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Executive Summary
This project focused on revitalizing the curriculum of Academia Santa María Online, turning it into a dynamic and enriching study tool. Despite structural limitations, additional interactive resources such as infographics, quizzes, and audio notes were incorporated using Genially and Moodle among other tools, later adapted to PowerPoint for ease of use during classes.
The results were notable: an improvement in student participation and performance, as well as positive feedback from teachers, demonstrating the effectiveness of educational innovation.
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Context and Project Objective at Academia Santa María
I initiated this project with the primary objective of revitalizing the curriculum of Academia Santa María Online, transforming it into much more than a mere study document. The goal was to make the curriculum not only visually appealing to our students but also more functional and enriching. We wanted students to have additional interactive resources available to them when accessing the curriculum, facilitating and complementing their learning process. The idea was to break away from the traditional format and offer a dynamic study experience that would motivate and engage students more effectively.
Creative Process and Design Strategy with Specific Limitations
Faced with the restriction of not being able to alter the fundamental structure of the existing curriculum, due to the commitment of the Academy to provide lifetime updates, I adopted a creative and strategic approach to incorporating new content. The solution was to add interactive elements and additional educational resources in the margins and footnotes of the original curriculum. This methodology allowed me to inject life and dynamism into the material without disturbing its essence or compromising agreements with previous students.
For the creation of these additional resources, I used Genially, a powerful tool for developing interactive content. This allowed me to design and create materials such as interactive infographics, quizzes, and other enriching elements that complement learning. These resources were seamlessly integrated with the Moodle platform used by the Academy for its classes, ensuring a cohesive and seamless user experience.
Furthermore, the inclusion of audio notes in the curriculum represented a significant innovation. These were designed to offer students an auditory learning alternative, ideal for reviewing concepts while on the move. The audio and other interactive resources were made accessible through direct links strategically placed in the margins and footnotes, ensuring that students could easily access these materials without disrupting the flow of traditional study.
This approach not only respected the limitations imposed by the curriculum update needs but also allowed me to explore and apply my creativity to overcome these challenges, demonstrating that it is possible to innovate within the confines of strict restrictions.
Development and Execution with Challenges
The project took a challenging turn from the start, due to the nature of the original curriculum file in InDesign. I encountered a series of nested problems: broken and disorganized text styles, and multiple inconsistencies affecting the document’s cohesion. This situation required thorough review and, in many cases, rebuilding elements from scratch to ensure a solid foundation upon which to build the new additions.
Another significant challenge was the adoption of the Genially tool by teachers to use interactive resources in class. It soon became evident that the learning curve and adaptation to Genially were unfeasible for the teaching team. Faced with this issue, we decided to adapt and transfer the interactive materials to a more familiar tool for them: PowerPoint. This adaptation involved considerable additional effort, as I had to ensure that the interactivity and visual appeal of the content created in Genially were maintained in the conversion to PowerPoint. The result was a series of templates easily usable by teaching staff, allowing a smooth and seamless transition in the incorporation of these resources into the classroom.
This adaptation process not only facilitated the implementation of interactive resources in classes but also ensured that the materials were accessible and manageable for both teachers and students, maintaining the educational integrity of the project. Close collaboration with educational materials coordinators was key to this success, allowing effective integration of the tools into the academic environment.
Results and Project Feedback
Following the implementation of interactive materials and their adaptation to the PowerPoint format, the results were immediately noticeable. The response from students was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting how these enriched resources facilitated their learning process, making it more interactive and, therefore, more effective. The ability to interact with the curriculum in various ways helped improve their retention of information and maintain their interest and motivation throughout the course.
From the teachers’ perspective, the feedback was also very positive. The transition to using PowerPoint for interactive classes proved to be a welcome change, allowing them to easily integrate the new resources into their teaching methodologies without the barrier of having to learn to use a new tool from scratch. This not only facilitated their work but also allowed them to focus more on the pedagogical aspect of classes, enriching the overall educational experience.
Additionally, from an academic perspective, an improvement was observed in student participation and the results of their practice exams, partly attributed to the increased interactivity and accessibility of the study material. This tangible impact on student performance has been one of the most rewarding achievements of the project.
The successful integration of these resources has not only revolutionized the way the curriculum is presented but has also set a new standard for the creation of educational materials at the Academy. The project has proven to be a success story in how innovation and adaptability can coexist with existing limitations to significantly improve the learning experience.
Personal Reflection on the Project
Upon concluding this project, I realize the depth of learning and personal growth I have experienced. The complexity of updating an outdated curriculum under strict limitations was a formidable challenge, forcing me to explore new frontiers of creativity and problem-solving. This project taught me the importance of adaptability and innovation in design, especially in an educational environment where the direct impact on students is so palpable.
Collaborating with teachers and educational materials coordinators was an invaluable lesson in teamwork and effective communication, reaffirming that the success of a project depends as much on the synergy of the team as on individual vision. Adapting interactive resources to more accessible tools, such as PowerPoint, reinforced my ability to think of pragmatic solutions that meet the needs of all end users without sacrificing quality or educational impact.
Furthermore, this project expanded my understanding of pedagogy and educational materials design, an area that, although complex, I found deeply rewarding. The positive response from students and teachers not only validated my approach but also motivated me to continue finding ways to make learning more interactive, engaging, and effective.
Looking to the future, I see this project as a springboard for future initiatives. It has equipped me with a richer set of tools and a broader perspective on how design can transform education. I am excited to apply these lessons in new contexts, always with the goal of creating learning experiences that inspire and empower students.