Post: Reflecting on Stephanie Lei’s Presentation
Stephanie Lei, currently a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Google, has a rich and diverse career path, which she vividly illustrated in her s presentation. Her role at Google involves developing curriculum strategies, designing learning experiences, and creating training materials for a global audience, including Sales Engineers, Technical Account Managers, and Cloud Consultants. Her focus on designing learner journeys, particularly for new hires, stood out as a significant contribution to professional development within the tech industry.
Prior to Google, Lei served as Lead Curriculum Developer at Netflix, where she spearheaded the design and development of global onboarding training programs. Her earlier tenure at Google Fiber as a Senior Instructional Designer saw her creating technical and customer service curricula for a pilot MOOC. Interestingly, Lei’s academic journey at Indiana University Bloomington as a doctoral candidate in Education, with a focus on Instructional Systems Technology, was left incomplete, a choice reflecting her belief in the flexibility and multitude of life’s paths.
Lei’s career trajectory resonates deeply with my own professional aspirations, particularly in the realms of learning experience design and instructional technology. Her emphasis on tailored learning experiences and her ability to adapt her skills across various roles and industries offer a valuable perspective for my career path. Her decision to forego completing her PhD in favor of pursuing a more hands-on, industry-focused career path is particularly inspiring. It underscores the importance of adaptability and following one’s instincts in career decisions.
The most striking takeaway from Lei’s presentation is the importance of remaining learner-centric in designing educational experiences. This approach aligns with my interest in creating impactful learning modules that are both engaging and effective. Her career serves as a testament to the value of versatility and continuous learning, which I plan to emulate in my professional journey.
Lei’s stress on communication and networking resonated deeply with me. In my own career journey, I’ve often contemplated the importance of these skills but hearing it from someone as accomplished as Lei reinforced their value. Her emphasis on being proactive in networking and clear in communication aligns with the challenges I’ve faced and the areas I aim to improve. It’s an encouraging reminder that success is not just about individual skills, but also about how effectively one connects and communicates with others.
Her advice to be brave in seizing opportunities was particularly inspiring. This is a philosophy I intend to embrace more fully. Lei’s journey reflects the benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone to embrace new challenges. It’s a lesson in not just waiting for opportunities but actively seeking them out and having the courage to pursue them, even when they seem daunting.
Lei’s experiences and insights offer a roadmap for diversifying my portfolio. Her ability to design comprehensive learning journeys across various audiences prompts me to consider a similar approach in my portfolio development. I plan to include diverse projects showcasing my skills in curriculum development, instructional design, and learner engagement strategies.
Incorporating examples of learner-centric design and feedback mechanisms in my portfolio will demonstrate my commitment to creating effective and impactful learning experiences. Lei’s emphasis on adapting skills to different contexts also inspires me to showcase my versatility and ability to innovate across various educational settings.