Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter 12

Kaya in Higher Education

Abstract:

Kaya, a learning design professional in South Africa, works as an instructional design intern at the University of Johannesburg. Formerly a secondary school teacher of life orientation and English, she transitioned to learning design after pursuing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in ICT in education at the same university. Kaya’s passion for computer-based learning drove her career shift.

I decided to do a short course because I realized I need practical experience with regard to instructional design. I needed to have hands-on experience. I registered with the University of Pretoria, because it seemed to be the only university that offered a short course on international design, based on my research. It is further away from where I stay. I would have to drive for an hour to get there, but it was an online course. Fortunately, for me, I would go to work and then after hours I would engage with everything that my classmates were posting online and engage with the activities. I felt it was empowering for me, because it actually exposed me to other tools that I never thought I could use as a teacher. Also, as someone who wants to design learning material for online learning I really enjoyed the course. It was an 8 week course. After completing this course, I decided that I should just resign from my workplace and fully focus on looking for instructional design opportunities.I was looking for an instructional design internship opportunity. I got called to work as an instructional design intern at University of Johannesburg. I actually told them [hiring managers] that I did this course at University of Pretoria, and they liked that. I think it put me at an advantage! That’s how I got the position that I’m in now.

Key takeaways from this interview highlight essential competencies for South African higher education learning designers, including online solution development, collaboration with lecturers and team members, and creativity to adapt content for diverse audiences. Kaya emphasizes translating K-12 teaching experience into learning design practice and notes the importance of proficiency in African languages to engage effectively with course materials in multilingual contexts.

But now, I have to be able to convince people on what works or what cannot work. At the same time, I have to be creative to say, if we can’t do it like this way, we [can] do it in this other way. So, I believe now I have to be more creative. Because I want to present ideas and suggestions that are going to be interesting to people, that are going to wow them. At the same time, I do not want to forget that this is a professional course that I am working on. I am supposed to be professional, I can’t suggest options or develop content in a way that will suit younger children or that will suit secondary students when that is not my audience. As learning designers, you have to ask yourself: What is it that I need to do? The work should be professional, because at the same time, it will represent you as an individual and it will also be representing the institution.

Romero-Hall, E. (2025). Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003270591

Photo Credit: The Happy Challenge – Nelson Mandela Square, Gauteng

Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter 11

Evelyn in a Global Corporation

Abstract:

Evelyn is a learning design professional in Argentina. She studied at the Universidad de Buenos Aires to become a certified translator. She is also a faculty member at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where she teaches as an adjunct instructor and at times collaborates with other faculty members conducting research. In addition to her undergraduate studies, Evelyn completed a two-year master’s program in pedagogy. Due to her fluency in both English and Spanish as well as her knowledge of pedagogy, she transitioned to a role in learning design, working at a global corporation with headquarters in Houston, Texas, with clients all over the world. In her interview, Evelyn emphasized openness to learning, creativity, and teamwork as vital competencies for instructional designers.

As an instructional design manager, also, I have one-on-one meetings with my instructional designers. They tell me about their agendas and the projects they are working on. Then we have some brainstorming sessions. I consider myself a very creative person. If they get together with the client and have a specific training need, they [the client] want something out of the box. They want something that is not the typical solution. Instead they are trying to find something new or something different. That is when we get together and have maybe a short brainstorming session. I tell them about other projects that we have made because I, as an instructional design manager, have my eyes on all the projects that we develop. Maybe we have done something for another client, and that solution worked well. Maybe we can leverage some of the things from that solution and apply them to this one. I like to call it or refer to it, as a source of inspiration. I give them options! Or, maybe I can say: What if we combine these two things and we have this other new stuff or something?

Her role includes managing client relationships, resolving project challenges, and mentoring team members. Key takeaways from this chapter highlight the importance of strong writing skills, proficiency in emerging technologies, and adaptability to cultural differences. As a leader, Evelyn advocates for instructional design innovation and collaboration across diverse teams.

Another important competency is their commitment, because of the way we work. We tell them [our instructional designers] that we do not expect them to know everything. But we want our instructional designers to be willing to learn. Therefore I need them to be committed to their product(s) or to what they are doing. I always tell them: each process and each project has its own constraints and limits. Perhaps it has to be ready in two weeks and you cannot create a piece of art (in two weeks). So, I get that. But, it is that commitment with what you do that in the next opportunity you will try to do something different, something better. I hate these misconceptions around e-learning: e-learning is boring or e-learning does not teach. These misconceptions exist, in part, because of how we do our work [as instructional designers]. Because we do e-learning as an additional bullet in our checklist. We are teaching and we are working, so I need to feel that commitment and that passion that at the end of the day we have for what we do.

Romero-Hall, E. (2025). Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003270591

Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter 10

Adriana in the Non-Profit Sector

Abstract:

Adriana, a Brazilian learning design professional based in Brasília, has a 15-year career in education and technology. With degrees in history, an MBA in digital communications, and a master’s in design, she has spent the last decade focusing on how design thinking can enhance K-12 education. In her learning design practice, she navigates Brazil’s rigid academic pathways and cultural misconceptions about design to foster innovation in education.

We have kind of a translation problem in Brazil around the word and expected definition of the word design. In English [in the United States], it is easy when you say design because in English when you say design we have the notion of creation or thinking about creation. For someone in Brazil, design is more about using physical artifacts. So it’s hard for Brazilians to understand design for invisible things like learning. So, we have kind of a struggle understanding what we mean by learning design. Learning design is not obvious for teachers in Brazil. Normally, teachers follow a book and that’s it. So for me, the basic and the most common denominator that I can work with teachers is to highlight that learning is an intangible and invisible experience. Because of that we need to put in a diagram and make it visible for them. Then we will take this journey together with a high level of consciousness.

Adriana highlights storytelling as a vital instructional design competency, enabling creativity, communication, and reflection to engage learners emotionally and cognitively. Adriana advocates for adopting design thinking to improve teacher preparation programs. She also suggests integrating pedagogical references like Paulo Freire’s methods to make design thinking relatable for educators.

I think learning design is about a helping story and interdisciplinarity. I read a lot. Because I’m interested in lots of disciplines like humanities, technology, innovation, and neuroscience. Education is complex and it’s a complex issue. So, I think in order to design the best learning experiences, you need to navigate in more than one field. You need to understand how people learn, understand how people build their relationships and how people use technology. I think there is knowledge related to anthropology, ethnography, history, and social studies. But as well in technology like UX and the integration of human computer interactions. I think it is hard. I think it’s a kind of a highly sophisticated discipline. In my practice, all my studies and all my curiosity, helps me to navigate it well.

Romero-Hall, E. (2025). Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003270591

Photo by Henry Rodrigues on Unsplash

Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter 9

Isabel in the Government Sector

Abstract:

Isabel, a learning design professional in Peru’s government sector, transitioned into instructional design 20 years ago while working as an agronomist on a multidisciplinary team. Her initial role involved improving technical training for farmers to produce export-quality coffee by simplifying dense content and technical jargon. Isabel later pursued roles in non-profit organizations, driven by her passion for social development.

I’m Peruvian! Right now, I’m working in an urban environment that is quite different from the rural environment, in which I worked for many years. For 15 years, I was working with people in rural areas in Peru where there is low quality of life and a lack of quality education. When I started that job, the people I used to train had some elementary education and some others had some secondary education. Today, I am in a different type of organization where the majority of the learners have a master’s degree. Some even have master’s degrees from abroad. So, as a learning designer I have shifted from working with different learner populations.

Key takeaways emphasize the importance of strong analysis skills in instructional design, particularly during the ADDIE framework’s analysis phase. Competencies include needs analysis, contextual understanding, and task analysis to transform complex content into digestible learning materials. Isabel also highlights leveraging cultural insights from diverse regions to tailor education for urban and rural learners. Her experiences underscore how instructional designers can bridge technical expertise with learner-centric approaches to create impactful training solutions across varied contexts.

There were other forms of culture represented in my work as a learning designer in the rural zone. For example, many women have authority at home. However, it is a public authority too. Many men trusted their wives so much when it came to making decisions. But in public, it is not acceptable that a woman would raise her voice or give her opinion. That behavior was reserved for the house. It made me realize that I also had to address the woman, even though the community leader was a man. So, it made me realize that we [the project team] had to work on two fronts. On the one hand, we worked creating training materials for the men but I also had to build confidence that change was important in the female group with the wives. It was very important to me when I arrived in a new rural community to understand the rules and that is why I took anthropology, because I learned that the performance changes that I wanted to do were not exclusively educational or learning issues, they were also cultural issues. Anthropology gave me some tools to identify the power players that were inside the community, sometimes, disguised.

Romero-Hall, E. (2025). Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003270591

Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

Keynote at the 2026 Annual eLCC Conference

Huge thanks to the folks at The eLearning Consortium of Colorado (formerly Colorado TELECOOP) for the invite to give a keynote during the 2026 Annual eLCC Conference! The eLCC is a coalition of public and private colleges, universities, K-12 education, private sector business and public television stations dedicated to the enhancement of educational opportunities through distance learning. I had been holding on to a few copies of the book and I am happy I was to have a small giveaway at the end!

The keynote was titled: Context Matters! Learning Design Practice ThroughGlobal South Perspectives

Abstract: How do learning designers in the Global South transform challenges into opportunities for innovation? This keynote invites you on a journey across higher education, corporate, non-profit, and government sectors, where practitioners adapt to rapidly changing environments by drawing on local knowledge, cultural traditions, and resourcefulness. Through vivid real-world examples, we’ll explore how learning designers respond to diverse needs—navigating unique demographics, traditions, and policy landscapes—to create meaningful educational experiences. We will discuss the creative strategies, emerging competencies, and organizational models that are shaping learning design in contexts often overlooked by mainstream narratives. Whether you’re a designer, educator, or leader, this session will spark fresh perspectives on what it means to build impactful learning experiences in a complex world.

Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter 8

Luna in a Higher Education Institution

Abstract:

Luna, based in Santiago, Chile, is a seasoned professional in education and e-learning. She holds degrees in English-Spanish interpretation and pedagogy, transitioning from teaching English to instructional design after earning a master’s in educational technology from Arizona State University in 2017. Luna has worked at institutions such as the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, contributing to virtual course design. Currently, she leads distance education at Universidad de los Andes.

What is my day-to-day? I work on a project that has four objectives and I am in charge of the third objective that has to do with the training of teachers in distance education. I do training, or look for training for teachers, on how to transfer face-to-face courses to e-learning with instructional design. I was looking for the [name of course] training and I have been motivated to get the professors enrolled in these courses. The other element of my job is the design aspect. I have to design a manual of good practices in distance education. I’m already in the part of collecting literature and looking for books that we buy on Amazon. All the literature is in English and there is almost nothing in Spanish. In the manual, I divided it into 10 sections. I have five chapters, they are not large chapters but five topics developed.

Key takeaways from this interview emphasize the importance of proficiency in authoring tools, multimedia, and project management for instructional designers. Luna advocates for building trust with faculty who are resistant to change. Luna’s leadership highlights the potential of instructional design to transform education through collaboration, evidence-based practices, and innovative technologies.

At my institution it is difficult as the professors are reluctant to change. For example, the university is implementing the HyFlex instructional modality and I did the training. I read the book from Dr. Brian Beatty. I took a five-day workshop with Dr. Beatty and I felt that I had knowledge needed. One day, I sat down with a professor who had researched some papers, then he talked to me about Hyflex and there were many things he (the professor) said that challenged the information I had shared from Dr. Beatty. I didn’t say anything to him (the professor) and I let it go. But, that part is kind of difficult. I don’t like working with the instructors because of that, their ego is so big that they don’t realize that they know their subject but they don’t know how to deliver that subject online and they might not even know how to do it in-person. I said that in a meeting and the director of accreditation told me: but Luna we (the instructors) have been here for so many years and I don’t think we have done it (teaching) so badly. I agree, but they could do it better.

Romero-Hall, E. (2025). Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003270591

Photo by Chalo Gallardo on Unsplash

Inside “Learning Designers in Context”: Chapter Samples

I am a huge advocate of open educational resources so it is very hard to publish work that cannot be openly share to the community and readers that it was intended for. As I navigate this conundrum I think of ways in which this can be accomplished with my recently published book. So far, I have reached out to the publisher and asked if I could share a sneak peek of the book. They agreed with that and it let me to share Chapter 15 in this blog post: Sneak Preview of “Learning Designers in Context” . I also recently noticed that with Google Books you can view samples of the book including the Preface and Chapter 1. You can also read a sample of the Preface and Chapter 1 by searching for the book on Amazon.

But honestly if anyone is interested in getting a copy of Learning Designers in Context, please reach out via email. I am happy to share a PDF of the book. You are also welcome to “request full-text” via ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398375917_Learning_Designers_in_Context. I am pretty good at responding to request I get.

I should add that all University of Tennessee Knoxville students, faculty, and staff who have a NETID can access the book from the UT library. Thanks to our UTK Librarians (who are amazing people!), we have a digital copy of the book and can be found here.

For those in the northern hemisphere: Stay safe and warm!
For those on the southern hemisphere: Happy Summer!

“Learning Designers in Context” is now published!

I wanted to pass along that my latest book is now published and available!

Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practice Across the Global South examines learning design across professional sectors, local cultures, and geographic regions in the Global South, addressing the ways in which practitioners effectively draw on the knowledge, skills, and resources available to them. The book explores design and implementation in higher education, corporate, non-profit, and government sectors while attending to urgent cultural and geographic distinctions, these chapters vividly illustrate the roles, challenges, and opportunities of learning designers’ use in real-world settings home to specific demographics, traditions, socioeconomic parameters, and policy orientations.

For more information about the book, and to order a copy (exam copies available), please visit: Learning Designers in Context (currently at a 20% discount). This file offers a brief sample of the book, including the table of contents and the concluding chapter: Book Sample including Table of Content and Chapter 15.

Please feel free to share with anyone who may find it useful.

A smiling person with curly hair and bright yellow glasses holds up a book titled Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South by Enilda Romero-Hall. The person is wearing a brown fleece jacket and standing indoors. The book cover features purple and pink hexagonal graphics on a white background.

The acknowledgement

Five years ago, I embarked on this book writing journey. I had the idea to write this book even before my previous book “Research Methods on Learning, Design, and Technology” was published in October 2020. The email I sent to the publisher on July 17, 2020 read:

I have an idea for a book project and I am wondering if I could chat with you to discuss it. I want to know if this is a topic that would be considered before working on the book proposal

I knew exactly what I wanted to write. I was inspired by the findings of a book chapter (titled: “Educational Technologists in Latin America and the Caribbean: Perceived Importance of Competencies for Practice”) that I co-authored with my former graduate students: Leonor Adams, Erika Petersen, and Adriana Viana. In the process of disseminating the survey for data collection we came across pockets of learning designers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It made me wonder how much we had yet to learn from learning designers in other parts of the world and the context of their practice.

I would like to express my gratitude to the learning designers who took the time to meet with me and share their journeys into learning design practice. Your bravery and sincerity are truly appreciated. Your willingness to open up about your experiences, challenges, and successes has provided invaluable insights that will undoubtedly enrich the field of learning design. Your contributions have not only enhanced this work but also inspired me personally. Thank you for your dedication and for being a source of inspiration to others in the profession.

I am beyond grateful for the support of McFadden Hall for cheering me on throughout this process, brainstorming with me when I needed a voice of reason, and holding my hand when I just wanted to give up.

Thank you to the University of Tennessee Knoxville for providing resources and funds, which were instrumental in facilitating various aspects of this book project.

Making it through every step (i.e., writing a proposal, submitting the IRB, conducting the interviews, formatting, transcribing, translating, editing the chapters, writing, and organizing) seemed like a massive ordeal while leaving through changes in my personal and professional life. I am so incredibly thankful for those who have, in many ways, inspired and encouraged me without even knowing it. Gratitude!

“Learning Designers in Context” Now Available for Pre-Order

I do not know how many people actually read this blog, but I figured I would go ahead and share that “Learning Designers in Context” is now available for pre-order.

It also is discounted right now, when you order it directly from the publisher: Pre-Order Here

The book is scheduled for release December 5th, 2025. Copies of the book will be shipped after the released date.

I have previously published two edited books (i.e., Research Methods in Learning Design and Technology, Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online) and it honestly feels so different promoting a solo-authored book! In previous instances, I wanted to recognized and disseminate their work of my colleagues who had their work in the edited books, so promoting those books felt easy! However, having to promote my solo-authored book is so hard. I feel like my introverted side all of a sudden takes over!

I also wanted to add that if anyone would like to get a copy of the book, feel free to send me an email. I am happy to share a PDF.

Congratulations Dr. Ashley King! #GoVols #GBO

Congrats to Dr. Ashley King, completing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education with a concentration in Learning Design and Technology at The University of Tennessee Knoxville, who today successfully defended her dissertation titled “Collaborative Online Learning Mediated Through Concurrent Update Technology in Asynchronous and Synchronous Environments”! Proud of you, Dr. King!

Committee Members: Dr. Enilda Romero-Hall (Chair), Dr. Joshua Rosenberg, Dr. Mitsunori Misawa, and Dr. Robert Fuller

Abstract: This dissertation investigates how collaborative modality (asynchronous versus synchronous) and collaborative technology (standard tools versus concurrent update tools) affect academic performance, perceived learning outcomes, and collaborative experiences in fully online higher education. Grounded in the Theory of Transactional Distance, the Community of Inquiry framework, and Social Presence Theory, the research addresses gaps in understanding how technology and instructional modality interact to shape collaboration when instructional content, assessments, and group tasks are held constant. Using a quasi-experimental 2Å~2 factorial design, undergraduate business students (n = 242) completed two small-group collaboration assignments in one of four conditions: asynchronous standard, asynchronous concurrent, synchronous standard, or synchronous concurrent. Data sources included objective performance scores, post-assignment surveys measuring perceptions of academic performance and collaborative experience, and demographic information. Analyses using ANOVA, Welch’s ANOVA, Games-Howell post hoc tests, and independent samples t-tests revealed that concurrent update tools were consistently associated with higher academic performance, particularly in asynchronous conditions, and with improved perceptions of group functioning, structure, and tool support. Synchronous conditions supported greater trust, affective connection, and engagement, while asynchronous concurrent conditions demonstrated notable performance advantages. Results indicate that neither collaboration alone nor concurrent update technology in isolation consistently improved outcomes; the most substantial benefits occurred when collaborative activities were purposefully structured and paired with concurrent update tools aligned with task demands and learning objectives. These findings refine and extend existing theoretical frameworks by showing how co-editing platforms can bridge structure, presence, and learner interaction across modalities. Practical implications include designing intentional collaborative activities supported by real-time tools in both synchronous and asynchronous environments, alongside institutional investments in platform access, student training, and learning management system integration. By centering both outcomes and the processes that shape collaboration, this dissertation advances empirical and theoretical understanding of technology-mediated collaboration in online higher education and offers actionable strategies for creating equitable, engaging, and effective digital learning environments.