Designing with Love
Hosted by Grand Canyon University (GCU) adjunct instructor and professional instructional designer Jackie Pelegrin, this podcast explores instructional design, e-learning, and how to incorporate AI technology into different aspects of your work. Tune in for expert tips, real-world insights, and inspiring stories from students, alumni, and leaders in the field.
Episodes
88 episodes
Beyond The Basics: A Practical Blueprint for Microlearning
Short doesn’t automatically mean effective. We dig into the craft of microlearning that actually changes behavior on the job, moving past buzzwords to a clear blueprint you can use this week. You’ll hear the green‑yellow‑red fit test, a tight s...
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Season 4
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Episode 87
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10:47
Alpha Minds, Real Tools with Queen Michele
Thunder cracked over San Cristóbal as Queen Michele told us how a retired teacher, armed with a suitcase and a stubborn sense of purpose, found her soul in Mexico and a mission for the most connected generation on earth. What followed is a stor...
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Season 4
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Episode 86
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57:04
Gamification Strategies to Improve Learner Engagement
Want learners to finish training, remember it, and use it on the job? We walk through a no-fluff approach to gamification that starts with clear outcomes and ends with measurable behavior change. Instead of throwing points at problems, we show ...
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Season 4
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Episode 85
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11:51
People First, Tools Second with James Gilchrist
Most training fails not because the storyboard is weak, but because the learning lands in an environment full of competing priorities and fuzzy signals. That’s the tough-love truth James Gilchrist brings to our mic as we unpack how people-first...
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Season 4
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Episode 84
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51:43
Mobile Learning Design: How to Create Courses for Any Device
Ever try to squeeze a desktop course onto a phone and wonder why learners bounce? We reframe the challenge and share five essentials that make mobile learning fast, clear, and genuinely useful in the moments people actually have. From finding m...
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Season 4
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Episode 83
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13:44
Rediscovering Creativity: A Conversation with Patrick Williams
What if your greatest creative potential isn't something you need to find, but something you simply need to remember? As a creativity expert, Patrick Williams joined me to reveal how we've all been born with incredible creative abilities that o...
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Season 4
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Episode 82
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46:59
Stay Ahead: The Learning Designer’s Playbook
Want a smarter way to stay current without spinning your wheels? In this episode, Jackie walks through a practical playbook that helps instructional designers and learning leaders filter hype, design for real performance, and ship small wins th...
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Season 4
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Episode 81
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8:29
The Unstoppable Leader: Victoria Pelletier's Journey Through Corporate Transformation
Victoria Pelletier never planned to become a C-suite executive. With childhood dreams of practicing law, her path took an unexpected turn when a temporary banking job led to rapid promotions and a cross-country relocation. That detour became a ...
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Season 4
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Episode 80
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35:32
Top Emerging Technologies Shaping Instructional Design
Five new tools are reshaping how we design for real skill: spatial computing, generative AI co‑pilots, learning analytics with xAPI, adaptive learning, and immersive simulations. In this episode, Jackie walks through practical use cases, tiny s...
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Season 4
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Episode 79
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15:24
Rewiring Dyslexic Brains: The Writing-First Approach with Russell Van Brocklen
What if everything we've been taught about teaching dyslexic students to read and write is backward? In this eye-opening second installment of my conversation with Russell, we discover how the dyslexic brain's unique wiring demands a completely...
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Season 4
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Episode 78
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51:52
How to Use Data to Improve Instructional Design
Good design starts with a clear goal and ends with a real-world result. We walk you through a practical, human-centered approach to data-driven instructional design that turns scattered metrics into confident, ethical decisions. From writing a ...
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Season 3
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Episode 77
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11:57
Bonus Episode: Reflecting on Podcast Growth and Future Plans
In this bonus episode of the Designing with Love podcast, host Jackie Pelegrin reflects on the accomplishments of Season Three, including the release of 56 episodes, and shares insights on her experiences with PodMatch. She also discus...
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Season 3
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6:06
Embracing AI as Your Creative Partner with T. Renee Smith
The fear of AI taking over jobs has dominated headlines, but what if we're missing the opportunity to harness this technology as a powerful ally? In this enlightening conversation, T. Renee Smith reveals how artificial intelligence became her u...
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Season 3
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Episode 76
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50:32
Feedback Without Fear
What if reviews felt collaborative instead of confrontational? In this episode, I walk through a practical, five-pour framework to collect and use feedback from peers, stakeholders, SMEs, QA and accessibility reviewers, and—most importantly—lea...
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Season 3
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Episode 75
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8:48
Beyond the LMS: Karen Nix's Instructional Design Journey
Karen Nix's journey from journalism to instructional design showcases how diverse backgrounds can create exceptional instructional designers. After stumbling into professional development as an administrative assistant, Karen discovered her pas...
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Season 3
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Episode 74
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38:05
Scope Creep Survival Guide
Scope creep doesn’t arrive with a siren; it shows up as “just one more” request and quietly doubles your workload. In this episode, I break down a practical, humane way to protect your timeline and still make room for good ideas—so you ship val...
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Season 3
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Episode 73
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12:25
Performance Beyond Training with Dr. Norina Columbaro
Dr. Norina Columbaro brings nearly three decades of instructional design wisdom to this thought-provoking conversation about performance-focused learning. Drawing from her extensive experience across 60+ organizations worldwide, she reveals how...
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Season 3
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Episode 72
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30:30
The SME Connection: Your Roadmap to Success
Ever wish SME reviews didn’t drag on forever? We map a simple route for turning expert knowledge into learner performance—without meetings that sprawl or feedback that never lands. We’re talking clear roles, crisp outcomes, and a steady cadence...
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Season 3
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Episode 71
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11:37
The Art of AI-Powered Video Storytelling with Jeremy Toeman
What happens when a tech industry veteran gets frustrated with complicated video editing software? They build something better. In this captivating conversation, Jeremy shares his journey from early-2000s startups like Sling Media to leadership...
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Season 3
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Episode 70
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47:19
The Secret Sauce of Learning Experience Design
What makes a learning experience stick long after the course ends? We pull back the curtain on the “secret sauce” of Learning Experience Design, also known as LXD, and break it into five essential ingredients—empathy, storytelling, inter...
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Season 3
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Episode 69
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8:48
Guerrilla Scholarship: Breaking Academic Boundaries with Dr. Sheldon Greaves
What happens when passionate curiosity meets unconventional research methods? Dr. Sheldon Greaves reveals the power of "guerrilla scholarship," which is a creative approach to intellectual work that flourishes outside traditional academic walls...
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Season 3
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Episode 68
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38:56
Click, Swipe, Learn: Crafting Interactive Content That Works
Most training looks polished yet forgettable; this one shows how to make learning unforgettable by design. This episode breaks down five practical strategies that turn passive content into active skill-building: set laser-clear objectives, tran...
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Season 3
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Episode 67
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7:51
Tech That Works For You, Not Against You with Michael Toguchi
What if technology could actually give you back 20% of your workday instead of creating more busywork? In this illuminating conversation with Michael Toguchi, we explore how strategic technology solutions are transforming higher education insti...
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Season 3
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Episode 66
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36:13
Accessibility in Action: Inclusive Design for Every Learner
Designing truly inclusive learning experiences requires more than good intentions—it demands practical knowledge of accessibility principles that benefit every learner. Whether you're creating content for higher education, corporate training, o...
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Season 3
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Episode 65
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12:56
From Structure to Freedom: Balancing Creative Flow in Design with Peter Swimm
What happens when the structures designed to support creativity start to suffocate it instead? Peter Swimm, project management consultant at Toilville, brings a refreshingly honest perspective to this tension that every designer faces.R...
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Season 3
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Episode 64
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44:04
