Context
Middle school math classroom. Students were learning to plot points on the coordinate plane, but struggled to understand how x and y function spatially.
Challenge
Students could follow steps (“across then up”) but lacked true conceptual understanding, leading to confusion and disengagement.
My Approach
I redesigned the lesson into an embodied learning experience:
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Students moved their arms horizontally for the x-axis and vertically for the y-axis
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Physical movement creates muscle memory
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Students called out and acted out coordinates in real time
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Movement is called upon in following lessons
Key Design Decisions
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Embodied learning to translate abstract → physical
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Multimodal engagement (movement, visual, verbal)
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Whole-group participation instead of passive learning
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Immediate feedback through physical correction
Outcome
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Increased engagement and participation
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Improved accuracy in plotting points
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Stronger conceptual understanding across learners
Takeaways
Abstract ideas become more accessible when learners can physically experience them. I intentionally design concepts to be tangible and interactive.
From Lecture to Interaction: Redesigning Lessons for Engagement
Context
Middle school classroom with recurring disengagement during abstract, lecture-heavy lessons.
Challenge
Students were not consistently participating or retaining information, especially during passive instruction.
My Approach
I redesigned lessons to be interactive and experience-based:
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Incorporated discussion and collaborative problem-solving
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Added visual models and hands-on components
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Adjusted pacing based on real-time engagement
Key Design Decisions
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Prioritize interaction over lecture
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Design for multiple learning modalities
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Observe and iterate based on engagement patterns
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Build in opportunities for student voice and participation
Outcome
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Increased student participation and energy
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More consistent engagement across different learners
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Improved understanding of key concepts
Takeaway
Effective learning design requires continuous iteration. By observing how learners engage, I adjust experiences to better support understanding and participation.
Winds Through Time Science Exhibit
Context
Partnered with university peers and researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to design a high-fidelity prototype of an interactive museum exhibit that illustrates how Earth's changing landscapes influence global wind patterns. The exhibit translated complex climate science into an engaging, hands-on experience for visitors of all ages.
Challenge
How might we transform an abstract scientific process into an intuitive, interactive experience that encourages exploration, curiosity, and understanding within a public museum setting?
My Approach
I designed the exhibit around experiential learning, allowing visitors to discover concepts through interaction rather than observation.
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Translated complex climate data into tangible visual and physical interactions.
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Designed opportunities for experimentation, allowing visitors to manipulate variables and observe changes in global wind patterns.
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Used layered visual storytelling to support learners with varying levels of scientific background.
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Structured the experience to encourage curiosity, prediction, and discussion between visitors.
Key Design Decisions
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Designed for discovery rather than explanation, allowing visitors to uncover relationships through exploration, not exact science.
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Support multiple learning styles through visual, tactile, and collaborative experiences.
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Reduce cognitive load by introducing concepts progressively, building from simple interactions to larger climate systems.
Outcome
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Made complex paleoclimate concepts more accessible to a broad public audience.
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Encouraged collaborative learning as families and groups experimented together.
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Created an experience that promoted understanding through interaction instead of passive information consumption.
Takeaway
Complex scientific concepts become more meaningful when learners can actively engage with them. This project reinforced my belief that effective learning design begins with the learner's perspective—creating opportunities to explore, test ideas, and construct understanding through authentic interaction rather than memorization.