The project

Context:

Edith Cowan University recognised the growing demand for counselling professionals in nursing, social work, teaching, and other community-based roles. To address this need they aimed to enhance its online Master of Counselling program, which has been accredited by the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). The program is designed to equip students with the tools to work with individuals and communities in a culturally aware and person-centred manner. ECU partnered with our teams at Keypath Education to build the full Masters program including 12 units and placement opportunities.

Approach:

To develop the first two courses within the Master of Counselling program, I utilised design thinking and agile ADDIE methodologies, along with Jira for project management. Key elements of my approach included:

1. Initial Ideation: Participated in brainstorming sessions to identify LTI suitability to achieve social learning hours required for accreditations. This collaborative effort involved discussions with the course coordinator and lead learning designers.

2. Course Design: After initial ideation, I led the design and delivery of the two courses over 17-week schedules, incorporating a structured workshop approach. This included writing course content, designing assessments, and creating social learning opportunities to enhance student engagement.

3. Mentoring and Collaboration: Mentoring new learning designers who assisted in course completion, guiding them through the design process and providing feedback. I collaborated closely with web developers and graphic designers to ensure the courses were visually engaging and accessible.

4. Continuous Collaboration: Holding weekly meetings with SMEs to refine course content and ensure alignment with accreditation standards. I employed a backward design framework to focus on desired learning outcomes and assessments from the outset.

5. Tools Utilisation: Leveraging Blackboard LMS for course delivery, along with Adobe Creative Suite and internal rapid e-learning authoring tools to develop engaging multimedia resources and interactive content that fostered effective learning experiences.

Result:

The successful development of the two courses marked the initial rollout of the Master of Counselling program foundational courses. The courses received positive feedback for their engaging format and practical application of counselling skills, while meeting ACA accreditation standards. By leveraging design thinking, agile methodologies, and effective project management, the courses delivered a high-quality educational experience that emphasised cultural awareness and person-centred approaches, preparing students for meaningful placements and careers in counselling. The courses were used as key reference points for development of other courses in the social sciences at Keypath Education.

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