Instructional Design Project Reflection

I believe the Training Program our team designed is closely aligned with the needs of our target learners, which is university faculty. The primary goal of the program is to teach faculty how to create basic yet professional course introduction videos. The purpose behind this initiative is to increase instructor presence in online courses, which has been shown to foster greater student engagement, satisfaction, and success. This, in turn, boosts course completion rates, which is a key priority for universities that rely heavily on online learning environments. To achieve this, the university wants these videos to feature specific elements, including a provided university bumper, a title card with the course prefix and a brief description, a talking head introduction by the instructor, and smooth transitions such as fades between sections and a fade to black at the end.

The university selected Davinci Resolve 18, a video editing software, for faculty to use in producing their videos. Our role was to create a training program that would guide faculty through this process step-by-step so they could produce high-quality videos. Specifically, the training teaches them how to upload their pre-recorded introduction videos, incorporate the university bumper, edit for professional quality, add transitions, export the final product to YouTube, and then embed the video into their Canvas course page for students to access. We understood that faculty members might feel intimidated by the technical aspects of video editing, so we made sure the program was comprehensive yet simple enough for non-experts to follow, providing clear guidance at every stage.

In the Training Program Mock-up, we included a detailed introduction that outlined the purpose of the training program, the specific learning objectives, and the tasks that would be covered. The introduction also featured an overview of the program structure, with a brief synopsis of each lesson. Additionally, we created a course introduction video that modeled the final product faculty were expected to create, demonstrating the required components such as the university bumper, title card, and transitions. This provided a clear visual example of what their completed course introduction video should look like, giving faculty a concrete model to follow.

The training program itself was broken down into four lessons: importing the bumper and pre-recorded videos, editing the video, exporting the video to YouTube, and embedding the video into the Canvas course. Each lesson featured video tutorials by our subject matter expert, Casey Ferris, who provided step-by-step explanations for each task. These tutorials were supported by written guides with detailed instructions and screenshots, ensuring clarity for learners who preferred visual or text-based content. Additionally, we included assessments at the end of each lesson to allow participants to check their understanding before moving on to the next task, helping them build confidence as they progressed.

Our mock-up, hosted on Google Sites, was structured in a clear and logical manner, making it easy to navigate. This layout was designed with usability in mind, ensuring that faculty members could find the resources they needed without confusion. We also included options for in-person assistance through office hours or one-on-one appointments, offering additional support for learners who may need more guidance. This multi-faceted approach ensured that learners had access to comprehensive resources and could proceed through the training at their own pace while having support available if needed.

The Training Program Mock-up met all the goals outlined in our Design Case, and if this were a real-world scenario, it would be ready for immediate implementation. To evaluate its effectiveness, we could use Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Training Evaluation Model, which consists of Reaction, Learning, Behavior, and Results. Reaction measures participants’ initial responses to the training, gauging their engagement and how relevant they found the content. Learning evaluates knowledge or skills gained, often through tests or observations. Behavior assesses whether participants apply what they’ve learned in their daily work, and Results measure the broader organizational impact, such as increased productivity, cost savings, or improved course completion rates.

While this model would have been ideal for assessing the program’s success, since this was a mock-up, we relied on feedback from our instructor, Abdullah SAYKILI. He praised the quality of the training program, noting that it aligns well with our Design and Development Document (DDD) and effectively reflects the instructional objectives. He commended the program’s clear structure, easy navigation, and polished media, particularly highlighting the "Resource Guide" tutorials as excellent tools for individualized learning. His positive feedback reinforced our belief that the program was both effective and well-designed to meet faculty needs.

One area I would like to improve is the training program's introduction video, which I created. Although it met all the university’s requirements, featuring the bumper, title card, talking head, and transitions, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my delivery or the sound quality. While the video covered the necessary information and demonstrated the professional quality expected, my presentation wasn’t as strong as I had hoped. However, I believe this imperfection may actually help faculty feel more comfortable creating their own videos. It shows that their videos don’t need to be flawless to meet university standards and connect effectively with students. This makes the process feel more accessible and less intimidating, emphasizing the importance of communication over perfection.

Ultimately, I’m very pleased with how the final training program mock-up turned out. It successfully meets the objectives outlined in the Design Case and would be effective in a real-world scenario. I’m also grateful for the experience of working with my team on this project. It allowed me to grow in my understanding of instructional design, collaboration, and project management. The skills and knowledge I gained from this experience will undoubtedly be valuable in future instructional design work, and I’m confident that this training program will provide real value to the faculty members it was designed to support.