Designing with Love

What does it take to design learning experiences that truly work? Join Jackie Pelegrin, award-winning instructional designer and Grand Canyon University (GCU) adjunct instructor, as she explores instructional design, e-learning, and AI integration. Expect actionable tips, real-world insights, and conversations with students, alumni, and industry leaders shaping the future of learning.

Designing with Love is a education podcast hosted by Jackie Pelegrin, with 152 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Jackie Pelegrin hosts Designing with Love, a education show with 152 episodes published.

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  Episode #155

  The Future of Learning Starts Now: What 2027 Demands from Designers

  Sep 30, 202612 minS4

  2027 is closer than it feels, and the future of learning is already showing up in the tools we use, the questions learners ask, and the pressure to prove real value in education and training. Jackie is kicking off a new 14-part series, Future-Ready Learning, with a practical challenge for instructional designers and educators: stop treating “the future” like a shiny tech wishlist and start designing learning that helps people grow, adapt, and apply what they know in real contexts. We dig into three shifts that define future-ready learning design. First, we move from information delivery to skill development by building practice into the experience: problem-solving, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, digital literacy, and AI literacy. Second, we move from passive assessment to meaningful evidence of learning. In a world where AI can generate polished work fast, we need assessment strategies that show process, reasoning, choices, revision, and growth, not just a final product. Third, we move from technology-first design to human-centered design. Tools can personalize practice, increase access, and save time, but they should never matter more than the learner. Jackie shares a simple three-question “2027 design lens” you can use immediately to check any course, lesson, training, or activity: what capability are we building, how will learners practice it, and how will we know they’re progressing? If you want learning experiences that stay ethical, accessible, and useful as AI reshapes the landscape, this is your starting point. Subscribe, share this with a fellow educator or designer, and leave a review so more people can design what comes next. Episode Links Please check out the resource mentioned in the episode. Enjoy! Future-Ready Design Brief: The 2027 Design Lens Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. ️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

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  Episode #154

  Designing for Adult Learners With Dr. Dwayne Wood

  Sep 27, 202652 minS4

  The fastest way to ruin an adult learning experience is to start with a shiny tool and hope an outcome appears later. Jackie sat down with Dr. Dwayne Wood to get back to the foundations that keep instructional design effective, especially in online and asynchronous learning where motivation, time pressure, and cognitive load can make or break engagement. We dig into adult learning principles through a practical lens: problem-based and application-based outcomes that give learners a clear end state, relevance placed right up front (and ideally explained by learners themselves), and autonomy that offers real choice without creating analysis paralysis. We also talk honestly about discussion forums, why they turn into “check the box” activities, and what to look for in learning analytics when grades alone do not tell the whole story. Then we zoom out to the human side of learning design in an AI era. We share why “start with the learning outcome” is still the best rule for educational technology integration, how AI can add value when it supports reflection and feedback, and why self-direction is often misunderstood. Adult learners may be independent, but they still benefit from scaffolding, pathways, and simple supports like checklists that help them monitor progress. Subscribe for the rest of the mini-series, share this with an instructional designer or educator you know, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What adult learning principle do you think course designs overlook most? Call-to-Action: To keep learning from Dr. Dwayne Wood , visit the links in the show notes and connect with him online. And as you reflect on today’s episode, consider one adult learning principle you can apply more intentionally in your next course, training, or learning experience. Additional Resource: You can also visit National University to learn more about its programs and resources for adult learners, working professionals, and military-connected students. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. ️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

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  Episode #153

  Myth: Instructional Design is Just Making Slides

  Sep 23, 202612 minS4

  Slides are the artifact everyone recognizes, and that’s exactly why the myth survives: if a stakeholder can only see the deck, they assume the work is decoration. Jackie closes out the Myths in Instructional Design and Education series by pushing back on “instructional design is just making slides” and naming what professional instructional designers actually do long before anyone picks a template. We walk through the hidden core of learning experience design: needs analysis, clarifying learning objectives, organizing content around performance, planning practice, building assessments, creating feedback loops, and checking accessibility. Jackie also unpacks why this misunderstanding shows up so often, especially when we’re invited in late and asked to “make it look nice,” or when information delivery gets mistaken for learning. A polished slide deck can still fail if it doesn’t help learners apply, transfer, and grow. Then, Jackie offers a simple myth reset challenge you can use immediately. Pick one deck, module, lesson, or training you’ve created or supported and ask: what is the learning goal, what should learners be able to do, and where do they get practice and feedback? From scenarios to job aids to performance support, we explore how to let the goal guide the format, so form follows function and the learning actually works. If this gives you a new lens on instructional design, subscribe to the podcast, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and learning leaders can find it. Episode Links Please check out the resource mentioned in the episode. Enjoy! Myth Reset Case File: Beyond the Slides Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. ️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

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  Episode #152

  Multimodal Learning That Works With Dr. Dwayne Wood

  Sep 20, 202634 minS4

  If your learners are exhausted before they even reach the content, the problem might not be motivation. It might be the mode. Jackie welcomes Dr. Dwayne Wood back for part two of the mini-series to unpack multimodal learning for adult learners and what it really means to design with intention instead of stacking more media on top of a course. We dig into cognitive load theory and why the same concept can become easier or harder depending on how you present it. Dwayne shares concrete examples of “tool friction” in online learning and blended learning, where unfamiliar tech quietly steals attention from the objective. From there, we connect multimodal learning to Universal Design for Learning (UDL): giving learners smart options like transcripts alongside video, accurate captions, and accessible resources that work with screen readers. We also talk about common AI-related pitfalls, like infographics that look great but fail basic accessibility due to contrast, image-only text, or missing alternatives. You will hear practical instructional design strategies you can apply without overwhelming yourself or your learners: pairing explanation with application, using dual coding effectively, and building discussion forums with a real purpose so they foster social learning rather than checkbox posts. We also name the mistakes to avoid, including trend-driven modalities, too many clicks, and assessments that inadvertently measure technical confidence rather than mastery. Subscribe to Designing with Love, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and instructional designers can build learning that is clear, flexible, and accessible. What is one modality you rely on that might be adding friction? Call-to-Action: If today’s conversation gave you ideas for making your learning experiences more flexible and engaging, be sure to visit the links in the show notes to connect with Dr. Dwayne Wood and learn more about his work in adult education, curriculum development, and instructional design. Additional Resource: You can also visit National University to learn more about its programs and resources for adult learners, working professionals, and military-connected students. Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. ️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

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  Episode #151

  Myth: Class Size Doesn’t Affect Learning Quality

  Sep 16, 202611 minS4

  Class size is not a harmless detail; it’s a force that quietly rewrites the learning experience. When a course jumps from 15 learners to 75, the same discussion prompt can turn into noise, feedback timelines can stretch, and learners can feel invisible even when the content is strong. In this episode, Jackie is tackling a stubborn myth in instructional design and education: “Class size doesn’t affect learning quality.” She breaks down why this belief sticks around, including how class size is framed as an administrative problem rather than a learning design problem, and how technology makes scale look deceptively easy. Yes, your LMS can enroll hundreds. Yes, automated quizzes can grade instantly. But scalable delivery is not the same as scalable support, and learning quality depends on interaction, communication, and timely guidance, especially in online learning and blended learning environments. Then, Jackie shifts into what to do about it with a scale-aware design approach. We talk through concrete supports that make large classes work better without pretending they’re small: clearer instructions, smaller discussion groups, peer review with criteria, rubrics and exemplars, FAQ spaces, stronger navigation, multiple ways to ask questions, and layered feedback plans that combine automated feedback, peer feedback, and instructor feedback where it matters most. If you want a practical way to audit your own course, workshop, or training, Jackie gives you a set of questions to run this week and a simple “choose one improvement” challenge. Subscribe to the podcast, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and instructional designers can design for scale with care. Episode Links Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy! Myth Reset Case File: Class Size and Learning Quality Quality Matters: Class Size in Online Courses Send Jackie a Text Join PodMatch! Use the link to join PodMatch, a place for hosts and guests to connect. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Designing with Love + allows you to support the show by keeping the mic on and the ideas flowing. Click on the link above to provide your support. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee is another way you can support the show, either as a one-time gift or through a monthly subscription. ️ Want to be a guest on Designing with Love? Send Jackie Pelegrin a message on PodMatch, here: Be a guest on the show Check out the show's website here: Designing with Love Send a text to the show by clicking the Send Jackie a Text link above. Please make sure to like and share this episode with others. Here's to great learning!

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