Vanessa Hazzard, Ed.M.
I am an experienced learning experience designer and multimedia artist with a passion for creating imagery out of ideas and developing engaging and effective educational content.
With 15 years of experience in the field, I have a strong understanding of adult learning principles and instructional design methodologies. I have a proven track record of designing and developing successful e-learning courses, instructional materials, and training programs for a wide range of learners in various industries.
I am skilled in using a variety of authoring tools and multimedia software to create interactive and visually appealing course content.
From LMT to LXD...
Prior to my career as a full-time learning experience designer (LXD), I was a licensed massage therapist (LMT). My specialty was Thai massage, also known as Thai Yoga Massage. I trained in this modality in the United States and Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I started my instructional design career by developing continuing education courses for LMTs that blended eastern and western approaches to therapeutic massage.
I also enjoy...
Hula hooping and making art
Spending time with my son, Phoenix (he’s the tall one!)
Education
Master of Education
Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ
Program: Adult & Continuing Education
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI
Experience
Harvard Catalyst Education Program
Harvard Medical School
Instructional Design Assistant
Rutgers University-Camden
Instructional Designer
Independent Consultant
Core Work Values
It is important that my learning projects are inclusive, innovative, and people-centric. Here are some of the questions I ask myself throughout the design and development process:
Inclusion
- Who are the learners that will be participating in the course and what are their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and needs?
- Is the course content and materials accessible to learners with disabilities?
- How can the course design and delivery methods foster a sense of belonging for all learners?
Innovation
- Are there new technologies, pedagogical approaches, or instructional strategies I can incorporate to enhance the learning experience?
- Is it possible to design the course to be customizable based on the needs and interests of individual learners?
- How can I encourage and facilitate collaboration and co-creation among learners, both within and beyond the course?
People-centered
- How can the course be designed to leverage the prior knowledge, skills, and experiences of adult learners?
- Can the content be structured to accommodate different learning preferences?
- How can the course be designed to incorporate opportunities for learners to apply their learning to real-world situations and problems?