From Classroom to Design Room: Redefining Communication

                I have a challenge for you: name a career where communication is absent. I’ll give you a moment to think about it. I can’t think of a single job in which an individual will not communicate with others. Communication looks and sounds different in every situation. For example, a zookeeper talking to his/her animals will be entirely different from a lawyer speaking to a jury. In education, communication is at the center and involves various individuals. Whether I am explaining complex ideas to my students, relaying information to families, or collaborating with colleagues, I rely on clear communication. As I progress through the Learning Design and Technology program, I hope to apply my professional communication skills to learning design and refine them to support meaningful learning experiences.

               Reflecting on my communication experiences as an educator, I believe I am most confident in visual storytelling communication. Visual storytelling utilizes images, graphics, color, and other visual elements to enhance the memorability of a learning experience. Creating engaging visual aids, such as anchor charts, presentations, or learning slides, is a natural part of teaching to support learning. Visual storytelling is also essential in learning design, which is why I believe it is the area of communication in which I am the most confident.

               A specific situation that comes to mind is when designing a science unit for my 3^rd graders on animal adaptations. I created multiple charts of each animal we studied, labeling their adaptations. Additionally, I made a table comparing the adaptations and how each supports the animal’s survival. By the end of the unit, students not only learned about animal adaptations but also how to organize information in a table and answer questions based on its contents. The visual aids helped organize the content in a more visually appealing manner, making it less text-heavy and more engaging.

               The area of communication I want to improve the most this term is persuasive writing. I have experience teaching my students how to write a persuasive essay and what elements are necessary to convince an audience of your point of view. However, that is quite different from the kind of persuasion I will employ as a learning designer. As a learning designer, I will be expected to pitch ideas, write project proposals, and justify design choices —tasks for which I have no prior experience. This is why it is essential to improve this area of communication. I will need to shift my tone and vocabulary from a teacher to a thought leader and communicator of value. Writing persuasively as a learning designer involves striking a balance between logic and reason, as well as empathy and understanding.

               To improve my persuasive writing skills during this course, one step I can take is to analyze strong learning design proposals. Since I have not written a proposal myself, I am unsure what constitutes a strong one. Analyzing proposals to identify a common theme of tone, structure, and persuasive techniques is a good starting point. Additionally, reading blog posts from professionals within the field of learning design with expertise in proposals can offer valuable insights. A second step I can take is to use each assignment or discussion as an opportunity to experiment with persuasive language, especially elements gathered from analyzing proposals. Lastly, I can seek targeted feedback from peers or my instructor on clarity, tone, and the use of persuasive language.

               My current communication habits as a teacher differ significantly from those of a learning designer. As a teacher, effective communication focuses on building relationships, particularly with students, and explaining complex ideas in simple, clear terms. Communication is also personal and immediate, enabling me to respond to my students' needs with empathy and patience. Each of my students has diverse learning needs, and applying active listening and visual storytelling skills enables me to meet them where they are.  

               As I look to the future at my role as a learning designer, the audience and context of conversations will be significantly different. Communication will occur with various stakeholders, including learners, clients, subject matter experts, other designers, and leadership teams. Communication will become more nuanced, focusing on aspects beyond simply expressing ideas clearly. I will need to justify, negotiate, and advocate — skills that require strong persuasive writing and an awareness of audience expectations. It’ll be a shift from immediate input to intentional influence.

               Looking forward, I aim to continue developing a communication style that is more strategic yet authentic to who I am becoming. I value clarity, understanding, originality, and evidence-informed practice. I want my communication to reflect those same qualities, regardless of the situation. I want to be viewed as someone who actively listens, writes with purpose, and purposefully makes an impact. This means growing more confident in persuasive writing, expanding my visual storytelling skills, and using AI tools responsibly to refine my work. Ultimately, I want my work to not only be professional but also reflect my thoughts and values.