Reflection Topic: Reflect on this course. What are some research takeaways? Practical takeaways? How can train others on message design? This should be a 5-6 paragraph on findings and things you learned during this course.
This course on message design in learning technologies proved to be quite challenging for me, especially given the workload compressed into an abbreviated summer semester. Throughout the course, I often felt overwhelmed, struggling to keep up and feeling like I was barely treading water, let alone finding time for meaningful reflection. Even though it was challenging, I kept going, and looking back, I can appreciate the valuable takeaways and useful knowledge that I acquired.
One of the most significant research takeaways for me was the simple realization that there is an entire discipline called “Message Design.” Having completed my undergrad in Communications with a focus on Advertising two decades ago and worked extensively in Marketing, which involved graphic design and digital messaging, I was surprised that I had never come across this field before. It was exciting to incorporate theory and research into the methods I had been using for years, giving my work a higher level of insight and foundation to build upon.
I would find it difficult to consider fostering creativity in those who may not naturally regard themselves as creative. Message design appears to create guidance toward the development of a non-creative, but there is still so much that is unteachable. While I believe some people have an innate creative inclination, I also recognize the value of theory and structured practices in fostering creativity and enhancing message design skills. Creativity is such an abstract concept, and true design is valued by the viewer; Can we truly teach creativity, which is a strong element of Message Design?
I appreciated the online book that was chosen for this course. There were many elements that I am familiar with as a former instructional designer, and they were combined with elements I used during my experience in marketing and as a graphic designer. I felt that the book was a helpful blend of instructional design resources, creative guidelines, theory, and research. The course book’s selection played a key role in defining design ideas inside an educational framework and giving them a theoretical foundation. I plan to share this resource with some of my colleagues who have struggled with developing creative projects and could truly benefit from the book’s insights. I have also bookmarked this book to refer back to later, as there were other topics that we did not get a chance to review in class that I’d like to read at a later date; topics such as designing simulations, zoom conferencing, MOOCs, etc. which were discussed in Volume 2 of this online resource.
Yet, despite the difficulty and time constraints of the course, I have developed a greater understanding of the term Message Design and its role in education. I plan to apply this newfound knowledge and theories in my future work, creating effective and engaging instructional materials that are grounded on theoretical best practices. While the journey was challenging, and the workload a bit overwhelming, I’ve gained new knowledge and theories that will be beneficial in my future research and projects.
