A Completed Possible Solution

Background

I was tasked with using the Liberatory Design Principles as well as ADDIE as a foundation to discover, design, and develop a solution to the problem identified by our learners. One of the main statements we hear from learners after the current learning experience is that it does not fully click until they are on the job actually doing the work, because that is how they learn best. Additionally, the current learning experience is missing strong and meaningful interactive elements. With that in mind, and with my ongoing goal to create experiential learning experiences, this project highlights one way we can begin to solve that problem.

Design Principles

As part of this experience, I was also given the opportunity to remix a set of design principles that I believe should guide every learning experience, principles that, along with Liberatory Design and ADDIE, shaped my approach to this work. See below for my Design Principle Checklist.

The Initial Problem Statement

Learners need a way to be flexible in their learning experience preference and find a way to adapt their needs into how things are presented to them because you don’t always have control over the learning experience, but you can control how you interact with it.

The initial problem statement was focused only on what learners were doing wrong and how they needed to change their mindset in order to succeed. While that sentiment still holds some truth, as I began to co design with another designer and talk through the challenges out loud, the problem shifted from what the learner should do to what we could do for the learner.

The Revised Problem Statement

Instructors need a way to create learning experiences, organize it in a meaningful way, that are realistic and relevant to the learners so learners can apply it in the real world because multiple learners have expressed that they learn this content in more experiential ways.

The Rough Prototype

Using a playground practice environment, I walked through what I wanted the simulation to look like. I created a script with branching scenarios to simulate various outcomes the learner could experience.

Video Transcript

The Prototype

Built in Google Slides, this interactive simulation slightly gamifies the learning experience to put learners in the mindset of the workflow they would perform in the real world. This simulation is designed to supplement the overall learning experience. Click the image below to launch the simulation.

Medication Administration Simulation

The Results

As you can see, the results were a highly interactive experience that learners can work through at their own pace. With the right technology, resources, and time, several scenarios could be created using these techniques to develop well built, innovative supplemental materials that enhance the overall learning experience.