It took me almost three weeks to finish developing all the instructional materials, from drafting the worksheets and visual aids to printing, laminating, and designing them. Almost my entire November was dedicated to the development of the instructional materials and the teachers' manual. I have been so hands-on with it because I want to ensure that they are aligned with my project goals, while also being aligned with the learning objectives and the instructional gap that I am addressing.

In terms of the development of the materials, I adhered to the visual principles of instructional media and technologies for learning (Smaldino et al., 2005) which I have learned from EDS 151 Instructional Media Resources to ensure their effectivity and efficiency. In terms of the letter style, I limited all the  non-projected visual aids and worksheets into just one font style: KG Primary Penmanship, which is sans serif typeface making it more suitable for young learners, with bigger font size for legibility. I also made sure that there are enough white spaces, with elements that add appeal such as textures, as in the flashcards, since textures also promote multisensory learning.

I also observed proper alignment and balance of the elements in the instructional materials, mostly forming a rectangle or square shape as well as arrangement with proximity. I also chose bright and warm colors since these are more preferred and suitable for young learners. The worksheets are just black on white, adhering to the "black on white" rule and ensure contrast. I also made sure that there is consistency with the instructional materials, following the same pattern and alignment for all modules to make it easier for the learners to identify important information and to allow them to focus on these information.

I find this phase as a crucial one as well because this is where the design comes to life, and the success of the design and implementation depends upon the actualization of the materials through the development phase. Aside from the instructional materials per se, I also worked on the teachers' manual and had it checked by my external adviser, Dr. Tayzon before I printed them out for turnover to my implementers, the MovEd teachers.

Next week -- the first week of December -- I am scheduled to conduct my pilot testing; and I am preparing the instructional materials needed for it because I will be turning them over along with the teachers' manual before the actual schedule of the pilot implementation. Aside from this, I am also preparing my evaluation instruments so that it will be smooth-sailing come the implementation phase.

I'm feeling mixed emotions at the moment; nervous and anxious about the pilot implementation, but also excited about my design and development coming to life and with the fact that I'm actually witnessing my progress with the project. It feels surreal that I'm almost at the finish line, after feeling so confused and lost at some points during the project. Indeed, the Lord's guidance will get us through even if we feel lost at times.

With that, allow me to share one of my favorite Bible verses that currently relates to how I feel: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11