[Barry] knew the students and how they would access the content. Everything is just where it needs to be. It’s so well thought out.

Joyce Wolf

Professor, Eastern Kentucky University, Department of Music

What I do

I work with individuals and organizations to define their goals for training and learning, and deliver solutions to meet them.

How I do IT

Using best practice, research, market testing and feedback, I create educational programs, curricula, lesson plans and supporting assets. These can be as simple as one-off videos focused on explicit tasks, or as involved as longitudinal systemic training.

How I support your success

To ensure success, I measure instruction using the Kirkpatrick Model. I recommend and implement adjustments as needed to improve results. This continuous improvement cycle delivers the return on investment you seek.

We hired [Barry] because of his superb knowledge of technology and his ability to help faculty integrate instructional innovation into their courses. He has not disappointed. In fact, he has exceeded our expectations by becoming our “go-to” guy on all matters related to technology… In particular, he has developed a keen sense of what it takes to deliver a quality experience for students, while supporting faculty in their quests to create engaging content that leads to desired student outcomes. During my service as Executive Director of the Office of e-Campus Learning, a unit that provides over 30 fully online programs to over 3500 distance learning students, we have come to rely upon Mr. Burkett to provide quality instructional design support to our faculty and departments… I have come to depend on his thoroughness, his analytical problem-solving abilities, and his critical insights for helping us navigate some challenging issues related to course development and student success. He always exercises sound judgment and is persistent in pursuing instructional solutions for faculty that contribute to the most engaging courses possible. He is a team player, a coalition builder, and systems innovator. One of his greatest assets is a knack for details.

Tim Matthews

Executive Director, Office of eCampus Learning, Eastern Kentucky University

selected work

Infographic

This infographic was combined from a live presentation. The presentation shares strategies for how instructors can incorporate metacognition in their courses to help their students retain the information better. Metacognition is the study of how one thinks and retains information. The research is used in helping people study more effectively. From this presentation instructors walk away with concrete about how to design their course to include the 5 skills presented: Microtesting, Effortful Learning, Reflection, Interleaving, and Growth Mindset.

Experience the Infographic

Explicit Instruction

The handout was created for a program needing to maintain its courses from term to term in the Blackboard Learn system. The instructors’ abilities in Blackboard range from low to advanced users. The table of contents is a to-do list for users who are confident in their use of software, but want a punch-list or steps to direct their attention. Less confident users are guided to individual pages where instructions are detailed using narrative, pictures, and directional arrows.

Follow the instruction.

Development Tool

The Integrated Technology Program Guide is a tool to direct local programs where to focus their effort as a program to reach integration. I developed the guide taking into account the needs of Kentucky Adult Education, its programs, and the needs of students in regards to the newly released, computerized GED.

Experience the tool

Visual Graphic Creation

I believe visuals are an important part to a course. A banner is a subtle way to make a good first impression to the student. Here are examples of banners I have created for courses. In banner creation, I like to create depth of field to draw the viewer in.

Experience the Banner

Story and Contact

I am an Instructional Designer who has worked in the education and training field since 2002. I use my diverse set of life experiences to inform my work, from living abroad as the son of an U.S. Naval Officer to working in construction to backpacking through Mexico. I combine andragogy with metacognition to help target audiences learn in personalized ways and retain information longer.

Beyond Instructional Design, this site also features my other interests, such as the Midwest College Rugby Conference. I played rugby in high school and afterwards with men's clubs on the East Coast. Later I coached the Eastern Kentucky University Rugby Club, helping EKU Women's Rugby go to the USA Rugby National D2 Championship in 2015 and 2016. I am the commissioner of the Midwest College Rugby Conference (MCRC), a newly formed conference that is already showing promising growth.

Barry Burkett

Instructional Designer