For a recent job hiring process, I was asked to create an online lesson around the topic of “Kitchen Cleaning.” The main design limitations were:
- Must be created using Google Slides or Microsoft Powerpoint
- Must be five slides in total
- Must be on the topic of “Kitchen Cleaning”
We were allowed to use any other media production tools that we wished, as long as they could be embedded into one of the five slides.
I decided to focus on the topic of “eco-friendly cleaning products.” This was a subject I was already interested in and felt could be addressed in a small number of slides.
While I unfortunately did not get the job, it was an interesting assignment and I thought I would share my proof-of-concept here.
Design Notes:
- To research this topic, I looked for authoritative online sources, went to my local library, and talked to my partner, who is more informed about these matters than me.
- I realized soon into the process that there were no “right answers” to this topic, given the many ethical and practical trade-offs involved in any decision. So my pedagogical goals were (1) to inform the learner of their options using the most reliable data and (2) to affirm their agency in making decisions that best fit their circumstances and values.
- To reach these learning goals, I realized that a typical knowledge check wouldn’t really work. So I decided to focus on helping the learner understand that every choice involved different trade-offs in terms of cost, impact, and convenience.
- My favorite part of the process was creating the introductory video to the topic.
My biggest takeaway was that making any kind of engaging and interactive online lesson in five slides is really hard! But it was a really fun challenge.