Social Emotional Learning Capstone
Design Objective: Enhance the learner experience by clarifying learning outcomes, revising course structure and naming conventions, and enforcing instructional consistency throughout course materials.
Context: The culminating capstone course for the Social Emotional Learning specialization on Coursera allows learners to choose between two assessment pathways. This learner-centered approach offers great benefits, but navigating these pathways in the initial design was confusing due to the course's structure and a lack of alignment in the instructional components of the course.
Format: One of four- short courses packaged as a Coursera specialization
Audience: U.S. Teachers
My Roles: Content review, feedback, iteration, data analysis
Tools Used: Google Workspace, Coursera (LMS)
Design Challenges
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Developing a simple nomenclature to identify the component of the two capstone tracks.
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Addressing overwhelming blocks of text with inconsistent heading and ordering styles.
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Ensuring that the new organization did not conflict with references to the course structure in the videos.
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Constructing a well-defined route for learners in each pathway
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Resolving inconsistencies in expectations across all instances where assignment instructions were outlined.
Process and Samples
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Conducted a comprehensive assessment of learning outcomes, course structure, and all instructional materials.
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Identified learner experience pain points such as complex module names and instructional inconsistencies.
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Discussed pain points with instructor and secured approval for a large-scale redesign.
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Redefined learning objectives to identify Capstone outcomes rather than assignments and deliverables.
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Simplified module titling and descriptions, removing complex instructions and improving clarity.
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Clarified assignment expectations and enforced consistent phrasing in all instances, including rubrics.
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Restructured course materials with headings and structures lists to improve clarity and accessibility
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Updated references to old structures and naming conventions throughout course materials.
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Condensed final module from six to two lessons for each pathway, reducing complexity.
Results
This project aimed to improve the learner experience and accessibility by optimizing course structure and clarifying learning materials and rubrics. By clarifying course navigation and restructuring instructional materials, I established a foundational organization that reinforces the instructor's learner-centered concept and makes the course more accessible according to UDL principles. The instructor expressed satisfaction, and while specific data is proprietary, I can share that there was a slight increase in course completions relative to total enrollments within a little over a year of the relaunch. This is a promising initial trend.