Reflection & Synthesis

As I reflect back on the artifacts I created over the last two years, I am able to see the extent of the knowledge and skills I learned in the area of instructional design. The Association of Communications and Technology Standards (2012) in my artifacts serves as evidence of the knowledge and skills I gained. My Canvas E-Learning Course and PowerPoint Prototype demonstrate content knowledge in that I have the knowledge to create, use, assess and manage applications of educational technology and processes. Through these artifacts, I was able to critique my knowledge of new applications and ability to apply design theories, such as content sequencing within the MRK model (Morrison et al., 2023). I was able to reflect and demonstrate my ability to implement educational technology and processes based on content pedagogy through my Instructional Strategy Plan and 3Cs Treatment Report. This was evident as I considered learner characteristics and designed appropriate instructional strategies. My Front-End Analysis and Accessible Website showcase my ability to create, use, evaluate, and manage digital learning environments. My ability to use professional knowledge and skills is demonstrated within my Formative Evaluation Plan and Integrated Multimedia Project as I proved I can design, develop, and implement learning environments by incorporating technology and collaborating with others. Lastly, evidence of my ability to explore, evaluate, synthesize, and apply methods of inquiry research to draw conclusions for enhancing learning and improving performance is demonstrated through my Management of Web 2.0 Tools report and Group Conference Research Paper.

Additionally, the Learning Design and Technologies master's program provided me with the opportunity to become knowledgeable in instructional design models, including ADDIE and the MRK model. I am able to now use these models  to apply instructional strategies for effective instruction to appropriate contexts and integrated through learning management systems and technology. 

At the beginning of this program, I did not fully understand the amount of evaluation methods went into designing effective instruction. The course EDET 722 opened my eyes to the purposes of the various evaluation methods and the data collection instruments used. As a special educator, I have always relied on data to create IEP goals and decide on the appropriate services to provide students. However, this experience allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of how to create and utilize targeted data collection tools to ensure learning objectives are appropriate prior to designing instruction. The formative evaluation I created for EDET 722 extended my understanding of the process, data collecting instruments, and important information necessary to make data-driven decisions regarding recommendations and improvement for instruction.

Additionally, another course that surprisingly opened my eyes, especially as a special educator was EDET 735 where projects were centered around accessibility. I have worked in special education for my entire education career. Therefore, ensuring accessibility and assistive technology for my students plays an important role in my career. My experiences and knowledge of accessibility and assistive technology for students with disabilities allowed me to explore this content on a deeper level in regard to web accessibility. Despite my background, I never thought considered the importance of designing that meet accessibility standards. As I explored the various screen readers, I learned more about the challenges of individuals who utilize screen readers to support learning needs or visual impairments. For example, there are a number of students I serve that require the use of screen readers to complete online assignments. Before this course, I had not thought about how elements, such as descriptive alt text or heading structure, impact the effectiveness of those screen readers. Through this, I also learned how to check websites for accessibility issues and how to create a website, myself, to meet accessibility standards, which I will make sure to do for the rest of my career. It also allowed me to reflect on how I could have made any materials or resources in this program, or that I created in my own workplace, more accessible so that I can be a stronger special educator and instructional designer. 

My growth of my knowledge and skills in web design and development, data collection, analysis,  research, and accessibility throughout my time in the Learning Design and Technologies master's program is demonstrated through the artifacts within this portfolio. I will be thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of this master's program as I continue to use and build on these skills throughout my career the entirety of my career in education.