My Favourite Tipples from a Learning and Instructional Designer
Jinfo Blog

By Sarah Huibregtse

Abstract

My Favourite Tipples are shared by learning and instructional designer Sarah J. Huibregtse. She shares her favourite online resources in areas including project management and collaboration and includes a few writing resources.

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As a consultant working with multiple clients on instructional content for a diverse group of topics, one of my biggest challenges is to stay organised while quickly adopting the clients' selected technology tools. It can be a challenge, since clients set up accounts to access the same tools with different credentials for collaboration.

After some trial and error with tools that didn't meet my requirements, about two years ago I was able to find a few digital tools that allowed me to transition my work to the digital world; although still relying on a few old school favourites too.

I use the following tools for my day-to-day tasks as I manage all aspects of my work and personal life. 

• Evernote: As a doctoral student, Evernote became my best friend for typing and editing online discussion posts. My passion for this tool grew as I started using it to develop my instructional resources such as standard notes and announcements, as well as standard content for the courses I develop. The best part is that I can share it with collaborators and team members too. Evernote allows me to type my ideas, step away for a while, then return to review and finish my posts and content before I share it. 

• Google Chrome Multiple Profiles: Clients have unique software and tool requirements that at times require me to have multiple accounts for the same tool. Tracking multiple accounts became very time-consuming until I set up separate profiles for each client's tools. Now I'm able to save bookmarks and login information separately so I can transfer between projects with a switch of a profile.

• Todoist: This task-tracking tool made it possible to transition away from my wall and screen of Post-it notes, and even allows me to easily create my shopping lists with flexibility to adjust the due dates as the day progresses. 

• Toggl: A very simple to use free time tracker that allows me to create clients and projects for reporting and invoicing work. Integration with Todoist is available if your reports require detail, and teams can collaborate as well.

• Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue OWL): As an instructional designer, I spend significant amounts of time ensuring that the content produced follows the appropriate writing format requirements. Purdue OWL has been a digital lifeline that can be easily shared with writers and students alike to offer guidance on these requirements.

For fun...

• TED Talks: For inspiration and motivation I find myself regularly enjoying the ideas of amazing leaders and thought provokers from around the world. One favourite includes "Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action" about starting with "why" and the golden circle.

An article in FreePint I found particularly interesting:

• In January Sean Smith wrote about "Partnering For Success - Effective User Engagement Is No Accident", a subject relevant to the Topic Series on skills development I've been working with Val Skelton to develop.
  
  It is also a subject relevant to my work as an instructional designer as I assist the course writers in developing a sense of ownership with the content within the parameters that have been set. Ownership of the content is something we also hope students achieve as they participate in learning opportunities of all kinds.

Contribute Your "My Favourite Tipples"

Would you like to share your "My Favourite Tipples" with the FreePint audience? For contributor guidelines email catherine.dhanjal@freepint.com or visit the Publish with FreePint page.

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