I started my program not fully understanding all that went into being a learning designer. I was excited to start a new educational journey and I knew that my passions for creativity, learning, project management, leadership, and technology led me to a career in learning design. I came into this program eager to learn and understand but also a bit naive about the process. Being a master’s student pursuing a degree in Learning Design and Technology, I have gained an entire new category of knowledge and experience. I have worked individually, on teams, and even played the role as a project manager. My experience, just like everyone else's, was unique, eye opening and inspiring. Sharing those experiences will only help others become inspired as well. I can’t begin to explain what it means to be a learning designer today without first sharing my experience as a student studying learning design. After all, your education on a topic, in my opinion, shapes your experience and opinion on it.
For myself, the learning design thinking process was a combination of strong characteristics. It was challenging, but also educational, rewarding, and inspiring. I was able to work with a great group of students that had the same vision as myself. They also possessed the same drive, determination, and work ethic. Being a part of a team ultimately made the learning design process easier however there were still some things that I needed to evaluate further. There was a lot of pressure I felt to produce quality content and a great course in such a short amount of time. I knew that in the real-world application of learning design there would be a longer amount of time to complete tasks. I also knew that there would be much more room for the creative process and brainstorming sessions however I still felt pressure and the drive to want to produce a perfect course/project/product in my educational setting. This pressure came from various pieces of the process and can’t be pinpointed to just one. I overall believe that this was good pressure and allowed me to experience how real world deadlines and critiques would make me feel.
Less than my lifetime ago, a learning designer was a foreign term and really didn’t exist. Due to growing advancements in technology, education, learning and development, and even societal norms. The need for learning designers has grown exponentially. Students are taking online classes now more than ever, business and employers are leaning toward online training and workshops, and both K-12 and higher education are utilizing adaptive technologies and online-based learning now than ever before. At the time of writing this the world is fighting a global pandemic which forces millions of workers and students to “work-from-home”. This puts great pressure on learning designers to produce quality content that helps keep an entire society of learners moving forward with their educational journeys.
To be a learning designer today, one has to be patient, creative, knowledgeable and adaptable. You have to know the industry, anticipate and analyze trends, and be able to adapt to the constant changes in the industry. There is great pressure on institutions and businesses to go “digital” and they can’t do it without the work of learning designers.
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