Instructional Designer
Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1002
614-292-3519
williamson.381@osu.edu
Biography
I began my career in education as an instructor of English and ESL (English as a Second Language), splitting my time between two neighboring departments. During the first decade of my career as an educator, I crossed numerous disciplinary and institutional borders, teaching a wide array of courses and working with vastly different student populations. This experience taught me the importance of recalibrating and adapting our pedagogical practices to meet the needs of all students, particularly those who learn differently or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. It dispelled the myth of a reductive, “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching and pedagogy, engendering in me a passion and enthusiasm for pedagogical innovation, student advocacy, and educational technology.
This is the same approach I bring to my work as an Instructional Designer. Since joining the Distance Education team in The Office of Distance Education and eLearning, I have advocated for a more student-centered approach to instructional design that emphasizes accessibility, active learning, and student engagement. Additionally, I have developed an interest in creating gamified learning experiences that incorporate interactive video and multimedia. For me, distance learning works best when we can help faculty achieve their goals and academic objectives while also meeting the complex needs of an increasingly diverse student body. I aim to create online courses that employ a wide array of methodologies and learning strategies that will better prepare students for future academic and professional success. When properly harnessed, educational technology can often work as a great equalizer, creating productive and authentic learning experiences that can help bridge critical educational gaps and empower students. For this reason, I look forward to collaborating with faculty and staff in order to further OSU’s goal of academic excellence.
Education
- MA, Master of Arts in English, Western Kentucky University, 2008
- BA, Bachelor of Arts in English and Film Studies, Western Kentucky University, 2005
Research Interests
- Student-centered pedagogy
- Gamified and narrative-based learning
- Interactive video and multimedia