Hello!

My path into instructional design began through years of helping people understand and navigate complex information. Before entering the M.S. in Learning Design and Technology program at the University of South Florida, I worked in higher education event planning and reservations at the USF Marshall Student Center. In that role, I supported student organizations and university departments as they worked through reservation systems, policies, deadlines, required forms, and event-planning procedures. I processed more than 600 reservations and conducted 195 Event Review meetings, but the most meaningful part of the work was helping people move from uncertainty to confidence. Over time, I recognized that many of the challenges people experienced were not caused by a lack of effort. The information was often scattered, dense, or difficult to apply. This realization led me to explore how purposeful learning design could improve understanding and performance.

My responsibilities gradually expanded beyond event coordination. I facilitated training sessions, updated website content, developed communication plans, coordinated reservation book-opening campaigns, and created resources to help students complete complex processes more successfully. These experiences showed me that communication, technology, training, and performance are closely connected. They also helped me understand that presenting information is not the same as designing instruction. Effective learning requires careful consideration of the audience, the task, the learning environment, and the barriers that may prevent learners from applying what they have learned.

The Learning Design and Technology program allowed me to turn these workplace observations into a more intentional and research-informed design practice. Through courses in Interactive Media, Digital Media and Learning, Motivational Design, Foundations of Measurement, Foundational Research, and Technology Project Management, I developed skills in learner analysis, instructional planning, multimedia development, assessment, research, evaluation, and project management. I created an Adobe Captivate training module for student organization leaders, developed a custom-coded portfolio using HTML and CSS, designed a criterion-referenced assessment, completed a research proposal on gamification and reading motivation, and developed a project-management plan for improving workplace training and communication. I also applied Keller’s ARCS Model to propose a more motivating Canvas-based reservation training experience. Each project helped me connect instructional theory with authentic learning and performance needs.

The program also strengthened my ability to use technology with greater purpose. I gained experience with Adobe Captivate, Articulate Rise, Canvas, Canva, PowerPoint, HTML, CSS, WordPress, Microsoft Planner, and other digital tools. More importantly, I learned that technology is only effective when it supports the learner and the instructional goal. A tool should make learning clearer, more relevant, and more accessible rather than adding unnecessary complexity.

Today, I see myself as an emerging learning designer who combines instructional strategy, technology, and practical problem-solving to create meaningful learning experiences. I am especially interested in instructional design for healthcare professionals and patients, higher education, and corporate process training. My goal is to design learning that respects people’s time, reduces confusion, and helps learners perform with greater confidence. As I continue building my career in learning design and instructional technology, I hope to remain reflective, intentional, and learner-centered while using research, feedback, and evaluation to continuously improve the learning experiences I create.