University of the District of Columbia

Course design has become one of the most critical components of effective teaching and learning. Once associated primarily with online education, it now extends across all modalities—face-to-face, virtual, hybrid, and HyFlex. At its core, course design is not simply about creating content or structuring lessons; it is about intentionally shaping the learner’s journey to improve engagement, retention, and outcomes. This calls on us, as administrators and leaders, to think beyond the classroom, recognizing that design skills must also be applied to transform the institution as a whole and to enhance the operations that support teaching and learning.

The growing emphasis on learner experience has transformed the role of the Instructional Designer (ID) into that of the Learning Experience Designer (LXD). Traditionally, IDs focused on helping educators align course materials with objectives and assessments, emphasizing the mechanics of instruction: structuring content, writing objectives, and building assessments. LXDs go further. Drawing on user experience (UX) principles, they design holistic journeys that spark curiosity, support personalization, and foster meaningful connections. Their skill sets extend beyond transferring knowledge to creating transformative learning experiences. It is beyond online department operations or serving the needs of course design. These skills can drive institutional transformation, ensuring that the learner’s journey extends beyond the classroom and across the entire institution.

As institutions adapt to new learner demands and digital advances, we must rethink how we invest in Learning Experience Designer (LXD) positions. This is not simply a staffing decision to support educators—it is a strategic move to drive digital transformation. At the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), transformation is fueled by leveraging design and user experience expertise. The Center for the Advancement of Learning (CAL) houses these skill sets, supporting educators in course design, learning technologies, and managing UDC’s online portfolio. Below are examples of how LXDs work with educators and at the institutional level to facilitate transformation.

 ​Learning Experience Designers are not limited to online courses— they are catalysts for institutional transformation 

Classroom Level: LXDs collaborate with educators to design engaging learning experiences. For instance, instead of distributing a syllabus as a static PDF or paper, educators can use tools like Hypothesis for social annotation. This transforms the syllabus into a shared, living document that students can read together online, highlight key sections, and add annotations such as text, images, videos, emojis, or questions. This deepens engagement with the syllabus and fosters an early sense of community by creating dialogue around expectations, resources, and goals. What begins as a routine task becomes an interactive experience that sets the tone for collaboration and active learning.

Institutional Level: Every department has resources for students spread across various stakeholders, and the volume of emails we received about what is available and how to access it was overwhelming. To address this, CAL partnered with the Office of Student Development and Success (SDS) to design the Student Digital Backpack—a centralized, curated collection of resources from multiple stakeholders. Organized to comprehensively support students and aligned with the expectations of a digitally driven generation, the Digital Backpack illustrates how design and user experience expertise can shape the student journey beyond the classroom.

Another example is the design of self-guided training for the Student Information System (Banner). Previously, training was offered face-to-face or virtually and provided by multiple departments based on varying levels of permission. This led to confusion, unclear accountability, and a flood of emails bouncing back and forth among departments with questions. To address this, stakeholders collaborated with the Center for the Advancement of Learning to create self-guided, user-friendly modules in the UDC Learning Management System to centralize training. These modules included adaptive resources, video tutorials, and accessible instruction. The result is streamlined training and processes that enable staff, administrators, and faculty advisors to enhance their experience with SIS, which in turn positively impacts the student journey.

Learning Experience Designers (LXDs) are not limited to online courses; they are catalysts for institutional transformation. Beyond creating content, LXDs design the learner journey, applying user experience and design thinking principles that benefit the entire institution. They build capacity for faculty, staff, and administrators, reduce information overload, and promote equity. Intentional design holistically shapes the student journey and drives digital transformation, positioning institutions for the future. Therefore, higher education must resist clinging to past structures and familiar practices. To truly serve both the present and the future, institutions must evolve alongside the changing needs of learners and the insights of emerging research. The choice is clear: look backward and risk stagnation, or look forward and embrace transformation. Like a driver on the open road, progress depends on keeping eyes on the windshield, glancing at the side mirrors for awareness, but never fixating on the rearview mirror.