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Instructional Designer

Dionne Hicks

Learning should spark curiosity, be relevant, and inspire meaningful change in ourselves and the world – and that’s exactly what I design for. My passion lies in transforming complex concepts into meaningful, accessible learning experiences that empower learners and drive results.

I thrive on collaborating and problem-solving to create learning solutions that are both innovative and practical.

My work is informed by educational neuroscience, grounded in adult learning principles, and built on proven instructional design models. At its core, my work is driven by curiosity, empathy, and a commitment to making learning experiences that matter.

See my resume
A woman is sitting on a rock in a forest setting.
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire"
-William Butler Yeats
An instructor is wearing a diaper on her head in the classroom. She is laughing.

Teaching about breaching experiments by wearing a diaper on my head

Sociology 101

2013

My Story

My favorite part of college teaching as a part-time instructor was creating my courses. I enjoyed the challenge of selecting the best content, piecing together the flow of the course, and designing instruction and assessments that learners enjoyed.

While completing a Master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education, I developed a focus on educational neuroscience and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

After graduation, I found the perfect way to merge my love of designing courses with the science of learning: the field of instructional design! I went on to earn a certificate in Instructional Design from Western Kentucky University.

My skills encompass the entire instructional design process from analysis to evaluation. These skills can be applied to problem identification, task analysis, the creation of learning outcomes, the design of training/instruction, and evaluation. I also have experience with various project management models, which improves project completion timelines as well as implementation and transfer outcomes.

My Portfolio

Explore my portfolio to see how I turn ideas into impactful learning.

You can click on any project below to learn more about the purpose, principles, and process behind each one.
Screenshot of interactive summative assessment. The setting is in a pharmacy lab. There is a medication bottle to be disposed of. There are several options for disposal: a garbage can, a biohazard container, a sink, and a toilet.
Interactive Summative Assessment

This project is a medication disposal scenario created for a Pharmacy Technology course using Articulate Storyline.

Screenshot of the title page for the training module. The title of the project is "Adding captions to instructional videos in Blackboard Collaborate." On the right hand side is an image of students working on laptops at a long table.
Interactive Training Module

This project is a training module, created in Articulate Rise, to help college faculty add captions to instructional videos.

Forward-Looking vs. Backward-Looking Assessment: As a Comic Strip Panel 1 (Top Left): A red box with the words "STUDENT DRIVER" in bold, comic-style lettering. Below, a caption reads: "At Central City Driving School, student drivers are assessed throughout the driver's ed course. Early feedback corrects foundational issues before they become bigger problems." Panel 2 (Top Center): An older man in glasses, wearing a suit and tie, sits in the passenger seat of a car. He speaks to a young student in the driver's seat, saying: "I’m your driver’s education instructor. I’ll be here to let you know how you are doing throughout the course." Panel 3 (Top Right): A car speeds forward. A speech bubble from the instructor says: "You're hitting the gas a little too hard. Try to accelerate gently, and you will have more control." Panel 4 (Middle Right): The car is making a turn in a city setting. The instructor exclaims in shock: "Always turn from the turning lane, not the middle lane!" Middle Section (Text Box): "Frequent assessment allows the student to:" Steadily improve their performance Boost subsequent learning Have more ownership in the learning process Reduce anxiety and uncertainty Panel 5 (Bottom Left): A red speech bubble says: "There are a lot of steps to parallel parking. Let’s park one step at a time." Below, the instructor provides feedback to the student: "You’re in the correct position. Now, turn the wheel sharply only after your mirrors align." Panel 6 (Bottom Right): The car is parked, and the instructor provides final feedback: "You were just a bit off the curb this time. Try adjusting your turn slightly earlier for the next attempt." Bottom Right Section (Text Box - Strategies): A comic-style explosion bubble lists instructional strategies: Break larger projects (essays, etc.) into smaller assignments with feedback Frequent quizzes over smaller chunks of content Frequent ungraded knowledge checks Frequent low-stakes assessments Allow revise and resubmit
Resources for Meeting Essential Standards

This project is a series of reference resources for college faculty to meet essential standards for online course design.

Explore entire portfolio