Introduction

Learning design is instrumental in developing quality instruction for all learners. It considers learners' abilities, their developmental stages, and learning theory. The theoretical underpinnings of learning design are paramount to the tools and strategies we use to develop engaging and practical instruction. Understanding learner behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and abilities can help instructional designers discover new ways to present information. As part of the learning design process, I often referred to applied learning theories to develop microcredential opportunities for my campus staff. The microcredentials earned by staff were made achievable through the use of connectivism and andragogy as theoretical frameworks, allowing for the creation of courses that would help teachers learn new techniques, methods, and tools to facilitate and enhance the use of technology in the classroom. This approach gave teachers quick, easy and efficient access to relevant learning materials.

To address the challenges posed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I implemented a type of intervention whereby teachers needed help with technology integration, as well as guidance on properly fulfilling this requirement in their virtual learning environments. This included motivating teachers to stay engaged during the learning process via webinars or self-paced modules. To meet this need, I adapted learning sessions into on-demand or synchronous sessions, allowing teachers to demonstrate their learning, earn microcredentials, learn new skills, and stay up to date with the ever-changing trends in educational technology. To facilitate this, I organized Lunch and Learn or Appy Hour sessions each week, highlighting a tool on Microsoft Teams as part of a webinar series. This allowed me to explain the basics of navigating a new tool and its possible implementations. Depending on the context of the webinar, pre and post-surveys were distributed to gauge learner satisfaction, engagement, and learning outcomes. Included as artifacts are webinar recordings, evaluation results, and supplementary materials demonstrating learning design competency. Through this intervention, I was able to ensure that teachers could stay up to date with the latest trends in educational technology while also earning microcredentials to demonstrate their learning.