• My Role: Instructional Designer

• Challenge: 

I Can! Dance of Arkansas is dedicated to enriching the lives of special needs children and teens through dance. To support this mission, I developed a specialized online course to streamline and enhance the training for I Can! Dance Volunteer Buddies. This course is designed for participants aged 12 to adults with little dance experience.

• Solution: 

This eLearning course ensures that volunteers are well-prepared before they step into the studio. By familiarizing them with the Buddy Fact Sheet through a pre-course microlearning activity, they arrive ready to provide effective support from the first class. The course offers structured learning modules that guide volunteers through the beginning, middle, and end of a typical first dance class, equipping them with practical strategies to use with their Dance Student Buddy.

Volunteers can complete the training at their own pace, which helps avoid the chaos of last-minute sessions and makes pre-class time more productive. The course guarantees consistent, high-quality training across all locations, ensuring every volunteer is equally prepared and informed.

The benefits of this training extend beyond just preparation. The course helps children fully engage and enjoy their dance journey by fostering strong, supportive connections between volunteers and students. Additionally, well-prepared volunteers contribute to successful recitals, which are crucial for fundraising and sustaining the program.

• Time in Development: January  - July, 2024

• Results: The first iteration was deployed on July 30, 2024. Data will be analyzed and reported in the fall of 2024 after all volunteers have completed the training.  

• Tools: Articulate Storyline, Vyond, Canva, Adobe Firefly and Express