Published by Weri Gadou August 03, 2025

I came into LRNT 527 with teaching experience but little exposure to designing digital learning resources. Over the past few weeks, the course gave me the opportunity to reflect, create, and grow through the development of my own digital resource.

What?

I developed an asynchronous learning module designed to equip French teachers with tools to help adult military learners enhance their grammar skills in preparation for the federal Second Language Evaluation. Many of these learners struggle with abstract grammar concepts such as subject–verb agreement, sentence structure, and applying rules in written tasks.

To address these challenges, I drew inspiration from La Grammaire de la Phrase en 3D, a method that uses visual and spatial cues to make grammar more concrete. This approach influenced my decision to integrate visual and interactive tools in my module to help learners better understand grammar and apply it in real-life situations.

Based on a teacher interview and learner personas I created earlier in the course, I aimed to design a resource that supports independent learning while remaining grounded in practical classroom realities.

So What?
Developing this resource was both rewarding and eye-opening. One of the most surprising aspects was realizing how much the quality of AI output depended on the clarity of my own thinking. I initially expected the AI to do more of the heavy lifting, but it ended up helping me think more critically. It worked best when I already had a clear structure and purpose, it helped me refine and expand ideas rather than generate them from scratch. This shifted my view of generative AI: not as a shortcut, but as a collaborative tool that strengthens design when used with intention.

The feedback from my instructor confirmed that the resource is well designed and grounded in learning theory, with clearly articulated goals, justified tool selection using evaluation frameworks, and an appropriate plan for independent, asynchronous learning. This was both reassuring and encouraging.

I also realized that while I had included detailed written instructions, I needed to translate those instructions more clearly into the actual design (e.g., within Rise 360), guiding learners step-by-step and making transitions smoother.

Now What?
Based on the feedback, I plan to revise the Rise 360 content to ensure better navigation and more explicit guidance for learners. I will also incorporate learner surveys to evaluate whether the intended learning outcomes are being met, asking directly what worked, what didn’t, and how the resource could improve.

I’m also curious to integrate AI more intentionally into future design work, for example, to generate examples, simplify explanations, or offer adaptive feedback.

In terms of reflective practice, I’ve found blog posts like this helpful, but I also value talking through ideas with colleagues or keeping a personal design journal. I might experiment with voice memos or visual maps as real-time reflection tools.

This experience confirmed that I enjoy the design process and that creating digital resources deepens my understanding of my learners.