Reflections:

What would you do differently? What would you keep doing, stop doing, and start doing?

I would allow more time in my schedule for drafting and developing outlines. I have allowed time to study but I have limited this time reading and studying the provided content. After this week I understand more about my writing style. I require more time to free write and editing for my writing assignments. My awareness and desire to correct a perceived weakness now will benefit my work in as an instructional designer. I want to stop waiting to later in the week for drafting move this time to earlier in the week. I noticed during the drafting process I reread the chapter one or two times each session. The drafting process allows me to write down important thoughts or questions I have from the book. Additional research of may questions often become resources for my assignments.

How can you make your situation better?

I will dedicate more time in my schedule for free writing and outlining my assignments. After reading through the assignments I will free write what I have learned and take notes to fulfilling what is asked of the assignment. Taking time to write thoughts and questions helps my understanding of my assignments. In the upcoming weeks I will have more time to focus on studying schedule. I am visiting family and not using a dedicated learning area. I find it helpful to have a dedicated desk for completing assignments and study in areas that are flexible to my lifestyle. I also want to incorporate the scheduling of down time and wellness. My motivation for grad school is dependent on the attainment of my personal goals. Reading that is purely entertaining or spending time going for a walk keeps my mind and body aligned with the focus it requires to be a grad student.

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?

I will have to make the sacrifice of limited certain days of the week to only studying. As a full-time student it is important to have a dedicated schedule as one might have with a full time job. I have to use this time to focus solely on studying and limit my distractions. I am flexible lifestyle choices and the time I dedicate to personal goals. Maintaining the schedules and meeting may goals requires better time management. I will sacrifice some of my flexibility implement better time management strategies. I will also have to sacrifice perfection. Some of my goals and requirements will not be perfect but they will serve my greater purpose.

What would you do differently? What would you keep doing, stop doing, and start doing?

After another week as an instructional design master’s student, I understand that I value flexibility in my studies more than structure. I had an unrealistic expectation of how I handled and designed my schedule last week by adding unnecessary steps to completing my assignments. I was able to keep my schedule flexible by outlining tasks and what I needed to complete for my assignments. I found different times throughout the week to focus on each task. In the upcoming weeks, I would like to start timing how long each task takes to complete or how much of a task I am able to complete within a given amount of time.

This week I started adding more time to draft and free-write my assignments and I would like to keep this process in place. By handwriting during my initial free writing session, I was able to follow the advice from Dr. Deason to write without editing. After handwriting my thoughts, I type the information into my notes app and make simple edits. From here, I add supporting information for references and copy it over to a Word document. With the help of online tools, I make further edits for grammar and understanding.

How can you make your situation better?

I improve my situation each day with a reverse checklist. At the beginning of the day, I write a list of everything that’s on my mind or that needs to be accomplished. At the end of my day, I write what I call a reverse checklist. This is a list of everything I was able to accomplish that day. Some of the items on the EOD list reflect tasks from the BOD list but also include items that bring me joy or a sense of self-reliance. Such tasks include adding 3 more books to my reading list, spending 30 minutes helping a family member with a project, or something simple as remembering to drink the recommended amount of water. When I’m honoring my flexible schedule I sometimes lose track of the many things I do each day. Writing a reverse checklist is one way I reflect on my day.

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?

Honoring my flexible schedule preference requires the elimination of distractions during focus blocks. Focus blocks are times I set aside to focus directly on one task or one assignment. Similar to the Pomodoro method, I have approximately 25 mins of direct focus with a 5 or 10-minute break at the end. During this time distractions should be limited. I have recently implemented screen time restrictions on my iPhone but I have not replicated this restriction for my tablet or laptop. With restrictions in place, the time I spend during focus should be focused directly on the material. Each day, I loosely schedule three focus blocks each an hour long. During breaks, I check for missed or important communications and found something fun to do. This week I used my break time to play sudoku and design t-shirt mockups.

Thinking about all the assignments you did this month, which ones are you selecting to go into your portfolio folder?

The assignments I gravitated to in Visual and Verbal Communications in Instructional Design included reviewing and developing a storyboard. While this was not the complete assignment and only an element of the task, it was where I found the most interest for completion. When selecting this assignment element I took into account my frustrations and emotions during the development of the Captivate eLearning final assignment. The storyboard for my eLearning was something that aligned with my current knowledge and skills.

What does your selection(s) say about you as an instructional designer?

My selection of the storyboard reflects my background in media communications and production. While creating my eLearning, I was having trouble with Captivate Classic. The program would crash after several minutes without an opportunity to save my progress. After experiencing more than 10 crashes in the first hour, I was very thankful for the storyboard. When it became time to download the assignment, the html link would not load. To complete the requirements of the assignment, I used the storyboard to transition to the newer version of Captivate in under an hour. While I understand the Captivate Classic crashes were an anomaly, my storyboard saved the day.

As an instructional designer storyboard development helps me to visualize the training design. Similar to wireframes in web design, I can work through how my training will look and function once completed. If I am working with a team, a storyboard will also aid with collaboration. The development process brings together information from a subject matter expert, a project manager, and a graphic designer. When approaching a project or assignment I like to use or develop the most efficient way to incorporate subject matter, accessibility, and required content. With the use of a storyboard, I can identify weaknesses in the training design.

What skills did you learn this month? How can you best demonstrate those in your final portfolio?

Reflecting on skill development. This was my first interaction with course development and working with Captivate software. I prefer the newer version of Captivate in comparison to Classic as it is more intuitive to the elements I’d like to use in the development of future eLearnings. This preference is also in reflection of the frustration of the app crashing and may change as I learn more about Classic’s offerings and capabilities. With storyboards in mind, I’m starting to understand how the application of visual design fundamentals and effective communication helps me not only as a learner but also as an instructional designer. I would like to spend more time with the resources provided in this course on the development of storyboards and visual design theories for instructional design and learning environments.

How would you describe yourself as a presenter/trainer? Are you an expert, formal authority, personal model, facilitator, or delegator? Explain.

Facilitator teaching style

From a self evaluation perspective I believe I have a facilitator teaching style. The content I provided during the presentation was focused on the learners independence. I offered advice while exploring options. However, because of the online training model, my role was blended with formal authority. Sharing the right way to approach customer experiences and using feedback as guidance.

I understand how certain learning environments influence teaching styles and roles of the instructor.

How does your Training Presentation Outline incorporate at least two principles of Adult Learning?

My training presentation outline included adult learning principles that helped to guide the training.

To implement the principles in the online learning environment in the activity portion learners had the chance to meet in their immediate environment or in online breakout sessions to practice greeting customers.

Throughout the training I had learners reflect on their experiences and allowed time for chat. In the case of this being a true training and not a mock one, I would have asked learners to speak on their experiences before and after the role-playing activity.

After the activity, a mock learner identified an on-the-job problem in facing customer objections. Although it was brief, I tried to offer a suggestion and make an effort to help them solve the problem.

How did you engage your adult learners during your training presentation?

Engaging with a mock audience is a more controlled environment. By opening up opportunities for questions and chat was my initial effort in engaging learners. The role-playing activity provided more structure with a student lead approach. I provided tips and best practices. The learners engaged each other and then followed with me with their thoughts and questions.

Thinking about all the assignments you did this month, which ones are you selecting to go into your portfolio folder?

Reflecting on the assignments completed this month, I have chosen to include in my portfolio the audio recording that showcases the effectiveness of audio media as a dynamic learning tool. This assignment highlights my ability to craft compelling narratives and informative content, drawing on various learning theories to design audio that facilitates both passive and active learning experiences. Through following best practices in audio production, I have implemented the educational value of the content, ensuring accessibility and engagement for a diverse audience visiting the Osceola Welcome Center and History Museum.

What does your selection(s) say about you as an instructional designer?

As an instructional designer, audio recording serves as a powerful tool for creating dynamic and immersive learning experiences. Audio recordings enable the delivery of complex information in a concise and easily digestible format. The creation of rich narratives and storytelling enhances the overall learning experience by stimulating imagination and fostering connections with the content.

What skills did you learn this month? How can you best demonstrate those in your final portfolio?

This month, I've acquired several skills through the Digital Media and Learning Applications course, including designing and delivering instructional content using the software applications Screenflow, Adobe Audition and Adobe Captivate. Through the course, I learned to present information visually and verbally, assessing the effectiveness of media in instruction. A portion of my skills are be best demonstrated in my final portfolio through the example of an audio recording for Osceola Welcome Center and History Museum.

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