About Me
Hello my name is Sam Angello. I am a graduate of Full Sail University where I received my bachelors degree in Digital Cinematography. I am currently pursuing my masters degree in Instructional Design and Technology. I live in Cleveland Ohio and own a production company that's specializes in television commercials and product videos. I also work as a freelancer directing and technical directing live sports for mostly high school and college football games. I am also a college professor teaching Broadcast Studio Operations and Broadcast Engineering.
I also have several certifications. Most notably I am a master level scuba diver specializing in underwater videography. I also have a pyro- technician license that allows me to work as a pyro technician. I belong to several organizations including, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, IATSE local 209, Society of America Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians.
My Social Media
My Turning point Story
Intention Statement
Over the next 12 months on my journey to earning my master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology, from Full Sail University, my hope is to expand my knowledge base and help me obtain a better understanding of how to effectively design and create educational content and curriculum for my college students. I hope to focus on how to make learning more multi-faceted and engaging for my students. I would like to be able to blend a variety of learning styles together making sure that I am reaching everyone’s preferred way of learning. I am also looking to grow my personal communication skills and become a better communicator of the content that I am teaching. I need to figure out how to bring what I am teaching to a level where my students can comprehend the learning in a very digestible way.
One of the things that I am most interested in exploring is how to take digital content like a video and make it more engaging by adding different elements and ways for people to interact with the video content. I also am looking for ways to learn how to add assessments into that content. I want to be able to judge the effectiveness of the content and how well my students are learning and retaining the information that is being presented to them in my course.
Another area that I am very interested in learning about is multifaceted approaches when it comes to creating educational content. For example, how to build a digital worksheet that can demonstrate a concept using multiple ways of communicating information for all styles of learning. I am hoping to learn the best ways to reach the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. How do I effectively reach them? How can my content be communicated to all styles of learners? Also, I am interested in learning about game strategy and how to implement that into my teaching style. I am very excited for the next 12 months and can’t wait to learn everything the Instructional Design and Technology degree program has to offer.
Inspirational Post Week 1
This is one of my favorite commercials. When Steve Jobs came back to Apple he made this video to inspire the next generation of people that would revolutionize the world. I really like this video because it is all about thinking outside of the norm. The commercial stresses that is okay not to follow the path that other people have set before you or think that you should follow. He tells you to live outside of the box of standards that are set; to be unique, different and to create good. By doing this, we can change the world for the better.
"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do". — Steve Jobs, 1997
Citation
Steve J. (1997). Think Different Ad campaign, 1997-2002, Apple Corporation Inc. Los Angeles, California.
LinkedIn Screenshots
Below you will find my screenshots from linked in. It looks like LinkedIn has changed the layout from the examples. So I provided an additional shot of the companies that I follow. Link to my profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samangello
Inspirational Post Week 2
This is one of my favorite things Elon Musk has ever said. I know he says a lot of crazy and wacky things, but when you sit down and look at what he saying a lot of it actually makes sense. In this video Elon Musk explains how engineers over complicate and design things that don't need to be over complicated. He feels that in school and in life we are taught to answer the question that is asked of us and not to question the question. I have always thought that people ask questions to get responses that they have already determined to be the best answer. Instead of asking people if the question they're looking for is the most optimized for the best solution to the problem that is in front of them. That's why I like what Elon says in this video so much. He tells you to question the questions and I truly believe we need more of that especially nowadays in this crazy world we live in.
Citation
Musk, Elon (2021), Everyday Astronaut Starbase Tour with Elon Musk, Part 1, August 3, 2021. link to or original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t705r8ICkRw&t
"The beginning of greatness is to be different, and the beginning of failure is to be the same." - Roy Whittier.
My goals & steps to success
Short-Term Goal:
After graduation, my short-term goal is to continue teaching college and high school students, as well as try to post two videos per week on YouTube.
Long-Term Goal:
My long-term goal is to make educational and instructional content for the broadcast and live event production industry. Also to continue teaching college and high school students about both of these industries. As well as making my library of instructional videos to help educate and expand the knowledge base of people in both of these industries.
Deconstructed Steps to accomplish my goal:
- Posting Schedule (I will develop a consistent posting schedule that allows viewers to know when they can expect content to be posted.)
- Marketing Solutions (I will create marketing strategies to help distribute my content to my desired viewing audience.)
- Engagement (I will work on strategies to help keep my current audience actively engaged in consuming content.)
- Outreach (I understand that outreach is critical for growing a brand. I will be attending trade shows and connecting with other industry professionals. Establishing a reputation as a reliable asset in the broadcast industry is vital.
- Industry Connects (I will make industry connections that are essential in helping me grow my content to what I envision. These connections will help create relationships with manufactures and distributors to help supply equipment for tutorials and reviews and create partnership deals.)
- Continuous Education (And finally, to succeed at becoming an influential content creator and teacher, I must continue my education on emerging technology in the broadcast industry to keep my content relevant.)
JOIN A CLUB
I have always advocated for being part of clubs and organizations. Membership can provide a wealth of information and contacts. I am a member of several organizations in my industry, including the Society of Broadcast Engineering, local 209, IATSE, SSI, The International Brotherhood of Magicians, The Society of American Magicians, The American Federation of Teachers, Plus many more. Being part of these clubs has brought me several great career opportunities in the past and currently.
Looking at the clubs and organizations at Full Sail, I see great opportunities for possible networking and learning from peers.
One of the clubs I was interested in joining is The Future Filmmakers of America. This club has the potential for making connections, providing assistance, and problem-solving during preproduction, production, and post-production.
I am also very active in the Full Sail alum group and have hired several past students for jobs I have worked on here in Ohio.
What I hope to learn on my Master's Degree Journey
After looking at the Full Sail Instructional Design and Technology program and the courses I will take over the next 12 months, I am excited about the upcoming curriculum and its offerings. In my journey, I am most interested in becoming a better and more effective communicator to my viewing audience and students. I also would like to learn how to create more engaging content that can be used by people with different learning styles, including written, visual, and auditory.
Lastly, I want to learn how to put assessments into my content, so I can actively gauge in real time how my students and viewers understand the material I have created. I want to make sure all understand the concepts. Looking into future courses, that is precisely what the Instructional Design and Technology program teaches us. How to communicate, take significant ideas and break them down into smaller packets of information, making learning understandable for people to consume.
Presentation slides
Week 1 Reflection
My Reflection this week
After completing the assignments this week and looking at what we have learned, understanding how people learn and the psychology behind learning strategies and principles will help me better grasp the foundation of the instructional design process. This, in turn, will help me in the future with the material that I will be creating. I have also learned from this week that motivation is a critical factor in a person's willingness to participate in the subject matter we are trying to disseminate to them. You need to engage the students' interest in curiosity to get them to become motivated and invested in the subject matter. Finally, as I reflect on what we learned this week, staying focused on the goals is essential. Using motivational strategies such as setting goals, pacing, time management, self-regulation, and getting enough sleep will help me attain my goals.
What would you do differently? What would you keep doing, stop doing, and start doing?
What I would do differently to improve my situation is to take the challenge of finding a good balance between the college classes I teach, running my own production company, and taking my master's courses. I need to improve on time management and stay on task. I have found myself trying to multitask, which doesn’t always work for me. I should focus on one task at a time to be more effective. Otherwise, what I am doing becomes counterproductive, which creates other issues and requires redoing work when my time is already limited. Prioritizing my work will help me be more effective and efficient without getting sidetracked. I also need to become better at avoiding distractions like opening YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok and getting focused on those distractions for hours at a time, thereby avoiding the work I need to be getting done.
How can you make your situation better?
I can Improve my situation by looking at ways to implement strategies to improve my school-to-job time issues. One important thing I need to do is to block out and plan a specific time for each project I need to accomplish and try to stay close to that time limit. To help me stay on task and organized, I have developed a calendar with college class assignments, work projects, teaching times, and assignments. I plan to be very cognizant of dates and times to meet the completion of all the tasks that need to be done.
What sacrifices would you have to make to ensure that you, as a graduate student, more fully engage in and fulfill all assignment/project requirements?
The primary sacrifice to ensure I am engaged in completing graduate assignments and projects would be to reduce how much television and YouTube I watch. I have been working hard on finding a good balance between the college classes that I instruct, taking my master's degree courses, and still running my production company. So that means there’s not as much time for television, YouTube, or other outside fun activities right now. It's not that much of a sacrifice because I am working to achieve something I have wanted to do for a long time. And in the long run, this will help me better myself personally and financially.
Week 2 Reflection
My Reflection this week
This week I enjoyed the live lecture. Having a conversation and going over our previous post, I found it helpful to brainstorm and talk about our experiences on the subject matter. One thing I do with my students is find areas they are curious about and tie the subject matter to that interest. This week I chose to read the following blogs: YOUSICIAN, How Video Games Can Enhance Learner Capabilities and Virtual reality in tech Classrooms. These blogs piqued my curiosity because I am trying to incorporate more virtual reality and gameplay into my teaching. Playing games and using VR helps the learning process become more relatable to the students. Since my students grew up playing video games, it only stands to reason that I would bring that technology into the classroom.
I have had the opportunity to develop games and use virtual reality in my classes. And have seen how this technology benefits the educational growth of my students and engages their curiosity toward learning. Zina Alaswad, in her paper Instructional Design and Evaluation of a Game-Based Learning Interior Design Studio explains how the elements and attributes associated with gaming take the learners out of their comfort zone and creates an environment for curiosity, allowing the students an opportunity for engagement in this new environment. (Alaswad, 2022).
What would you do differently? What would you keep doing? And start doing?
After reading your comment about attention management being a different way to manage tasks, I decided to look deeper into attention management. I found that by implementing this strategy, time is not the focus. The focus is now on controlling your attention on a task. You are not setting up times to start and stop a task. You are now in control of what you need to do, not by time constraints but by attention to what needs to be done. Your goals become different, and your priorities change. There is no multi-tasking or strict time schedules. Instead, you look at what needs to be done and prioritize those tasks by importance. Working on one task at a time helps you stay focused, and being on task is more accessible. I plan on using a calendar to keep all tasks that need to be done on paper instead of in my head. I plan on starting this change to attention management this week.
How can you make your situation better?
Making a situation better takes time, persistence, and focus. Changing up something after it has been a part of your life can be challenging and meet with resistance. Changing to attention management strategies may take some serious self-talk on my part. To make a situation better, it is essential to recognize what forces are in play and how to circumvent them. Do I need to ask important questions, such as am I a reactive person? Do I get easily distracted? Am I a procrastinator? Does my mind wander? Can I put my cell phone down without constantly checking it?
What sacrifices would you have to make to ensure that you, as a graduate student, more fully engage in and fulfill all assignments/project requirements?
This is hard to answer because I am fully engaged as a graduate student. I know what it takes to be successful in the academic world. It is essential to stay on task and stay caught up on work. You do what you have to do to accomplish what needs to be done. There are a few sacrifices I have to make sense of at the moment; my life revolves around school and work. I genuinely enjoy learning and do not have many external distractions other than social media, which is technically a part of my job in the broadcast world.
Reference
Alaswad, Z. (2022). Instructional Design and Evaluation of a Game-Based Learning Interior Design Studio. International Journal of Design Education, 16(2), 113–129. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.18848/2325-128X/CGP/v16i02/113-129
Thomas, M. (2015, January 1). Attention Management™ is the new path to productivity . Retrieved from https://maurathomas.com: https://maurathomas.com/empowered-productivity/attention-management/
Using Application based learning to Help Master photography
Visual and verbal communication in instructional design learning objectives
Apply visual design fundamentals to instructional design projects.
After reading the course material in this class and listening to our weekly lectures and my experience with visual design, it is clear that Instructional Designers will need to pay close attention to the visual design fundamentals they use when developing their eLearning project. Paying attention to color, spacing, line, and shape is very important to ensure the project looks good and the learner can visualize and follow along with the content presented inside the e-learning project. Design fundamentals are also vital to Universal Design and ensuring that your e-learning is accessible to all learners, especially learners with disabilities. I think Universal Design is often overlooked when a design is developed.
Some other elements also need to be considered when thinking of visual design. I feel that text size, font, and readability are essential. If the design is hard to read or the page is cluttered with too many different font sizes and types, your learner will either be confused or lose interest. Font size can also be used within your design layout to help show the importance of topics to the learner on what they need to read and follow in which order. It is also essential to use proper framing and negative space to ensure your design does not feel cluttered or overwhelming to the learner. It is also necessary to make sure that your design feels complete. Another very important element is making sure that you have a consistent design throughout the whole e-learning. The text, color, shapes, and composition should all be similar to make the project feel whole to the learner. To sum up the importance of design fundamentals, it is important to remember consistency and ensure that the e-Learning feels complete. The structure is composed so the learner can follow along without being distracted or confused by the design elements.
Write effective instructional material for intended audiences.
When writing effective instructional material, focusing on the learners using the eLearning program is necessary. No matter what kind of writing you do, it will be counterproductive if you do not connect with your audience. Your writing needs to be clear and precise and written at a level suitable for your intended audience. It needs to be focused while informative and presented in small chunks that are manageable for your audience. The main reason for effective writing is to keep your learners engaged. If your learners are engaged more than likely, there will be an increase in learning. I also find that people often write too technically to try and show off their knowledge. It is great to know the big words, but a good communicator uses the small ones. It is also important to remember that humans are consuming your writing with ever-changing and shrinking attention spans, thanks to TicTok and YouTube. That is why it is essential to inject levity and humor into your writing and use unique and obscure facts to help keep your audience engaged.
When writing, you need to do multiple spelling and grammar checks to ensure the writing comes across professionally, which also helps gives credibility to the eLearning project. Text can also be a great Universal Design tool to help engage all learners and those with disabilities. Text can be presented in various ways, such as written text on the screen and read aloud, which allows the diverse learner to understand the learning objective better. The instructional designer also needs to be a good communicator. You will be working with subject matter experts to create your e-Learning and other instructional material. Communicating and collaborating effectively with these subject matter experts (SEM) is essential to our job as instructional designers.
Create instructional material using current software applications.
In this class, using Adobe Captivate was a worthwhile experience. It was one of the Adobe products I was unfamiliar with, and it allowed me to explore its possibilities. Captivate is helpful for teachers and designers who need to learn essential software and application coding. However, I found parts of Captivate clunky with many glitches. For example, Closed Captioning could not be added to an event video, but it could be added to a video slide. I also found that if you didn’t adjust the timing settings, videos would randomly pause in the middle, which, from a user’s standpoint, would automatically pause at the end of the video and not in the middle. I also found that captivate would randomly make the videos black boxes when working with videos, making you go back and adjust the quality settings or have to clear Capitate’s cache in the preferences setting. Also, when I was working inside the sub-menus, the text by Adobe Express on how to insert a Captivate project, when scrolling, would roll over to the top of other buttons inside the sub-menu, blocking them from being used. After talking to Adobe, they stated they were aware of these bugs or glitches but had not patched them yet. This led me to my suspicion that Captivate could be at its end of life for Adobe since we have seen this behavior from them before. On the other hand, they could prepare for a significant overhaul of Captivate. With all that being said, Captivate still made it easy and assessable for educators to create eLearning modules for their classes.
Assess instructional design projects and provide criticism that is constructive and meaningful.
During this class, we explored the importance of evaluating and providing relevant and valuable feedback to the eLearning designer and giving actionable steps that could improve the interaction and comprehension of the material contained within the eLearning to make it more valuable and user-friendly for the learner. One of the things we look at in film is continuity and flow, similar to developing an eLearning, making sure content flows in a logical and natural sequence. A critical element for flow is how the learner is able to navigate eLearning. That navigation is straightforward and allows the user to move within the eLearning with ease of use.
One of the most important reasons to use evaluations is to check for Universal Design. This helps to ensure that your eLearning is assessable and available to people with different learning styles. This, in turn, makes eLearning more relevant for educational environments. Essential areas to assess when looking at universal design are making sure that there is a narration on each slide, including the quiz slides. Also, making sure that text and images are laid out clearly and explain the narrator's essay through visual representation, as I tell my students to go cave painting when developing illustrations. Also, you should ensure that close captioning is available. So the coloring and font choices are easy for users to see. You may also want to evaluate and make sure there is an option for people that are colorblind as well to be able to access the content. This is why being critical and providing helpful feedback with actual executable steps for improvement is necessary during the evaluation process of e-learning.
By the end of this class, have you changed as a presenter/trainer or are you still the same type
I have not changed as a presenter. I still use pieces and parts of all the different presenter trainer models, but the one that still fits me the best is the personal model. My students learn best when exploring, experimenting, and engaging in hands-on learning. My students benefit significantly from my ability to draw upon my personal experiences and tell stories about situations I have been a part of. It helps expand their knowledge base and gives them a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. As a personal model trainer, I can draw upon my strengths in the topics I present to them. I firmly believe in the art of demonstration and then doing, as it allows my students to see the practical application of the concepts they are learning.
List at least two principles of Adult Learning you plan on adopting/keeping
The first principle I plan to adopt is keeping an adult learner motivated. As an educator, I believe it is crucial to motivate adult learners by making the subject matter relevant to their lives. However, I understand that adult learners can be harder to motivate than younger learners, which is why I make it a priority to help them see the worth of the training and learning. I do this by addressing why they are taking the training and why they feel it is relevant.
The second principle I will keep for training adults is to help them understand that this training will help them with their careers and provide them with the skills they need to succeed. I will make it a point to listen to their opinions and make them feel heard. By creating a non-threatening environment, I want my adult learners to feel comfortable and confident in their ability to learn and grow. By doing this, I can help my adult learners achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
Summarize 1-2 other takeaways/lessons you received from this class.
I was impressed by our guest speakers in this class. I enjoyed both presenters, especially Micheline Birkhead’s talk about the 16 personality traits, and the Six Thinking Hats fascinated me. I like that they relate to the different personalities of people you may train and have a better handle on how to work with them on the job. I could use these moving forward when working with students and other groups of people during my professional projects. Learning to communicate with people who think differently than you is one of the most important things we need to know as instructional designers. Knowing these personality types allows us to communicate our design decisions effectively and work more collaboratively.
Another lesson that resonated with me was about adult learners. I believe it’s crucial to understand how they learn and how to differentiate learning techniques for adult learners. By doing so, we can create more effective training programs and help people learn in a way that works best for them.
What would you do differently? What would you keep doing, stop doing, and start doing?
To completely be honest, there’s nothing that I would do differently. As of now, I have everything handled when it comes to balancing work and school nowadays. The only thing I could probably stop doing is watching so much YouTube and TikTok. I spend a lot of time on social media, but I find it relaxing and often educational. I also need to pull back from reading everything about AI. Then, I would probably have more time to get ahead of the game. I will keep my regular schedule, working on lessons for my job during the day and then on my master’s degree the other half of the day. It seems to be working out. I thought time management was going to be a lot more complicated. At the moment, I have figured out a way to combine my work schedule and master’s program.
How can you make your situation better?
As of right now, I’m in a very good position, and there are not many things I need to do to improve my situation. Everything has been going smoothly, and time management hasn’t been an issue, as I thought it would be. But to be completely honest, I don’t know what could make my situation better. Maybe fewer APA citations or Adobe not having random weird glitches, but I don’t think that will ever happen. So far, going through the master’s degree program has been easier than I expected. It may be because I have a significant amount of prior knowledge from my other degrees and an in-depth understanding of the software we have been utilizing during the program.
What sacrifices would you have to make to ensure that you, as a graduate student, more fully engage in and fulfill all assignment/project requirements in a timely manner?
Honestly, this is another one of those questions that are difficult to answer. I have not had to make significant sacrifices to fulfill my assignments or finish them on time. I think I have a little bit too much ADHD and anxiety when it comes to getting my assignments done. Typically, when the assignments are opened on the first day of class, I’ve already read through most of what is required. I also started working on as many assignments as possible without needing clarification. Sometimes I’ll have 90 to 95% of everything I can access for the class within the first two weeks. I do not like waiting until the last minute to complete assignments or videos. Waiting until the last minute unnerves me, making it difficult for me to relax. Getting the assignments done in a timely fashion allows me to review and make changes or revisions as needed.
7.3.2 Mastery Reflections
Course Reflection
This course has provided me with several learning outcomes that will change my future practice as an instructor. First, I have acquired new competencies and perspectives that will enhance my courses in the following ways. I have developed problem-solving skills in Adobe Audition, a software that I was not familiar with before. Second, I have benefited from the LinkedIn learning videos and tutorials that offered step-by-step instructions and demonstrations. Third, I have comprehensively understood the different sound domains: acoustic, analog, and digital. This knowledge will enable me to design and deliver effective audio instruction for my students. It will also enhance my ability to express sound design principles and their theoretical and practical implications more clearly and rigorously.
I have learned how to optimize the quality of instructional audio and minimize cognitive load for my learners. I have recognized the potential pitfalls of audio that are too loud, quiet, or cluttered. I have also learned how to adjust the audio levels and amplitudes to create a balanced and harmonious mix for my e-learning projects. These are some of the key learning outcomes of this course for me. I have increased my confidence and proficiency in creating and using audio for instructional purposes.
How I can improve my work
I appreciate the feedback I received on my work. It was inspiring to hear the positive feedback and the areas where I can improve. One point I agree with is that I speak too fast. This is a persistent habit of mine. If I lower my speaking rate when communicating with my learners, this would improve their understanding and reduce cognitive load issues for them. It is an actual difficulty that I have been attempting to solve. I am familiar with performing on stage from my former career as a comedian and magician. I have always had a quick speech. It is a constant daily challenge to remember to speak slower.
Another area I would like to enhance is my graphic design and illustration skills. This is a weak area for me, even though I am familiar with basic design principles. I also concur that adding some client testimonials would be advantageous. Unfortunately, most of the clients I work for are under NDA contracts, so I cannot use their work or testimonies from them. I also wish I had more screenshots or storyboards of my work, but I am usually too engrossed and never remember to capture the process while working. I also use storyboards sparingly when working on creating conceptual ideas. I am more of a spontaneous content creator and just go for it and let the design work itself out as I go.
Highlights From Portfolio
360° STUDIO TOUR
TRAINING VIDEO GRASS VALLEY VIDEO SWITCHER HOW TO BUILD AN ANIMATED WIPE USING MACROS
INTERACTIVE TRAINING ON HOW TO PREPARE AND COOK STUFFED MUSHROOMS FOR BEGINNERS
INSTRUCTIONAL INFO GRAPHIC AND VIDEO TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY MIKE A SUBJECT
INSTRUCTIONAL TRAINING VIDEO HOW TO ATTACH A LAVALIER MIC
TRAINING VIDEO FOR ADOBE AUDITION TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO REPAIR SOUND ISSUES PROPERLY
Screenshots from the Adobe audition tutorial
AUDIO MIND MAPPING CHARTS
Conflict Resolution Project
This video was created for my filmmaking principles class. I was using stock footage to demonstrate how to assemble an ad story two a Video project.
Reflect—How did your attitude, logic, and behaviors influence your performance or contribution? What worked? What didn’t?
In this reflection, I will evaluate my attitude, logic, and behavior toward the learning material in this month’s class. I believe that I was very effective and efficient in completing the assignments and projects on time, despite having a demanding workload as the producer of the backstage show for the Emmys. I always maintain a positive attitude towards schoolwork and manage my time well to ensure that I meet deadlines. I do not see any major areas that need improvement in my approach to learning.
Inquire—What concepts/techniques do you still need to learn about to gain mastery of the material? How do you know?
As I reflect on the material covered this month, I firmly believe that learning is a lifelong process and that there are always skills that can be enhanced, regardless of one’s level of proficiency. Some areas that I would like to improve on are storytelling in my instructional writing, adherence to storyboards, set dressing, and lighting techniques. I tend to improvise and follow the flow of the moment during shooting and editing rather than sticking to scripts, stories, or outlines. I also need to learn how to add more visual elements to the background of the shot to make it more appealing to the audience. Moreover, I need to work on adjusting the lighting to avoid glares and shadows in the shots.
Suggest—What could you have done differently to improve your performance or contribution?
I believe that I performed well and contributed effectively to this course. I submitted all my assignments on time or ahead of schedule. I engaged actively in the discussions, offering feedback to my classmates based on my extensive experience in the production industry for over 25 years. I also demonstrated a high level of effort and skill in shooting and filming and adapting to a workflow that was different from my usual practice.
Elevate—How will you approach similar situations in the future? How does this experience inform your professional objectives?
I always adopt a positive and optimistic attitude in every new situation and strive to achieve the highest standards of professionalism and quality in my projects. In the future, I would maintain the same approach and ensure I meet all client objectives. However, this experience also challenged me to work outside my usual comfort zone and follow specific requirements that were unfamiliar to me. Usually, I have complete control over the project and its presentation. I rely on my intuition and expertise to produce videos that satisfy my client’s business needs without soliciting or accepting feedback from them. I also conduct extensive research to become well-versed in the subject matter of each project. This class required me to work differently and adhere to storyboards and scripts, which was a novel and valuable learning opportunity that will benefit me in my professional career.
How to make homemade vanilla scented bath bombs
What could I suggest to make the game (class) better?
One way to enhance the quality of this class is to increase the clarity of the assignments. I often needed clarification about the expectations and objectives of the tasks. Providing more specific instructions and rubrics would help me understand the requirements better. I also recommend showing more examples of what a successful project looks like. Additionally, having clear deadlines for each assignment would be helpful, especially for peer-reviewed feedback. Another suggestion is to have interactive demonstrations of the software during class, where we can ask questions and discuss technical issues with you and our peers during live Zoom sessions rather than watching pre-recorded videos. It would also be nice for Zoom sessions to be required to be attended like other professors did in previous months. It was nice having all of the class at the meetings. These are some of the ideas I have to improve this class.
What additional things would I like to see as far as educational material in the class, but turned into a game?
One area of improvement for this class is to include more content on the principles and practices of game design. I think coding and other game design software should be integrated into this class rather than outsourcing the game development process. As technology and AI evolve, many independent developers like me must master these skills and tools to create games efficiently. I would also benefit from learning more about the design frameworks and techniques that can help me craft a game with a solid structure and an engaging player experience. Moreover, I would like to explore more aspects of mobile and app-based game development, website development, and coding games from scratch. I appreciate that we covered VR, but I would also like to learn about augmented reality, which is becoming increasingly relevant in our society. Another suggestion is to introduce Unreal Engine as part of this class. It is a robust platform that many games are built on, and it can also be used to create immersive virtual environments. This could be an excellent opportunity for cross-collaboration between the gaming and video and audio production courses, where we can learn how to build 3-D interactive worlds for our learners. I believe that independent developers can now compete with big companies regarding game quality and affordability, and this class should prepare us for that.
What were the biggest challenges for you?
One aspect of this class that could be improved is the overall organization of the class, particularly the rubrics, due dates, and assignment expectations. I think they should be more specific so that I can understand the requirements better and help me improve the quality of my projects. Another aspect that I found challenging was using Adobe Captivate. It seems like an outdated and buggy software with limited features compared to other software available today. I would like to see more modern and advanced technology used in this game development class.
Furthermore, I think this class should have more demanding assignments that require more time and research. We should also have peer feedback sessions before we submit our final versions for grading to improve our end products. I missed having midpoint reviews in this class where people could critique my work. In all the creative development classes I have taken in the past twenty years, that has always been a valuable part of the learning process. It was strange for me not to have that feedback.
What was too easy and you'd like to be made more challenging?
The assignments were a good foundation for a master’s degree program but could be more complex and in-depth. I would have preferred assignments that required us to do more research and creativity and enabled us to create games with more sophisticated features than Adobe Captivate provides. I have taken web classes in the past that were shorter in duration but taught us how to develop online HTML games with more interactivity than the ones in this class. The puzzles were enjoyable and engaging but could be more diverse and challenging. I think they could include different types of games that address various aspects of game design. I valued the class and the assignments overall and think these are some areas that could be improved to enrich the class. I would be happy to discuss this further and share my suggestions with you for the class.
Content Map
This week’s class taught us how to develop a course content map, a visual representation of the course structure and objectives. I created my content map for the editing class I will teach this fall. To start the development process, I reviewed the syllabus and the required topics that I need to cover in my course. I also considered the state-required learning outcomes that my students need to achieve by the end of the course. Based on these criteria, I designed a 15-week curriculum that would build students’ skills week by week and help them master editing techniques through complementary projects. The course would culminate in a final project requiring students to apply all the aspects of the editing process they have learned throughout the course. In the content map, I wanted to ensure that students had a clear vision of the 15-week course and the expectations that they would have to meet during this class.
One of the reasons for choosing to create a content map for the editing course was my dissatisfaction with the existing flow and layout of the course content. It was inadequate and did not address all the course's learning objectives. Therefore, I had to modify and supplement the content to make it more comprehensive and engaging for the students.
Another reason was to ensure that each project would align with the topics and techniques that I have to cover in the course based on the syllabus and the state-required learning outcomes. The final project would evaluate students’ proficiency in applying the editing process to the assigned final project, as referenced in the content map.
A crucial aspect of developing the content map was employing verbs from Bloom’s Taxonomy, a framework that categorizes different levels of cognitive skills. Bloom’s Taxonomy assists educators in designing courses that foster higher-order thinking skills in students. The verbs also enable the creation of measurable, clear, and concise learning objectives. Using these terms, it helps set expectations for projects and research. My goal is for my students to do work that will allow them to achieve mastery-level knowledge of editing techniques. In conclusion, this editing content map aims to help my students identify the learning objectives and expectations of this 15-week course.
Components of a robust LMS
A learning management system (LMS) is a software application that supports various aspects of student engagement and enables teachers to manage and evaluate their students’ performance in their courses. A robust LMS in an academic setting should have several components that enhance the teaching and learning process. One of these components is an online automatic grading feature, which allows the teacher to create quizzes and assignments that the LMS can instantly score and record. This feature can save time and provide immediate feedback to the students. Another component is a direct messaging feature, which facilitates communication between the teacher and the students and among the students themselves. This feature can improve productivity and time management by allowing private or group conversations within the LMS. A third component is a discussion board feature, which enables the teacher and the students to create and participate in online forums where they can post questions, comments, and feedback on various topics related to the course. This feature can foster collaboration and critical thinking among the students. A fourth component is a media embedding feature, which allows the teacher to incorporate interactive assignments from software such as Adobe Captivate or other learning creation apps into the LMS. These assignments can enrich the learning experience by providing multimedia elements such as audio, video, animation, and simulation.
Another essential component of an LMS is the ability to organize and manage the content and flow of class assignments. The teacher can create a content map that outlines the objectives, activities, and assessments for each module or unit of the course. The content map can also help streamline, manage, and organize the content to be presented to every student. Moreover, an LMS should have the structure to make class content accessible for students with learning disabilities by implementing universal design strategies such as closed captioning, screen readers, and screen magnification. This helps to ensure that the teaching is inclusive to all and that the teacher can focus on the individual learner.
One of the essential features of an LMS is the ability to create content for students with learning disabilities. This feature is vital for any LMS, as it addresses the needs of students with diverse learning styles and preferences. Another feature that an LMS should have is a social platform structure that enables students to interact and engage with each other and the instructor. Students today are accustomed to using social media, so an LMS that mimics a social platform can help promote learner engagement and motivation. A third feature an LMS should have is the ability to provide automatic grading and feedback for quizzes and assignments. Since we live in an on-demand society, an LMS that supports an automated grading process can provide students instant gratification and allow them to see their performance and areas for improvement. Lastly, an LMS should have the capability to integrate external programs, especially those that use augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR). These technologies can offer a new level of immersive training, which is crucial for student education.
LMS management and LMS users/roles (hint: review Chapter 4 of the LMS Guidebook and other course resources):
Managing a learning management system (LMS) requires attention to four key points: user accounts, authentication, user profile, and roles and permissions. An LMS should provide the ability to create user accounts with unique user IDs and passwords. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity and authorization of the user who logs in to the account. User profile is the collection of information that represents the user within the system. Roles and permissions are the definitions and assignments of what each user can do and access within the LMS. For example, instructional designers, project managers, and subject matter experts may have different levels of customization and access rights (Forman, 2018).
Forman (2018) also emphasized the need for a team that can help with the development and implementation of an LMS. He suggested that the ideal team should have a leader who guides the project, a project manager who monitors the LMS’s progress and status, an e-learning specialist who deals with e-learning tools and migration from an old system, an LMS administrator who controls security and permission settings, a usability specialist who makes sure that the LMS is easy to use, and an IT architect who fixes system issues, such as single sign-on.
Additionally, an LMS should provide the following features to help manage courses, a course catalog that lists the available courses, an online enrollment system that is easy to use and accessible to all users, a hosting, launching, tracking, and reporting system for online coursework, an email and messaging system that notifies users about enrollment, delivery completion, and student participation, a searchable library of historical documents for reference, a global change system that updates information instantly and efficiently, a reusable template system that facilitates ease of use, a workflow and notification system that informs authors about the development stage of the LMS, and an export option system that allows different delivery modes. In addition, an LMS should also offer an outline of each course and what users will learn inside the course.
Scenario 1: Imagine that you are tasked with exploring LMS platforms for your employer, who believes an LMS may be the solution for the organization's training content and management.
Forman (2018) stated that a careful needs analysis is essential for providing a successful recommendation on which LMS platform an organization should choose for their company. The needs analysis should determine what components of the LMS are required for the company’s goals and objectives. Some important questions to ask include: What is the company’s budget for the LMS project? Do they have a specific budget, or are they open to free or low-cost LMS options? What types of training material do they plan to incorporate into the LMS, such as testing, virtual reality content, simulators, videos, etc.? What are the company’s comfort level and technical skills in software and hardware? What existing knowledge or infrastructure and management system does the company already have? Can the company’s IT department handle the rollout and management of the recommended LMS? Is there a timeframe for the deployment of the LMS system? Forman also suggested a vetting process for potential LMS candidates. The vetting process should evaluate whether their LMS platforms meet the criteria needed by the organization. He also advised getting bids from the candidates so that the best deal for the client can be negotiated.
Based on the above criteria, I recommend one of two options for choosing an LMS system for any of the above-listed industries. The first option is to use an existing platform such as Canvas, which is a robust and versatile platform that can easily support multiple types of e-learning content and is relatively easy to deploy and use in a company with 300 employees. The second option is to build a custom-made system from scratch that meets the exact needs of the company. However, this option requires more time, money, and resources for development, deployment, and maintenance.
Scenario 2: Now imagine your employer agrees with your proposed LMS solution.
Forman (2018) stated that before rolling out an LMS to an organization, it is necessary to take your time and avoid rushing to go live, as this can result in serious flaws and errors. Therefore, to prepare the organization to use my suggested LMS, I would use the following methods to ensure a successful deployment of the learning management system (LMS). First, I would conduct a survey of the employees who will use the LMS to assess their technical knowledge levels and their expectations and concerns about the new learning platform. Next, I would address their concerns and provide them with information and guidance on how to use the LMS effectively and efficiently. Then, I would follow up with helpful emails, infographics, and videos that can answer their questions and inform them of the essential features and functions of the LMS. This would help to overcome the possible technical challenges that some employees may face and increase their confidence and motivation to use the LMS. I would also ensure that they have access to help and troubleshooting resources such as tutorials, videos, and live support to ensure a smooth and satisfactory user experience. The main goal is to make sure everyone involved is prepared and ready prior to the live rollout.
For a successful transition to using an LMS for the first time, I would also ensure that the organization’s IT department can successfully deploy and manage the LMS. I would also make sure that the hosting server is robust enough to handle multiple users accessing the LMS simultaneously without compromising the speed and quality of the service. I would also ensure that the LMS has been thoroughly developed and tested for errors in content and software before being deployed company-wide. I have seen many instances where things were deployed too early and became a disaster. I suggest starting with a beta version where we roll it out to small groups of employees first to ensure all functionalities of the LMS are working correctly and to collect feedback and suggestions for improvement before deploying it company-wide. According to Forman (2018), it would be a good idea to conference with the core team about possible risks and how to mitigate them prior to the live rollout.
Consider the course outcomes, the class assignments/projects, and the information you have learned thus far.
This course has enabled me to achieve the learning outcomes by following a step-by-step process of identifying the essential components of a learning management system (LMS). Besides the components mentioned above, our lectures included the following: ease of use in navigation, good use of technology, trackable progress, the ability to have automatic grading, and the ability to integrate external e-learning tools such as VR or Adobe Captivate projects. After identifying these components, I was able to carefully construct and revise a learning content map that utilized each element of the LMS to its optimal and efficient purpose for learners. The content map also helped streamline, manage, and organize the content so it was clearly presented to every student. Finally, I built and launched a module within my chosen LMS to demonstrate my proficiency and effectiveness in creating content for LMSs and showed my skills for setting up and deploying an LMS for clients.
As a college professor, using an LMS that offers an all-in-one system is necessary for tracking and is easy to use. At the university where I teach, I am required to use an LMS daily. Since the university I work at uses Canvas, that is what I use, and I found this LMS easy to use. I have been able to organize content for my students for all of the classes I teach. This ability to manage content is a game changer. Canvas allows easy access to my course content, PowerPoint presentations, assignments, attendance, and quizzes. It allows me to integrate all coursework into a single location without excessive navigation. It is relatively easy to use for, not only me but for my students as well. I also use LMSs in my contracting work that I do on the side, building instructional training for companies such as the county health department, local steel manufacturers, and many more. The information I learned in this class is very valuable in my daily life.
This course was thorough, well laid out, and offered opportunities for exploring the makeup of an LMS content map. The only thing I would like to learn more from this class and others is how to code and integrate external e-learning assets into different LMSs and what the step-by-step process would be if we built an LMS from scratch. What coding languages, frameworks, and structures would we need to know to be able to do this if we wanted to create a custom one? Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the class.
Reference
Foreman, S. D. (2018). The LMS guidebook: Learning management systems demystified. ATD Press.
Sam Angello Capstone Presentation
Hello, everybody, and welcome to my video going over the planning process for my Capstone Project. The first thing I did was choose a subject area that I'm passionate about, and that is three point- lighting. Then, I reached out to my subject matter experts. One of them is a good friend of mine, Craig “Bernie” Burns, who is an expert in grip and lighting equipment in the film and TV industry. I also went to a resource I use in my college classes, which is StudioBinder; they have some great training materials. After looking at StudioBinder and talking with Craig, I determined my learning outcomes and my objectives. What I determined was that students need to know lighting vocabulary, how to identify three-point lighting fixtures used on set, and how to actually set up the lights.
When developing the TNA, I also took a look at my students’ current state, and I realized many students coming into my course do not have any prior knowledge in three-point lighting, which they will need to find success in this course and their future careers. So, my desired state is to teach them the proper vocabulary so they can communicate on set, how to identify the fixtures they're looking at, and also how to actually set up a three-point lighting setup. So, the FPI really helped me focus on my project. The first thing I did was figure out what my task-centered was, and that was for students to understand vocabulary, be able to identify key fixtures and be able actually to set up a three-point lighting setup. Then, I needed to figure out how to activate my students’ prior knowledge. So, the way I decided to do this is by creating a virtual simulator. Inside that simulator, there will be interactive objects. They'll be able to click on those interactive objects and watch little videos that will contain information they should be familiar with, plus expose them to some new material. Then I went down to the demonstration part, and I talked to my subject matter experts to determine what I needed to make sure we demonstrated and explained inside of our instructional materials, and that is vocabulary, identification of the key lighting fixtures, and how to properly set up the lights on set. Then we go over to application, so, how will the students show me they are understanding the knowledge I just demonstrated? The first thing they will need to do is take a very simple quiz to show me that they are comprehending the vocabulary and principles of three-point lighting. Then, they will go into a virtual simulator where they'll create an actual schematic showing that they understand where the proper placements of these lights belong on set. They'll be able to take that schematic with them up to the integration process, where they'll go into a studio and demonstrate to me and their classmates that they can use the lighting equipment and actually set up a three-point lighting design in front of us inside of a studio with the real lighting equipment. Last but not least, they'll take all these new skills and use them in further classes and for the rest of their life, creating awesome lighting designs for film and TV shows.
After developing my FPI, I then created my HTA. I decided to use the FPI inside of the HTA to break down each one of the steps to make sure that everything was task-centered, that we were demonstrating, and that they were applying all the knowledge correctly for each step. I also wanted everything to stair-step on top of each other. So, the first thing they do in Section One is learn to identify fixtures and the proper vocabulary they need to know to communicate on set through training videos. Then, they move into a virtual simulation. They'll take the information they learned in Section One and actually apply it in Section Two by creating an actual lighting schematic inside a virtual simulator. Then, they'll be able to take this schematic that they just created and use it in Section Three, where they'll be inside the real-world studio working with actual lighting equipment, demonstrating to me and their classmates how to do a three-point lighting setup—showing that they understand all the concepts that have been demonstrated to them.
The last document I created is my Instructional Design and Development Blueprint for my Capstone Project. This document combines my TNA, HTA, and FPI into one concise document that I will be able to follow during the development process of my Capstone to ensure that I stay on task and focused with all the training material I will be creating. Alright, that's all I have to say. I'm looking forward to building my Capstone project, and I'll talk to you next time. Thanks bye.
How has each course contributed to your personal and professional development as an instructional designer?
Strategies for Learning Engagement – Chris Deason
Being the first course in the degree program, it acquainted me with the academic standards and expectations of a master’s degree. Contrary to my initial assumption that the program would mainly focus on enhancing my technical proficiency in Photoshop and Premiere, I discovered that it also involved a substantial amount of psychological analysis and theoretical exploration of digital educational materials. This course helped me to adjust my mindset and refresh my knowledge of APA style of writing.
Visual and Verbal Communications – Tommie Barrett-Greenly
This course taught me the principles and practices of designing effective and engaging educational content. I understood how visual and verbal communication can enhance the learning experience and how to apply the universal design theory to accommodate diverse learners’ needs and preferences. This course also enabled me to develop my skills as an instructional designer by creating accessible and interactive learning modules using Adobe Captivate, a software tool that I have incorporated into my regular work.
Corporate Training and Motivation – Rebecca Meeder
This course facilitated my exploration of the theories and processes of adult learning. I learned how to adapt my instructional design strategies to address adult learners' different motivations and challenges compared to younger students. I also valued collaborating with my peers in weekly meetings without the instructor’s presence. This enhanced my sense of community and fostered the development of group thinking and group work skills. These are essential competencies that I will apply in my future endeavors as an instructional designer.
Digital Media and Learning Application – Rebecca Meeder
This course with Dr. Meeder was a valuable learning experience. I appreciated how we applied a problem-based approach to create three different projects. The projects challenged me to broaden my perspective and design content that integrated various learning modalities. This project also enabled me to use Captivate to create an interactive 360-degree studio for the first time. Moreover, I learned how to design an infographic that conveyed information effectively. These activities enhanced my repertoire of skills for the instructional design process.
Music and Audio for Instructional Design – Chris Deason
This course enabled me to explore the theory and practice of music and audio production. I gained a deeper appreciation for the work of audio engineers and the challenges they face in creating flawless sound. I also acquired new skills in using Adobe Audition, a software tool I had not used before. Through the activities and projects, I learned how to edit sound using various techniques and processes that were new to me. These skills have improved my understanding of sound editing and enhanced my competence as an instructor and instructional designer.
Filmmaking Principles for Instructional Design - Sharon Wyly
This course expanded my knowledge and skills in editing. I was introduced to the three stages of editing: rough cut, assembly, and final edit, and how they contribute to the quality of the final product. I have applied this concept to the editing courses I teach at the university where I work and revised my editing style accordingly. This has helped me to refine my videos and improve my editing proficiency.
Game Strategies and Motivation – Colleen Cleveland
This course fostered my personal and professional growth in-game strategy. I learned about gamification and how to apply it to design engaging and effective learning modules. I had no prior experience in gamifying any educational instructional content I had created. I enjoyed discovering how to implement game elements and mechanics into learning materials and how to facilitate learning through play. I gained valuable skills from this course on gamifying content that I have integrated into my teaching to help make the subject matter more interesting and engaging for my students.
Learning Management Systems – Tommie Barrett-Greenly
This course enhanced my knowledge and skills in effectively using learning management systems (LMS). I learned how to organize my content better and build more accessible modules for students to follow. I also learned how to manage and optimize my LMS for the courses I teach. I have implemented these strategies into my courses for this semester. It has made a significant difference in communicating effectively with my students, especially the ones who do not attend class regularly. I also enjoyed learning how to build rubrics for the 15-week course I teach. This helped me visualize the content and made my course flow better.
Instructional Design and Evaluation – Reo McBride
This class explored the theoretical and practical implications of Murrell’s First Principles of Instruction (FPI) for the design and development of the capstone project. FPI is a framework that emphasizes a task-centered approach to instruction, which involves four phases: activation, demonstration, application, and integration. FPI is a valuable and effective model for guiding my instructional decisions and enhancing my capstone project. Applying FPI to my project aligned the learning objectives, activities, and assessments with the authentic tasks that learners would encounter in real-world contexts. I also learned how to apply FPI to other instructional contexts, such as designing courses for my students and working as an instructional designer.
Media Asset Creation – Reo McBride
This course allowed me to create a capstone project using Adobe Captivate to integrate various multimedia elements, such as videos, animations, instructional material, and quizzes. I learned how to use different techniques and features of Captivate to design and develop engaging and interactive learning experiences for my target audience. Also, I enjoyed putting together a complete learning module that I have now been able to utilize in my college classes.
Instructional Design and Technology Final Project – Sharon Wyly
This course enabled me to develop a professional portfolio that showcased my skills and competencies as an instructional designer. I learned how to create a demo reel and a portfolio website that demonstrated my ability to design and develop various instructional products, such as Instruction videos, e-learnings, interactive learning modules, and infographics. I also engaged in a reflective process that helped me evaluate my strengths and weaknesses as an instructional designer and identify areas for further improvement. Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and I have grown significantly as an instructional designer throughout this course.
Describe your most outstanding personal triumph in each course.
Strategies for Learning Engagement – Chris Deason
In the course on learning engagement strategies, I achieved two significant outcomes. First, I reacquainted myself with the academic expectations and conventions of college, such as writing in APA style. Second, I gained exposure to various psychological concepts and theories that informed my instructional design practice. These outcomes prepared me for the subsequent courses in the program and enhanced my critical thinking and analytical skills.
Visual and Verbal Communications – Tommie Barrett-Greenly
One major accomplishment in the verbal and visual communication course was designing and developing my first Adobe Captivate project that incorporated animation effects on every slide. This was a novel and challenging experience for me, and I was delighted with the quality and aesthetics of my final product. Another noteworthy achievement I demonstrated in this course was my commitment and flexibility to attend the online sessions conducted by Dr. BG despite the scheduling conflict with my work commute. I overcame this obstacle by arranging alternative transportation with my father, who drove me to work so I could attend the online sessions while commuting.
Corporate Training and Motivation – Rebecca Meeder
One of the key outcomes I accomplished in the Corporate Training and Motivation course was developing my leadership skills. I assumed the role of a team leader and coordinated the meetings for our group sessions in the absence of Dr. Meeder. I also ensured that everyone in the group was engaged and productive. Furthermore, I demonstrated empathy and inclusiveness by accommodating the needs of one of the students from Germany who had a time zone difference. I arranged a separate meeting to assist him with his work and ensure his participation.
Digital Media and Learning Application – Rebecca Meeder
I developed an infographic as a novel and challenging instructional product in this course. I had to acquire new skills and knowledge in graphic design, such as using various tools and techniques to create a compelling and appealing infographic. I was satisfied with the quality and aesthetics of my final product and discovered that I had the capability to create such products. I also learned how to create complementary documents to support the instructional videos. These documents helped the learners to review and recall the key information from the videos. I applied this strategy to the instructional material I created for my students and observed positive effects on their comprehension of the subject matter. This was a valuable lesson for me.
Music and Audio for Instructional Design – Chris Deason
In this course, I expanded my skills and knowledge in working with audio, an area I needed to be more confident in. I learned how to use Adobe Audition to edit and enhance audio files and created tutorials demonstrating the steps and techniques involved in fixing audio issues. I was surprised by how easy some of the audio fixes were and realized that I needed to overcome my fear of audio and learn more about it. I was very proud of developing my competence and interest in audio.
Filmmaking Principles for Instructional Design -Sharon Wyly
In this course, I deepened my understanding of the principles and procedures of editing and how they interact and contribute to creating effective and engaging content for learners. Although I had prior knowledge and experience with Premiere Pro, I appreciated learning more about the systematic editing process. This improved my skills and performance as an editor and made my work more focused and learner-centered. I also learned how to avoid creating cognitive load issues for the learners by applying various editing techniques and strategies. This was a valuable and enriching experience for me that reminded me of the importance of lifelong learning.
Game Strategies and Motivation – Colleen Cleveland
This course taught me new skills and knowledge in implementing gameplay elements into educational content. I designed and developed. I learned how to create games that combined learning objectives and outcomes with fun and engaging activities for the learners. I also learned how to apply gamification principles and strategies to enhance the motivation and performance of the learners. Gamification will be an integral part of my instructional practice and development.
Learning Management Systems – Tommie Barrett-Greenly
I developed new competencies and strategies in optimizing and organizing learning management systems (LMS) in this course. This was an area that I needed help with as a college professor. I learned how to use various features and functions of LMS to create and manage effective and efficient learning environments for my students. I also learned to apply best practices and standards for LMS design and development. I observed positive outcomes and feedback from my students because of using the LMS strategies I learned in this course.
Instructional Design and Evaluation – Reo McBride
In this course, I learned about Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction (FPI), a framework emphasizing a task-centered approach to instruction. I learned how to structure and organize the educational content I designed and developed into five phases: activation, demonstration, application, and integration. I also learned how to analyze to ensure the content aligned with the authentic tasks the learners would encounter in real-world contexts. I applied FPI to many of the instructional products I created, and I found it to be a valuable and effective model for enhancing my students' learning outcomes and experiences.
Media Asset Creation – Reo McBride
I accomplished a significant milestone in this course by completing my capstone project on time. I created a complex and elaborate capstone project involving many elements and content. I faced some challenges and risks in meeting the deadline for my project, such as the scope and scale of the project and my health issues that resulted from being sick for two weeks. However, I overcame these difficulties and delivered a high-quality and comprehensive capstone project demonstrating my media asset creation skills and competencies.
Instructional Design and Technology Final Project – Sharon Wyly
In this course, I engaged in a reflective process that allowed me to evaluate my work over the past several months. I was able to identify my achievements and areas for further improvement. I also learned to apply various frameworks and models to guide and enhance my instructional design practice. I recognized the value and importance of reflection as a means of professional development and growth. I also enjoy creating my demo reel and portfolio, which helped showcase my professional work to potential employers. Hopefully, this will help me land my dream job.
How well were you able to utilize the concepts and techniques you learned from the program (theories, systems design, interface styling, and the creation of multimedia content) as you designed, developed, and implemented your Capstone Project?
My capstone project demonstrates the concepts and techniques I learned from the program, such as theories, systems design, interface styling, and multimedia content creation. I used various instructional design principles in my project, such as Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, universal design, and multimodality approaches. I also considered cognitive load carefully, ensuring that the content was not too complex or demanding for the learners. I designed a simple and elegant interface that enhanced the content rather than distracting from it. I used a dual coding system to present the content visually and verbally, facilitating comprehension and retention. I also made my project accessible to learners with disabilities by applying universal design principles and using a narrator to read the written text aloud. The primary instructional theory that guided my project development was Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, which helped me structure the content into meaningful and engaging segments. I used this theory to scaffold the learning process, building on prior knowledge and experiences and helping the learners achieve mastery. I believe that I implemented the program’s learning outcomes effectively and efficiently in my capstone project.
In addition, I paid close attention to visual design in my project. I used minimal coloring to avoid overwhelming the learners and to create a consistent theme. I also chose a clear, easy-to-read font and text size to avoid cognitive load and distraction. I reinforced the theories and principles multiple times in different ways to ensure clarity and understanding. I sequenced the content logically and progressively so that each section built on the previous one and provided new and valuable information. I ensured that a narrator also read all the text on the screen to accommodate learners with disabilities. I included engaging content and interactivity to motivate and involve the learners in the module. I also used assessment based on Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model to ensure that learners mastered the content before moving to the next section. I engaged the learners with multiple interactive activities, such as a self-guided virtual studio tour and a drag-and-drop game that allowed them to build their lighting diagrams. I also incorporated gamification elements to make the learning more interesting and appealing to my students. This shows that I understand the theories and principles taught over the past 12 months and that I applied them effectively in my capstone project.