Journey Reflection

The creation of the Learning Portfolio required going back to each of the courses I have taken, reviewing their contents, evaluating the assignments, reflecting on the process it took me to design and develop each artifact, revisiting references such as texts, articles, readings, and videos; and finally confirming that I have acquired the skills and knowledge that demonstrate my mastery of the program's learning outcomes. It was an exhausting and challenging process but an incredibly enriching one. Instructional Design encompasses various aspects ranging from psychology, education, learning tools and technologies, project management, needs assessment, writing objectives, creating materials, effectiveness evaluation, and delivering learning experiences. Going back through all the courses and understanding how all these aspects connect within the field of Instructional Design was a self-evaluation exercise to measure my growth and identify areas that need reinforcement or where I want to deepen my development.

I chose the portfolio approach for my capstone project for several reasons:

1. Due to the flexibility to work on the project without needing special authorizations or limiting the information I could share.
2. To review my journey through the program, reflect on how I worked on the assignments, and rethink them in light of all I have learned.
3. To identify the knowledge and skills I want to sharpen.
4. To capture my growth as an instructional designer in an object and be able to share it with instructors, classmates, and those who have supported me in this journey.

It has been an incredible three years that exposed me to new ideas and ways of thinking. When I started the journey, I had an outdated mentality of what a learning process is. I thought about the instructor as the protagonist in the classroom to whom I had to demonstrate that I had reached the learning objectives. I used to believe it was my fault if I failed to acquire the knowledge and skills. One of the most memorable moments that completely changed my thinking was in the Adult as Learner course when I asked the instructor (Rebecca Hogue) how I was supposed to work on a particular assignment. She replied that that was for me to define based on my interests. That moment made me understand that the learning process will be meaningful if it serves a purpose and makes sense to the learner. The journey of a learning process can look different to each person, and the instructor is a facilitator who supports you in that journey.

Another insightful moment happened as I explored the topic of Universal Design for Learning. When I understood that designing a learning experience requires one to put oneself in the position of those who are often marginalized either by physical or learning disabilities. The obstacles that these people face during the learning process are frequently invisible to those of us who do not have any disability and usually do not actively take the proper measures to remove them.

Today I am not only a much more competent instructional designer, but I also have better tools to continue leading my learning, and I am a better person than the one who started the program three years ago.