Abeo in a Global Corporation

Abstract:

Abeo, a learning design professional from Nigeria, transitioned from teaching chemistry and mathematics to educational technology. His role as an academic advisor, where students expressed dissatisfaction with coursework, inspired his career shift. Abeo pursued a master’s in educational technology at the University of Ibadan, securing a position in a multinational organization before graduation due to his expertise and work ethic. 

So in terms of culture, in a way I will say culture affects my design. I remember an experience where I had to substitute a voiceover artist for someone with a neutral accent, just because I’m dealing with a global community. So, that is part of the considerations: Who is going to use this course? They are people who are not first users of English. They are not native speakers of English. There are people whose official language is not English. Like for example in Nigeria, if you have gone through the four year university program, you should be able to at least express yourself [in English] and you might not have the perfect diction. But at least you’ll be able to express yourself and understand other people when they speak. But in some other parts of the world, people probably go to school where they don’t even use English as a medium of instruction. So, they are now working and they can do what they’re supposed to do on the job, but they don’t speak English or maybe they just speak very little English. If you speak too much in these e-learning modules, they [trainees] will not really comprehend. So you need to at least make it [the English language] neutral with a very simple choice of words. You have to consider all of those inputs in your design when writing your scripts. In a global environment, we have to respect the place of diversity and include everyone.

This interview emphasizes the importance of mastering the ADDIE framework and project management skills for learning designers in multinational organizations. He highlights the importance of evidence-based practices in learning design. Abeo underscores the need for adaptability and iterative feedback to ensure high-quality instructional design tailored to diverse learner needs.

I will say you have to be in a way flexible, while you are still sticking to the principle of instructional design. We currently work with an agile approach, where as I’m doing this task, the other person is doing that task. We are working all together to ensure we deliver on time. So, if you’re not flexible there’ll be friction. Either with your colleague or with the stakeholder. You just have to, at times, consider other people’s view about what you are creating. You are creating in your mind and in your head. You may feel you’re creating wonders. But when people appraise it and give you feedback, you must actually evaluate it and be flexible. Don’t be rigid. Do not say: I’m an expert, I have a master’s, and that certification. So flexibility is number one Number two: Never sacrifice professionalism all in the name of probably saving costs for your employer. 

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

Photo by Samson Ejim on Unsplash