This portfolio pulls together exemplary postings about Instructional Design and Mobile Application Development projects I have completed since 2010. Each entry links to a detailed blog post where you can read more about that project. Thanks for visiting!
Instructional Design
Building Critical Thinking into Self-Paced Online Learning for Pearson’s Propero.org
This post outlines my recent work as the Senior Instructional Designer for Pearson’s self-paced online courseware product, Propero. In this position, I took an existing product and increased the level of academic rigor and teacher-learner interaction time by adding project-based critical thinking assignments scored by human graders and supported by human tutors.
Increase Engagement in Online Learning by Integrating Video and Discussions
This is an instructional design technique I pioneered, in which instructional videos are posted within the “Discussion Forum” tool in any standard LMS. This allows instructors to present new information on the same page where students can discuss, ask questions, and clarify misunderstandings.
https://tedcurran.net/2017/02/02/discussion-forums-video-lectures/
Building High-Touch Student Support into Competency-Based Learning Programs
As Senior Instructional Designer at Pearson Education, I created this vision document to guide the development of a “High-Touch” Competency-Based Education model. The focus on providing wraparound support to struggling learners seeks to counteract the high rates of attrition common in modern self-paced courseware (like MOOCs) and the significant learning gaps that millennial students bring to higher education.
Live Video Q&A with the Online Learning Consortium: Competency-Based Education
After presenting at the Online Learning Consortium’s International Conference 2014, I hosted a live online video Q&A, answering viewers’ questions on the subject of Competency-Based Education. This video shows how well I think on my feet, and gives a hint of the breadth and depth of my knowledge on the subject.
Reviving the WebQuest Model to Create Rigorous, Relevant Self-Directed Courseware
This is a design project I did in which I revisited the WebQuest, explaining the enduring quality of this type of online assignment for promoting critical thinking and self-directed learning. They have been largely forgotten in today’s edtech craze, shunted aside by newer, shinier apps. However, with a fresh coat of CSS, an old WebQuest can be a great template for compelling, authentic online learning experiences that promote critical thinking.
https://tedcurran.net/2014/07/18/action-oriented-elearning-dont-forget-humble-webquest/
Instructional Design Case Study: Using Trello as a Classroom Collaboration Hub for Authentic Workplace Learning with UC Berkeley Students
This is a case study I developed while co-teaching a course in Collaborative App Design at UC Berkeley. We decided that we wanted to re-create the conditions of a tech startup in the course, so we decided to use Trello as the course’s central hub, rather than a conventional LMS. This study reflects upon the strengths and challenges of that approach.
Mobile Application Design and Development
Winner: IDEO CoLAB Makeathon for our idea, Sleep Conductor
In 2016, I entered the CoLAB Makeathon at IDEO, joining a team to develop future applications of Internet of Things technology. Our team developed an application called Sleep Conductor that orchestrates multiple connected devices to ultimately help users practice better sleep hygeine. In just under eight hours, I was able to produce an animated UX prototype for the mobile application, as well as contributing significantly to the visioning process.
The Makeathon was an active interview for a summer fellowship in blockchain technology design, and I was selected for a fellowship.
Winner: University of California LearningMode College-Ready Hackathon for our app Picture Yourself in College
In 2013 I entered the University of California LearningMode College-ready Hackathon, winning with an application designed to serve as a “college guidance counselor in your pocket”. It integrated the concept of selfies and stickers to help students build a self-concept as a college-ready individual.
In just under eight hours, I proposed the central idea, iterated the vision with our team, and produced an animated UX prototype. Our application was selected for further development by UC leadership, and led to our co-teaching a course at UC Berkeley in Collaborative Application Design.
Education Technology Conference Presentations
Online Learning Consortium’s International Conference 2014
I presented at the Online Learning Consortium’s International Conference in 2014 on Sustainable Competency-Based Programs.
http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/conference/2014/aln/frameworks-foundations-scalable-sustainable-competency-based-programs