Final Project: Course Reflection

ELRC 7535 Course Reflection: Architecting Inclusive Digital Learning Platforms

       Throughout Louisiana State University’s ELRC 7535 – Advanced E-Learning Design and Development course, I not only learned the intricacies of ensuring learning objectives are adequately implemented throughout the e-learning design process, but how to incorporate the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to ensure students are given multiple pathways to gain, understand, and utilize course information. This journey went far beyond foundational theory, pushing me to actively build, critique, and refine comprehensive digital learning platforms.

       In addition to mastering these core course objectives, I was able to complete the following five Coursera-facilitated courses in their entirety and add them to my professional portfolio: Google AI Fundamentals, Adobe: Design Fundamentals with AI, Adobe: Generative AI Content Creation, Google: Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere, and Google: Foundations of UX Design. These supplemental certifications seamlessly bridged the gap between instructional design theory and cutting-edge digital execution, directly informing the artifacts I created throughout the semester.

Structuring Equitable and Accessible Environments

       Building an effective digital learning platform begins with a deep understanding of structural frameworks and a commitment to learner variability. Early in the course, I learned to critically analyze the key features of digital environments and identify persistent barriers to equitable online education. By comparing prominent instructional design models like ADDIE, SAM, and Backward Design, I developed the agility to select the best fit for specific pedagogical challenges. More importantly, integrating UDL checkpoints became a proactive mindset rather than an afterthought. I gained practical experience revising lesson plans to ensure they aligned with both rigid academic standards and diverse learner needs, proving that true accessibility requires intentional, upfront design. (CO2: Design and develop inclusive online courses using instructional design frameworks and UDL principles)

Navigating Ethics, AI, and Emerging Technologies

       As educational technology rapidly evolves, instructional designers must also act as ethical gatekeepers. Auditing early course artifacts using Quality Matters (QM), UDL, and ISTE standards taught me to critically evaluate the transparency, accessibility, and overall learner impact of my designs. This critical lens was essential when exploring emerging technologies like VR, AR, serious games, and artificial intelligence. My supplemental Coursera certifications in AI fundamentals and generative content creation directly informed my ability to analyze the privacy, equity, and accessibility implications of these tools. I learned to develop technology integration plans that leverage AI, constructively ensuring human-in-the-loop use, mitigating bias, and maintaining academic integrity while enhancing the digital learning experience. (CO4: Evaluate and apply strategies for data privacy, cyber security, and responsible technology integration)

Driving Engagement Through Assessment and Multimedia

       A vital aspect of developing any digital platform is determining how we measure success and deliver content. This course challenged me to move beyond traditional testing by designing choice-based summative assessments that empower learners. Coupling this with the creation of simple, ethical analytics dashboards allowed me to track learner progress while fiercely protecting data privacy, skills heavily reinforced by my Google Data and UX Design studies. Furthermore, evaluating the unique strengths and limitations of text, audio, video, and interactive media enabled me to prototype multimedia assets directly aligned with specific learning outcomes. By designing intentional community forum prompts that scaffold peer collaboration, I saw firsthand how multimedia principles and UDL can transform an isolated online module into an engaging, collaborative community. (CO5: Develop a Professional Learning Network (PLN) to enhance career readiness and leadership capacity)

Conclusion: Growth as an EdTech Leader

       Reflecting on my trajectory from analyzing basic digital environments in Module 1 to the final curation of my annotated digital portfolio in Module 7, my growth as an instructional designer and EdTech leader is evident. I have transformed theoretical concepts into actionable, standard-aligned artifacts that prove my ability to build inclusive, technologically advanced learning platforms. ELRC 7535 has equipped me with a robust, modern toolkit, from ethical AI integration to universally designed multimedia and data privacy, ensuring that the digital learning experiences I develop moving forward will be accessible, engaging, and deeply impactful for all learners. (CO6: Reflect on and improve digital teaching practices based on peer feedback, emerging research, and best practices)

Module 1: Analyzing Digital Learning Environments

Module 2: Foundations of Instructional Design & UDL

Module 3: Design Quality, Ethics & Portfolio Review

Moodle: A Digital Learning Platform

      During the learning platform exploration project, I chose to explore the Moodle learning platform, with a particular focus on its alignment with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The selection of Moodle as the subject of this analysis was deliberate; it was not only one of the most common learning management systems in online education but also a platform renowned for its capacity to support a diverse array of learning and teaching methodologies. This analysis began with an overview of Moodle's core strengths, such as its open-source flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and vibrant support community. Subsequently, it dove into the significant barriers that could hinder its adoption, including technical complexity and user interface challenges. Finally, the paper explored key strategies for improvement—from technical enhancements to pedagogical integration—and discussed how Moodle could be strategically aligned with crucial educational frameworks like UDL to foster more inclusive, personalized, and effective learning environments for all users. Two of the UDLs I chose to focus on were Checkpoint 7.1: Adaptive Learning Paths and Checkpoint 8.3: Foster Collaboration and Community.

UDL Checkpoint 1: Adaptive Learning Paths

       One key UDL checkpoint I incorporated is the use of adaptive learning paths. I chose this feature to align Moodle with student-centered teaching methods and differentiated instruction, allowing educators to customize content for a diverse range of student needs. This directly enhances learner choice by giving students the autonomy to navigate through course materials at their own pace and in a manner that best suits their individual learning style. It also improves accessibility by offering multiple routes to understanding and mastering the content, ensuring that students who might find a traditional, linear path challenging have alternative ways to succeed.

UDL Checkpoint 2: Foster Collaboration and Community

       The second UDL checkpoint I identified is foster collaboration and community. I selected this tool to directly address a significant barrier noted in my paper: the reduction in direct interaction and the potential loss of the social aspects of learning in an online environment. This feature enhances learner choice by providing various options for collaboration, such as working in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class, allowing students to engage in the social format that is most comfortable and effective for them. It boosts accessibility by fostering supportive peer networks and creating a collaborative atmosphere where students can help one another, making the educational experience more inclusive and interactive.

Module 4: Emerging Technologies & Ethical Integration

Module 5: Assessment Strategies & Data-Informed Design

Module 6: Interactive Media & Collaborative Learning

Project Overview: Interactive Cellular Biology Module

To support the instruction of high school students on cellular development and nuclear processes, I designed and developed an interactive branching scenario utilizing the H5P authoring framework. This dynamic learning platform was engineered to provide a responsive, student-centric approach to complex biological concepts. While interactive simulations of this nature are traditionally designed for asynchronous, individualized learning, this module offers significant pedagogical flexibility for diverse instructional settings.

In a synchronous classroom environment, an educator can leverage the scenario's branching structure to facilitate collective decision-making and drive active group participation. For example, at the module's onset, the instructor can guide the class in collaboratively determining their optimal learning path: they may elect to evaluate their baseline understanding through an initial knowledge check, or proceed directly to foundational instructional videos. Following this initial phase, the learning path continues to adapt, offering the class choices between reviewing subsequent instructional content or engaging with one of three distinct, formative assessment questionnaires.

Conversely, when deployed for individual use, the branching scenario excels in supporting differentiated instruction and self-paced learning. It seamlessly accommodates varying rates of student comprehension. Advanced learners can swiftly progress to the formative assessments, while students requiring additional reinforcement are granted the autonomy to review the instructional videos multiple times before attempting to test their knowledge. This adaptability ensures that each student can tailor the cognitive load to their specific learning requirements.

Reflecting on the technical implementation phase, utilizing H5P to architect a comprehensive branching scenario proved to be a rigorously detailed and sophisticated process. Although I am exceptionally satisfied with the quality of the final deliverable, this project highlighted the inherent complexities of digital instructional design. I quickly realized that for educators or curriculum developers to consistently produce exceptional and timely educational deliverables, they must possess a deep familiarity with the platform's architecture and branching logic. The development lifecycle requires significant involvement and a robust understanding of scenario-based mapping.

As this project represents my inaugural deployment of a branching scenario, I consider the outcome a significant success. Moving forward, I intend to deepen my technical proficiency within the H5P ecosystem, which will enable me to engineer even more sophisticated, deeply integrated, and highly immersive learning experiences in future curriculum development initiatives.