios, case studies, and observations to support on-the-job application and improve knowledge retention.
Where I Am Now
As I enter my final semester of the MALXD program, I am still committed to developing effective, meaningful training and professional development experiences. This dedication is deeply rooted in my passion for supporting employees that are looking to build competence and confidence needed to succeed in their roles. As someone that was recently diagnosed as neurodivergent, I am empathetic to the frustrations that arise when learning barriers exist, especially when those barriers are impacting the ability to perform job responsibilities, and I continue to strive to create inclusive learning experiences.
While my interests have remained fairly consistent from entering the program to now, they have become a bit more narrowed. I have discovered that I have a niche in designs for onboarding and new hire training, seeing that strong, intentional learning experiences at a crucial stage for an employee can have long-term benefits for both the employee and the organization. The program has also sparked a strong interest in microlearning, particularly for online asynchronous designs, as it provides short, highly focused learning in a variety of formats that can be engaging for busy adults. As I continue to grow in this field, I am eager to hone my expertise in these areas and further create learning designs with lasting impact.