A scenario-based instructional module designed to help early childhood educators improve transitions using sensory-informed strategies.

[ Early Childhood ] [ Instructional Design ] [ Behavior Support ]

Overview

This instructional module was designed to support early childhood educators in improving classroom transitions. Transitions are often one of the most challenging parts of the preschool day, leading to behavioral disruptions and lost instructional time.

This module provides structured, practical strategies to support emotional regulation, engagement, and smoother classroom routines.

This project was developed as part of a collaborative group effort within an instructional design course, where team members contributed to different phases of the design and development process.

The Problem

Preschool transitions often lead to behavioral challenges because young children are still developing self-regulation and attention skills. Many educators lack structured training in effective transition strategies, leading to inconsistent approaches and increased classroom disruptions.

My Role & Contributions

This was a collaborative group project where I took a lead role in initiating and organizing the instructional design process.

I initially facilitated weekly team meetings and worked to keep the project organized and accessible as we transitioned to ClickUp. I supported team members in navigating project materials and maintaining a consistent workflow. After roles were established, another team member took over facilitating meetings while I continued supporting organization and workflow.

In addition to coordination, I contributed to the instructional design by developing the module outline and supporting key sections of the template. My focus was ensuring the design aligned with real preschool classroom needs, including behavior support, transitions, and engagement.

I also contributed to the prototype concept by helping generate initial design ideas that the team agreed to move forward with. Two team members developed a prototype using Canva, and based on my interest and experience in design, I independently created an additional version to further explore layout, usability, and structure.

Throughout the project, I focused on connecting instructional design decisions to real-world classroom application, ensuring the final module is practical, effective, and usable for early childhood educators.

My Instructional Design Process

Research, Training & Evaluation Integration

To extend this project beyond the instructional module, I applied my research and evaluation work to design a training evaluation focused on real challenges educators face in early childhood settings. While the module supports teachers in identifying and responding to behavior during classroom transitions, this evaluation expands the scope to address a larger systemic issue—limited training, fragmented referral processes, and lack of coordinated data sharing across agencies.

Using the Kirkpatrick Model, I evaluated how training can improve not only teacher understanding, but also real-world application, behavior change, and system-level outcomes. The training focuses on helping educators recognize behavioral and developmental needs, make appropriate referrals, and collaborate across early childhood and K–12 systems.

This work highlights a critical gap in practice: many teachers receive little formal training in evidence-based interventions, referral systems, and cross-agency collaboration. By designing both the instructional module and the evaluation plan, I created a connected solution—providing teachers with practical strategies while also measuring how training improves classroom practice and student outcomes.

This integration demonstrates my ability to move beyond instructional design into research-informed decision making, using evaluation to strengthen training, improve implementation, and support better outcomes for both educators and students.

Instructional Design Wireframe

This wireframe was developed during the design phase following the needs assessment. It was used to plan the instructional flow, outlining how learners and instructors would move through the module, including key interactions, feedback points, and learning progression.

Instructional Module: Transition Planning Template

A structured planning tool designed to help early childhood educators apply research-based transition strategies.

My Contributions

• Developed the initial module outline and structure
• Facilitated early planning by coordinating team roles aligned with the module outline structure
• Conducted learner analysis to align the design with preschool classroom needs
• Contributed to instructional flow and transition strategy integration
• Supported collaboration and organization during the design process

Final Instructional Module Resource (ITLS 6520)

Prototype Development

Individual Prototype

My individual prototype was developed by combining the learning objectives from the instructional module template with an interactive Nearpod lesson focused on classroom transitions. The design supports teachers in identifying physical, emotional, and behavioral responses that occur during transitions.

Through scenario-based learning, educators are guided to recognize signs of student behavior and consider appropriate responses in real classroom situations. The prototype included both multiple-choice and open-ended questions to support formative assessment. Multiple-choice questions were used to check understanding of behavior identification, while open-ended questions encouraged teachers to reflect on how they would respond to specific transition challenges.

In addition, the prototype provided practical tools and strategies that educators can use during difficult transitions to support student regulation and engagement. This approach demonstrates how instructional design aligned with learning objectives can be translated into an interactive experience that supports teacher decision-making and real classroom application.

This prototype incorporated formative assessment strategies to support ongoing feedback and inform instructional adjustments. While this version was developed independently, increased collaboration within the group could have further strengthened the design by integrating a wider range of perspectives and contributions.

Group Prototype

As a group, we developed the prototype using a shared template, building from the learning objectives created by another team member. These objectives guided the structure and focus of the module.

After the objectives were established, two members from a group of six taking the lead on developing the module. After this stage, the broader group did not contribute to the development process and instead reviewed the prototype at the end.

The final prototype included a structured learning flow and interactive elements to guide educators through classroom scenarios. The evaluation within the prototype relied primarily on yes/no questions, which limited opportunities for meaningful feedback and refinement.

To further explore the design, I developed an individual prototype and shared it with the group. The group continued with their selected design direction, and I was encouraged to submit my version independently. This allowed me to expand on the concept and explore alternative instructional design approaches.

Key Differences & Growth

Developing both an individual and group prototype allowed me to compare design approaches and understand the impact of collaboration on instructional design. My individual prototype was more focused on specific classroom functionality, while the group version broadened the scope to include additional perspectives and features.

This process helped me recognize the importance of balancing clear structure with collaborative input when designing learning experiences.

Evaluation

The module uses Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation to measure effectiveness:

Reaction – Educator engagement and feedback
Learning – Understanding of strategies
Behavior – Application in classroom settings
Results – Improvement in transitions and student engagement

Reflection & Key Insights

This project strengthened my ability to connect instructional design principles with real classroom application. I gained experience aligning frameworks such as Bloom’s Taxonomy, Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction, and Kirkpatrick’s Model throughout the design process.

Strengths
• The project was grounded in clearly defined learning objectives, which provided direction for the instructional design.
• The group developed a structured prototype that included learning flow and interactive elements to support educators.
• Opportunities for discussion and review allowed for reflection on design choices and instructional approach.

Challenges
• Development was primarily led by two members, limiting broader collaboration throughout the design process.
• The prototype’s evaluation relied on yes/no questions, which restricted meaningful feedback and opportunities for refinement.
• Limited integration of multiple perspectives during development reduced the potential for a more robust design solution.

Reflection & Growth
• I contributed by supporting early planning, questioning design decisions, and developing an individual prototype to explore alternative approaches.
• Through this experience, I learned the importance of continuous collaboration and shared involvement across all stages of design.
• I also recognized the value of incorporating more detailed formative feedback within a prototype to support iterative improvement.
• Moving forward, I would prioritize clearer role alignment, ongoing team engagement, and stronger feedback mechanisms to enhance both the design process and final outcomes.