My Goals As A Learning Designer

    I entered the field of education because I truly enjoy learning and educating. I didn’t expect teaching to be as multifaceted as it is; we are educators, counselors, parents, subject matter experts, learning designers, and sometimes the one adult a student trusts. It’s beautiful. I enjoy nothing more in this world than the career I’ve chosen. That said, I always anticipated I wouldn’t be a teacher forever. The field of education is broad and constantly evolving, it doesn’t allow anyone to stay still for too long. It’s a ladder of growing skills and continuous development, and I plan to climb my way through various sectors of that growth. Earning a master’s in Learning Design felt like the next step up that ladder after completing my bachelor’s. With this degree, I’ll be able to deepen my expertise in learning design, theories, and the implementation of educational tools and technologies.

    Since joining the program, I’ve expanded my knowledge and skill set around learning technologies, theories, and design techniques. I’ve found learner-centered learning fascinating, and it was exciting to explore backward design more deeply, something I was already familiar with through my own lesson planning. Backward design connects closely to cognitivism, a theory rooted in scaffolding and helping students build mental models. A new model I’m looking forward to trying out more intentionally is ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate), which I believe will work especially well for supporting focus groups of students who need differentiated instruction. Even though I’m still exploring project-based learning in my classroom, Situated Learning Theory helped me better understand why authentic, real-world connections matter. One example I’m excited about for this upcoming school year is using Discovery Dairy, where our class can virtually adopt a dairy calf. We’ll receive monthly updates and write letters to our farm partner. It’s a great way to tie into the dairy industry, build a connection to our rural community, and practice real-world communication. It also reinforces literacy skills while helping students see how learning connects beyond the classroom. Through experiences like this, I hope to design learning that feels purposeful, meaningful, and rooted in context. Along with situated learning, ADDIE, and backward design, I’ve also gained more understanding of behaviorism, assessment and evaluation, emerging technologies, and the idea that learning design is iterative.

    By the end of this course, one of my short-term goals is to apply learner-centered design principles to revise one of my existing lessons using Canva. I’ve grown a lot in how I see design as a way to empower students through creativity, autonomy, and multimodal learning. Canva has already been a big part of my work, from designing our school’s yearbook to supporting students in visual projects. Now, I want to be more intentional about using it to center students in the design process. This goal matters to me because I want students to feel seen, capable, and connected to the content. My plan is to revise a lesson I’ve taught before on rhythm and imagery in Emily Dickinson’s “I felt a Funeral in my Brain.” This time, students will engage with the poem visually through Canva and express their understanding in a more personal way. I’ll collect feedback through a Google Form to learn what helped their learning and what I could improve. A person who might support me with this goal is an educator or coach who also uses Canva and values creative, student-driven learning; maybe a peer in this program or someone I already work with.

    By the midpoint of the program, my medium-term goal is to build a small portfolio of 2–3 learning experiences or prototypes that show how I’ve used ADDIE, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and backward design. Since starting this program, I’ve gained a stronger appreciation for how these frameworks help guide meaningful, learner-centered instruction. Backward design especially stands out to me because it has helped me plan lessons with clear goals and better outcomes for students. I’d also love to lead a collaborative design project, maybe something cross-curricular or co-taught, which builds on what I already do in my current teaching setting. This goal is important to me because I want to grow in my ability to coach or support other educators, not just teach well myself, but help others create strong instructional experiences too. I plan to set aside time each month to develop and refine these portfolio pieces while documenting my process and learning. Someone who could help me here might be a current instructional designer or someone who’s built a strong portfolio and knows how to balance theory with practical application.

    By the end of the program, my long-term goal is to transition into a district-level or organizational learning design role where I can support teachers through coaching, resources, and PD grounded in learning theory. I’ve seen how teachers thrive when they’re supported with the right tools, strategies, and space to reflect. I want to be part of that support system, someone who helps educators do their best work. I’ll continue working on my professional portfolio to show my growth and how I bridge theory, technology, and classroom realities. To get there, I plan to connect with people in the field, attend workshops or webinars, and look for mentoring opportunities with learning designers already doing this kind of work. Someone who could support me might be a learning leader I meet in this program or someone I look up to in education circles who shares similar values.

    Reflecting on my goals and growth so far in the Learning Design and Technologies program has helped me better understand where I want to go in this field. Each goal I’ve set feels like a step forward toward building stronger, more inclusive, and learner-centered experiences, both for students and the teachers I hope to support one day. I’m excited to keep learning, trying new tools, and exploring how design can make education more meaningful. This program is already shaping who I am as a learning designer, and I can’t wait to see how that continues.