Instructional Design, Developmentm, and Evaluation Standards of Practice

The kind of growth that begins with introspection and quietly transforms everything

Both documents, my Self-Assessment from September and my Competency Review from November, highlighted the role self-assessment plays in real professional growth. They weren’t just forms to complete or rubrics to satisfy. They forced me to stop, reflect, and evaluate myself with honesty. They outlined where I stood, what I was building, and how my understanding of instructional design was evolving. Each section held more than a rating, it held evidence of action, application, and intent. Together, they mapped the shift from theory to practice and gave structure to the kind of growth that often goes unseen.

Self Assessments

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September 2024

In September, I was in the early stretch of the program. I was balancing coursework, Army leadership responsibilities, and coaching commitments. I didn’t pretend to have everything figured out, because I didn’t. What I did have was a willingness to get uncomfortable and learn through doing. I used learning theories like social learning and cognitive theory and applied them to real-world scenarios, like designing micro eLearning modules for Soldiers. I analyzed performance gaps, created learner personas, and leaned on research to make design decisions that could actually work in the field. I knew I was still in the “medium” zone on most standards. And I was okay with that. I wasn’t aiming for perfection, I was focused on progress. I wanted to be honest with myself about where I was and intentional about where I was going.

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November 2024

By the end of November, things looked different. I wasn’t just practicing, I was performing. I had developed and executed full instructional design plans, using ADDIE and SAM frameworks. I built assessments, facilitated pilot tests, revised learning materials, and measured learning outcomes. I didn’t just talk about needs assessments, I wrote them, aligned them to real gaps, and proposed strategic interventions. I used tools like Articulate Rise, Canva, and PowerPoint not because the rubric required it, but because they were the right tools for the job. I had taken feedback seriously, both from peers and instructors, and made improvements that reflected a deeper level of competence. I managed group projects, led design phases, and adapted content with purpose. I felt like I had finally shifted from theory-heavy to action-oriented, without losing sight of the learner.

Overall Self Evaluation

This program wasn’t about chasing grades. It was about building something that could withstand the weight of the real world,designs that don’t just look good on paper but actually solve problems for real learners, in real environments. The IDD&E master’s program at Syracuse shaped more than just my skill set. It redefined how I think, how I listen, and how I lead.

The process started with self-awareness. I evaluated myself against professional standards, not just to measure competence, but to force clarity around what I still needed to grow into. I didn’t inflate my ratings. I documented what I was practicing, what I was building toward, and how I was learning through reflection, not just instruction. From enhancing my communication skills using Canva and Camtasia, to analyzing learner needs through job and task analysis, I made sure each activity moved the needle.

I developed a comprehensive Front-End Analysis Plan grounded in performance gaps and contextual analysis. I created learner personas using psychographic and demographic profiles and built a full needs assessment to define what instruction could actually fix, and what it couldn’t. And when it came to strategy, I wasn’t theoretical. I chose ADDIE and SAM for structure, aligned objectives with evidence-based design, and delivered digital products that were accessible, usable, and targeted.

I led a group collaboration project that wasn’t just a shared Google Doc, we created something built on shared responsibility and iterative critique. I brought that same mindset into every team assignment: peer feedback loops, co-led timelines, and refining quality through testing. I dove deep into theory, not to recite it, but to apply it. I created knowledge base entries on Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Social Learning Theory and grounded each one in real-world Army learning environments. I built observation tools, scenario breakdowns, and infographics that brought these frameworks to life. I ended with a thought paper that didn’t just summarize theory but claimed it as a part of my own instructional identity.

In the digital tools courses, I turned concepts into media. I created a VR onboarding simulation for 9th-grade students, a chatbot that guided Soldiers through strength training programs, and a gamified self-efficacy lesson using Rise 360. I worked in WordPress, Canva, and PowerPoint not because they were required, but because they met the need. I created a fully responsive microlearning module on self-efficacy that prioritized clarity, retention, and impact, cutting out everything that didn’t serve the learner.

Implementation and evaluation weren’t just last steps they were built into my design logic. I conducted pilot tests, collected and analyzed feedback, and revised instructional materials based on formative data. I didn’t wait for someone to tell me what wasn’t working, I asked, tested, and iterated. I built eLearning modules in Articulate Rise, wrote evaluation plans, and revised instructional interventions based on user interaction, learner performance, and peer review. Across the board, I managed project timelines, led collaborative efforts, and upheld quality control. I didn’t just participate, I owned outcomes. This wasn’t just about fulfilling a syllabus. This was about building instructional systems that are ready to go live.

This isn’t a summary. This is what it looks like to build something that lasts, when you combine critical introspection with design thinking, feedback loops, and real-world application. I’m not preparing for the work. I’ve already started doing it.