Level Up With Gagné

This microlearning module was a creative experiment to bring together my upskilling in instructional design with my new Canva design skills. I wanted to apply Gagné’s 9 Events of Instruction in a fun, gamified way, while testing how Canva could be used as an authoring tool.

Brief

Target Learner

  • Professionals looking for short, engaging examples of what microlearning can look like.

  • Learning Designer – Microlearning E-Learning Prototype

My Role

Tools Used

  • Canva

  • After sitting through a lot of professional development recently, I noticed a common theme: “death by PowerPoint.” To consolidate my own learning around Gagné’s Nine Events, I set out to design something short, interactive, and memorable. The aim was to create a resource that would grab attention, keep learners engaged, and help me retain the new information.

  • I created a retro arcade-themed microlearning module structured around Gagné’s 9 Events of Instruction. The target audience was myself and other teachers transitioning into learning design, so the content was immediately relevant.

Design and Development

After completing the Canva Certified Graphic Design Essentials course, I wanted to try out what I’d learned. I built the module in Canva and structured it using Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction. It opened with a retro arcade theme to grab attention, moved into short activities, and finished with reflection prompts.

To make it engaging, I applied Canva’s design principles to highlight key content, keep the look consistent, and add movement. I added extras like AI voiceovers, infographics, and a short embedded YouTube clip, so it felt more interactive and less like a static slideshow.

The arcade theme tied it all together. It kept the tone fun and gamified while still showing how a recognised instructional design model could be applied in practice.

Reflection

This project started as a quick practice task but soon turned into a multi-day creative sprint. I was reminded that I’m a perfectionist who pays close attention to the small details, and those details really do make a difference in design.

Working in Canva was fun, but also limiting at times. The templates and features gave me plenty of creative freedom, yet I hit some constraints when trying to make the module fully interactive. Even so, it showed me that Canva can be a useful tool for creating gamified, bite-sized learning when used in the right way.

The project left me with:

  • A finished gamified microlearning module and supporting job aid

  • A stronger understanding of how visual storytelling can enhance learning

  • Fresh excitement for continuing my journey into learning design and creating learning that feels as good as it looks

HAVE A GO

Job aid created for rewindable learning, consolidation, and quick reference.