Tracey Ball
Instructional Designer in Pedagogy and Theory based out of Cincinnati, OH.
My Story
My character creation process started in Banning, California where I was raised by two loving parents who encouraged me to always be my own person and do what makes me happy. Being a nerd at heart, I grew up playing rpg and fps video games with my dad, watching Star Trek with my mom, and spending too much time at Disneyland with my sister and friends.
Baking with my gramma revealed my passion for food and thus began my first venture with higher education, and I received a AA in Culinary Arts in 2008. It was this college experience where I encountered my first MMORPG, World of Warcraft, which became a 10-year life adventure.
As I leveled up in real life, my focus shifted to an old pastime passion: History. I opted to return to life as a student and pursue a degree with the ambition to become a teacher where I could make learning about history fun for all ages.
It was my undergrad experience that changed everything; the side quest that became the main quest. Most of my courses were admittedly boring: weekly discussion boards, essays, and quizzes. Monotonous rote memorization where you don’t really feel like you learned anything useful. Yet there was one… One Course to rule them all… One Course to find them… One Course to bring them all.. and in the darkness bind them.
Secrets: A Cyberculture Mystery Game. Catchy name for a class, right? I thought so too. This was no ordinary college class… it was graded in Experience Points, I was making projects not taking quizzes, I was hunting down clues on the internet not researching essay questions, and I was having so much fun learning. This was when I stopped to ask myself… why is this so different? What makes this so memorable? The answer: Instructional Designers.
What the heck is an Instructional Designer? I had no idea. After a few weeks of reading and talking to people, I realized this was what I was meant to do. I wanted to be a part of a movement which helps other students and learners experience learning in a fun and engaging way. That is when my academic goals shifted, I moved across the country, I pursued my MEd in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Cincinnati.
My Personal Life
Family Renaissance Festival
My mother isn’t like normal moms. She dresses up, goes to conventions, is involved in Discord servers, and still has time to be my biggest cheerleader. This was back in 2018 when my mom, sister, and I made a family day at the Southern California ren faire.
Coming soon, the Ohio faire this year!
Fun in Culinary School
I tend to have a good time with whatever I am doing, and culinary school was no exception for me. Cooking is an art, and I love the back and forth relationship that comes with cooking and experimenting with food.
Yes, I have a lucky boyfriend, and he knows it 😉
Rulers of the House
I admit it, I kind of have a crush on my cats. Can you blame me? Look how cute they are… the faces just beckon pets and belly rubs. Zelda is my sweet and precious calico, I have had the pleasure of her in my life since 2008. Santa (2012) is the deceptively adorable grey tabby… she’s not as innocent as she looks - much like APA.
My Work Life
I have worked for the last 3 years in Instructional Design. I am passionate and excited to make learning fun and engaging for learners, whether it’s students or clients. My 20+ years in Customer Service gives me the unique experience needed to bridge the gap between what learners need from their trainers.
Northern Kentucky University
September 2020
Highland Heights, KY
Instructional Designer | Lead in Pedagogy and Theory
Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop and implement creative pedagogical approaches to eLearning materials such as game-based content, social media activities, web-based course components, and media technologies.
Utilize project management skills to design and develop 12+ faculty and staff training sessions annually.
Complete 30+ online and hybrid course developments annually.
Support faculty and staff with our learning management system (LMS) needs, instructional tools, multimedia, and problem troubleshooting.
Partner with the Center for Teaching and Learning to host the Summer Online Faculty Institute (SOFI) for the university including outside keynote speakers.
University of Cincinnati
January 2020 - September 2020
Cincinnati, OH
Instructional Designer | Student Worker
Coordinated with the Learning and Development Team with the university wide LMS conversion from Blackboard to Canvas.
Built and evaluated online courses for ADA/UDL compliance, intuitive navigation, and quality assurance.
Experience with Kaltura Media Space, Articulate 360 Storyline modules, and other third-party learning tools.
Evaluated online course reviews to assess performance and recommend changes to enhance the student experience