Reflection
This section provides context for my personal learning design philosophy, the design process, and my reflection on constructing my capstone over five semesters at USC.
Personal Learning Design Philosophy
My vision is to create a learner-centric design that is inclusive, accessible, and engaging to learners, rooted in theory, and valued by those who engage.
Principles of Instructional Design
The guiding principles of my design are based on:
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ADDIE Model
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Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction
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Bandura's Social Learning Theory
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Mayer's Principles of Multimedia Learning
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Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation
Instructional design is the process of transforming principles of learning to practice in a systematic and reflective process incorporating analysis, strategy, evaluation and
revision.
Smith & Ragan, 2005
Instructional Design Philosophy
I draw upon a diverse array of principles to ensure effectiveness and engagement. Rooted in the foundational structure of the ADDIE Model, my approach emphasizes analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction provide a roadmap for sequencing learning experiences, ensuring they capture attention, stimulate recall, and guide learners toward mastery. Bandura's Social Learning Theory underscores the significance of collaborative environments, fostering interactions that promote observational learning and skill acquisition through modeling and reinforcement. Integrating Mayer's Principles of Multimedia Learning, I leverage the power of visuals, narration, and interactivity to optimize information processing and retention. Lastly, informed by Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation, I continuously assess learning outcomes across reaction, learning, behavior, and results, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and driving continuous improvement. Through this comprehensive framework, I strive to create dynamic, learner-centered experiences that empower individuals to achieve their full potential.
Overview of Instructional Design Process
The focus of my capstone project was to create a course aimed at helping professional women increase their professional presence so that they would be prepared to take on the challenge of moving into leadership roles within their organizations. Crotti et al. (2020) estimate that gender gaps in leadership in North America will take 151 years to close, and the course would have a role in helping women to increase the diversity, parity, and equity of women within leadership roles in the workplace. That being said, this course is inclusive to all who wish to learn and grow.
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When designing for learning, it is vital to keep the learner at the center of the process. The ADDIE model allows for a thorough understanding of how to build the skills today that the learner needs to be successful tomorrow. The process starts with identifying the jobs to be done to fulfill an organization’s mission and the knowledge required to flourish in the role.
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The ADDIE model was a perfect foundation for this course design. It allowed me to think through the process throughout the design to ensure that I was focused on the learner and capturing the details needed for a comprehensive curriculum. The fluidity of the model allowed me to visit and revisit components to truly serve the learner. As a result, I spent a large amount of time in the analysis and design phases because I wanted to understand the needs of the learner and design an engaging course that working professionals would choose as part of their development plan. I believe the final result is something that any professional would want to engage with and will walk away with applicable skills to further their career.
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Crotti, R., Geiger, T., Ratcheva, V., & Zahidi, S. (2020) The global gender gap report 2020. World Economic Forum. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2020.pdf
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Reflection About the Capstone
The capstone project was one of the most challenging, rigorous, and rewarding of my personal and professional career. The stepwise process of building a living course to implement for learners is extremely gratifying. I appreciated the building of each section within different courses in the LDT program because it felt like I was directly applying my learnings to something that I value. I also cherished the scaffolding that Dr. Yates provides in the template because it reinforces how to best design for the population that you are targeting.
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The most challenging aspect of the process was keeping tabs on each section to make sure that I was building on the last and not forgetting anything vital to the process. Iteration upon iteration was necessary for the Learning Actitivities Table because as I walked through the unit I constantly changed and upgraded what I wanted to offer the learners in that one hour. Finally, I have to say it, APA was tough with this project because of all of the formatting on the tables. Walking away from this program I have the confidence to design in an appropriate and conscientious manner and can edit the heck out of a 150 page document.