Contextual statement –

I am a Learning Designer with experience in both academic and corporate settings, holding a Master’s in the field of educational technology and a Qualified Teacher Status.
Irina Mylona

A few words about me

Hey there! Welcome to my contextual statement. I am thrilled to have the chance to share my journey with you. I am a Learning Designer who has had the amazing opportunity to work in both academic and corporate settings. Let’s dive into my story!

My adventure began when I was a student at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, in Greece. I was getting trained in language teaching and linguistics when I started delivering my first classes. A creative spark ignited within me, as I created materials and lesson plans. It was obvious to me at the time that I had a new passion – instructional design. This passion drove me to pursue a master’s in Digital Technologies, Communication, and Education from the University of Manchester in 2015, with an aim to learn more about educational technology and multimedia design.

Decorative image - Irina at the graduation outside the University of Manchester

Now, let’s fast forward to the real world. After my studies were over, I found myself on a new journey, bouncing between corporate and academic settings. I worked in primary and high school education for a while, but my heart was always in digital learning. So, my dream came true when I launched my career as a Junior Instructional Designer. That role was in a corporate setting. I designed and developed e-learning courses, blended learning, and face-to-face training. A few years later, I took a leap into software training for a multinational software company. But that was not all. While working in the corporate field, I was also an Instructional Designer in a bespoke e-learning agency, crafting digital learning solutions for diverse topics, ranging from finance to management training. However, coming from an educational background, I found it hard to let go of my academic instincts and interests in a totally business-oriented workplace.

So, in 2020, I started a new chapter when I moved over to academic learning design. For just over a year, I was at the heart of designing online master’s programs. I developed multiple online modules, collaborating closely with academics to map out 12 weeks of captivating online content, activities, and assessments. This gave me the flexibility of designing experiences over a longer stretch of time, but I missed the creativity and problem-solving that was encouraged in corporate settings.

To my delight, in 2022, I found the perfect combination to satisfy my creative and academic needs in Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Since then, I have been part of the Cambridge Online Education team, and I am mostly responsible for designing short online courses. These courses are part of the Cambridge Advance Online portfolio, but might also include other types of online offerings They not credit-bearing and they are targeted at professionals from around the world, aiming to help them develop new skills and thrive in their roles.

Why CMALT?

The above is only a brief summary of who I am and what I’ve done so far. Through this portfolio, I aim to expand more on this and give you concrete examples of my work and experience. And guess what? Putting together this portfolio is not just a collection of experiences – it is a chance for me to share my story, reflect on my growth, and celebrate my strengths.

Through this work, I am not only recognising what I excel at, but also identifying areas for improvement that I can address in the future. Completing this portfolio is a pathway to my own growth within my role and the learning design network. Finally, I would like to close this section by saying this: joining the CMALT community means a lot to me. This is not only because of keeping up with the latest discussions, but also because of joining a vibrant group of learning technology professionals. From joining discussions and conferences to expanding my network with like-minded people, this portfolio will help me become a better version of my professional self.

Thank YOU!

Thank you so much for giving up your personal time to review my portfolio and hear about my journey so far. I am excited about what is to come and how I can make a positive impact while evolving though my work. Here’s to learning, growing, and sharing knowledge. Thanks for your time!