INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
Design
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I began the project by outlining each of the six lessons. To shape the content, I drew on my own experience as a composition instructor, adapting instructional materials from courses I had built on Canvas and delivered in person. My experience in this field has helped me to identify essential skills novice writers need to move from a vague topic to a structured, persuasive argument. For each lesson, I broke down the steps of argument construction, from narrowing a topic to organizing sub-claims, and included relatable examples, interactive activities, and short quizzes to reinforce learning and support skill-building across the course. These activities and the areas of focus I chose respond to the knowledge gaps I have observed during my time as an instructor.
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After identifying lesson topics, I drafted course objectives using Bloom's taxonomy, using my training and instructional experience to ensure every objective was tied to a concrete, actionable outcome. Each goal was written using clear, measurable verbs that correspond to specific cognitive levels so that learners are not just absorbing knowledge, but practicing targeted skills at increasing levels of complexity.
To implement an ethos of Active Learning, I structured each lesson using a consistent flow beginning with an explanation of concepts, followed by a narrative example of a character applying those concepts, culminating in asking the reader to apply those concepts to their own work. To do this, I created the recurring character of Marta, who was writing her own essay. For each concept, I showed Marta's attempt at implementation before instructing learners to apply her methods to their own topics.
Development
I built this course on Articulate Rise so that it would be accessible, with repeating elements and simple interactions. I used a range of Rise’s interactive tools, including tabs to organize question prompts, flip cards dispel common misconceptions, and labeled graphics to visualize Marta’s handwritten notes and break down her process before attempting it. I created most of these text-heavy graphics in PowerPoint, using my own handwriting to simulate Marta's prewriting work.
I refined the repeating elements of the course and the cycle of the lesson structure as I was developing the course. Early on, I experimented with more frequent quizzes, but scaled back to just two formative quizzes, designing them so that they aided with the integration of the information delivered earlier by asking learners to make connections that were not already pointed out to them. To ensure that this knowledge would be retained, I wrote explanations for the answers that would appear after the learner had answered each question.
A particularly effective example of this strategy is one I've used in the classroom before, where I show learners examples of effective and ineffective thesis statements and ask them to identify which they are. This helps learners flex their evaluation capabilities, leading them to better evaluate their own work. I presented these "bad" thesis statements, which I had drafted myself, each with a specific problem or issue, as a "yes/no" style quiz. When learners take the quiz, the reason each thesis is sufficient or insufficient is explained after the learner attempts to gauge for themselves whether a thesis is adequate. This is another example of the "learn by doing" ethos I try to bring to all learning materials I design.
Visual Design
I wanted the course to feel consistent, which included ensuring a cohesive and polished visual design. I sourced and edited vector illustrations from Freepik in Inkscape to match a unified color palette, customizing facial expressions and layouts to support specific scenarios. Marta, the central character, is an illustrated figure designed in this same visual style. While I considered animating her in DragonBones, I ultimately decided the time investment wasn't justified for the scope of those course. Still, I prioritized visual consistency across custom graphics, quizzes, and activities to create a smooth, engaging experience.
EVALUATION
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While this was created as a concept project to demonstrate my skills using Articulate Rise, the lessons themselves are synthesized from my own experiences and strategies I have developed over years of designing instruction for the writing context. I adjusted my strategy to suit an asynchronous, self-paced learning context, resulting in a greater attention to consistency, clarity, and cyclical lessons that are easy to follow. Since there is not instructor to demonstrate tasks, I invented the character of Marta to fulfil this role. I believe this course is ready for implementation in a real-world context, though, of course, there is always room for expansion when teaching a skill as fundamental and wide-ranging as writing. If I were to write a course like this for a online skills center or university, I would include a greater breadth of "Marta"s working in different topic areas, and cover a few more evaluative skills and possible pitfalls that one might encounter when writing in real-world contexts. I would also include more robust assessment, as this version of the course relies on self-assessment as its only post-lesson metric.
Construct an
Argument
How to
Tools and Resources Used
Articulate Rise, Inkscape, FreePik, Google Docs.
Summary
Novice writers may understand that arguments need a thesis and evidence, but struggle with how to structure ideas into a clear, persuasive essay. Traditional instruction often focuses on grammar or citation rather than the deeper logic of argumentation, leaving learners unsure of how to move from a topic to a well-supported claim.
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To support emerging writers in building confident, structured arguments, I designed a six-lesson Rise course that breaks the writing process into approachable, sequenced stages. Each lesson focuses on a key component of argumentative writing. Hands-on activities follow each lesson, helping learners immediately apply their knowledge, while strategically placed quizzes offer moments of low-stakes assessment and reflection.
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This course is designed for novice writers in a range of contexts, not just students, and emphasizes flexible tools like flowcharts, synthesis matrices, and reverse outlining to support thinking and revision. While the course is complete as a standalone module, it could be easily adapted for specific professional or academic audiences with additional writing samples or context-based prompts.