Meet Brandi Gronczniak, START’s instructional designer who found her professional calling at START and now shapes our innovative learning experiences. Discover how she uses new technology to create engaging, learner-focused courses in our latest instructor spotlight.
What inspired you to pursue a career in instructional design, particularly in security and terrorism studies?
During my undergraduate experience at Maryland, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do with my future. I started out with a major that I thought I wanted but really was just something that looked promising on paper. After switching majors, things started to feel more on track. However, I saw a lot of my peers excited for future careers in law or ready to jump into a government role. That never seemed like the right fit for me. What I knew was that I wanted to help people, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant for me quite yet. I decided to pursue a Master of Public Administration. I was getting closer to the mark. It presented an opportunity to incorporate my undergrad degree and a future career in the public sector.
At that time, I was also working at START as an administrative assistant. When START began developing its training portfolio, I was lucky to have colleagues that saw my potential. I joined the training team as a training event coordinator, organizing in-person training events for international delegations. Over time, my role progressed and I became more involved with curriculum development. This was when everything finally clicked. The more I learned, and ultimately improved my skills, the more I realized that instructional design and curriculum development was the answer I had been looking for.
How did your professional journey lead you to START?
I would actually say that START led me on my professional journey. START has allowed me to discover the career that I’m meant for, as cheesy as that sounds. It has allowed me to pursue advanced degrees, including an MA in Instructional Systems Development. Instructional design is a field that spans every sector and impacts all organizations. You could be an instructional designer at a potato chip factory if you really wanted. I’m fortunate to be able apply my ISD skills in a sector that is relevant to my education and interests: security and terrorism studies.
What principles guide your approach to designing learning experiences?
Learning experiences must be designed specifically for the audience they’re being presented to. Adults experience learning differently. They are self-motivated and you therefore need to be direct about why they are there and what they are going to get out of it. You have to take into account the unique experiences and expertise that each individual brings to the table. These principles are central to positive learning experience.
What emerging trends or learner needs are influencing how you design courses and training?
Currently, the biggest influence on design is the average learners shrinking attention span. While it may be a myth, the funny talking point is that humans’ attention span is now shorter than that of a goldfish. Research shows that the human attention span may be as short as 8 seconds on average. This must be considered when designing content. This is also one of the biggest reasons that microlearnings (short form content, such as a 2-10 minute video) have grown in popularity. Attention span increases with more engaging and visually appealing content. This is also important to keep in mind.
Do you have a favorite course, project, or learner success story?
In many cases, my most recent course becomes my new favorite. This is because overtime, and with each course, I improve my skills. We’re constantly introducing new technologies to make our content more engaging and learner friendly.
Currently, my favorite project is our Strategic Security series that we’re rolling out on Coursera. With that, we’ve introduced a new way of presenting material on the Coursera platform, using Articulate Rise. This utilizes a rapid authoring tool that allows for a more interactive presentation of material. While the majority of Coursera courses present content using video and text, Rise allows us to present material in a more engaging way. I like forging new paths.
How do you collaborate with faculty and stakeholders when developing courses?
Course development is an iterative process. We rely heavily on faculty and stakeholders to serve as subject matter experts (SMEs). Our researchers are the experts on the material we are transitioning into training programs; I am the expert on how to do that.
In an ideal scenario, after determining the specific training need, I sit down with the SME(s) to discuss how their research fits that training goal. The SME typically provides their research in full and may highlight areas they would focus on with the training. Together we then iterate on an outline of the course, before developing the content out in full. The SME is most heavily involved in the beginning phases of development, though they remain involved through the end-product.
What does your instructional design process look like, and what do you enjoy most about it?
My design process largely follows the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) instructional design framework, with the flexibility and iterative processes of the more rapid AGILE methodology built in. Iteration and flexibility keep you from feeling thrown off track when an inevitable last-minute request or change comes up.
The analyze phase focuses on scope and answering the questions that guide the design of the training. The design phase is when we start considering how we will meet the needs identified in during analysis—determining learning objectives, evaluation strategies, and content planning. The development phase is where the content comes to life. This is my favorite part of the process. It’s when my creativity can flourish. From there we move on to implementation, which involves both pilot testing and actual delivery of the course. While the ADDIE model presents evaluation as the final phase of the process, in reality it takes place throughout every step. It goes beyond just evaluating course effectiveness post-delivery by also allowing us to identify areas to improve either prior to delivery, or in future iterations of a course.
What are your goals for the future?
My current goals remain focused on refining my skills. The technological and instructional landscapes are constantly changing, so there is always something to learn. Right now, a focus of mine is on the responsible implementation of generative-AI into instructional design.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
In my free time I love to spend time with my family. My husband and I are very much homebodies, and enjoy every second of doting over our dog, Scout. When Scout isn’t demanding my attention (one of the many things I love about her), I spend my time reading.
What advice would you give to someone entering instructional design or this field?
My biggest advice is to never stop being curious. Instructional design is an evolving field. Staying on top of trends and keeping your skills primed will allow you to compete with the most seasoned professionals.
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