Designing Learning That Matters: My Journey, Goals, and the Future of AI in Learning

Disclaimer: This blog post was written as part of an application for an Instructional Design internship at OpenSesame and reflects my professional interests and perspectives on AI and learning.

When I look back at my journey so far, from studying language and education in Bangladesh to working in eLearning companies, moving to the United States for graduate studies, and now pursuing a PhD in Learning Experience Design and Technology, I see a consistent thread: a desire to help people learn better, faster, and with more confidence.

Learning has always been transformative in my own life. Every opportunity I’ve had, academically and professionally, has come through learning environments that empowered me. Now, my goal is to help build those environments for others. That is why the opportunity to work with OpenSesame feels like a natural next step in my journey.

This reflection shares how I see OpenSesame fitting into my career goals, what I bring to the organization, and why I believe AI will fundamentally shape the future of learning and work.

How OpenSesame Fits into My Career Journey

Over the past six years, I’ve worked across different roles in eLearning and instructional design, developing courses, building digital learning experiences, and collaborating with educators, designers, and engineers. My work has ranged from designing interactive courses and learning platforms to supporting curriculum development and training initiatives for diverse learners.

But as I grew professionally, I started asking bigger questions:

Why do so many training programs fail to engage learners?
Why is good learning design often trapped in academic research instead of reaching workplaces?
How can we make quality learning accessible at scale?

These questions led me to pursue graduate study in instructional design and eventually begin my PhD in Learning Experience Design and Technology at the University of Oklahoma.

At this stage of my career, I am deeply interested in bridging research, instructional design, and real-world training needs. I want to work in environments where learning solutions impact organizations and individuals in meaningful ways.

OpenSesame stands at exactly this intersection.

The idea of making high-quality training accessible across organizations aligns strongly with my professional goals. Modern workplaces evolve rapidly, and employees constantly need to learn new skills. Organizations need learning solutions that are scalable, relevant, and engaging.

Working with OpenSesame would allow me to:

Apply my instructional design and training experience in real business contexts
Learn how large-scale training ecosystems operate
Contribute to making workplace learning more effective and accessible
Continue growing at the intersection of technology, learning science, and real-world impact

In the long term, I see myself designing and leading learning initiatives that connect research-informed practices with practical training needs. OpenSesame feels like the kind of environment where that growth can happen.

What I Bring: Skills, Strengths, and Perspectives

My journey has given me a blend of practical industry experience and academic grounding that shapes how I approach learning design.

1. Real-World eLearning Experience

Before starting my PhD, I spent six years working in eLearning companies where I:

Developed online courses and digital learning experiences
Collaborated with designers, engineers, and educators
Managed content development workflows
Built interactive training modules and learning assets
Helped improve platforms and learning tools through testing and iteration

This experience taught me how learning products are built in real organizational environments, not just in theory.

2. Research-Informed Instructional Design

Graduate study added another layer: understanding how learning actually works.

I now approach training design through:

Adult learning principles
Instructional design frameworks like ADDIE
Needs assessment and learner analysis
Evidence-informed learning strategies
Evaluation and continuous improvement

This means I think not only about what we build, but why it works.

3. Cross-Cultural and Inclusive Perspective

As an international student and community organizer, I’ve worked with people from many cultural and linguistic backgrounds. My leadership roles in student organizations and projects supporting incoming international students taught me how important belonging and accessibility are in learning spaces.

Learning environments should welcome everyone. That perspective shapes my work.

4. Collaboration and Adaptability

Across my projects, success almost always depended on teamwork. I enjoy working across teams, translating ideas between technical and non-technical stakeholders, and helping move projects forward.

I bring:

Collaborative mindset
Project coordination experience
Strong communication skills
Comfort working across disciplines
Openness to feedback and iteration

5. Curiosity and Continuous Learning

Perhaps most importantly, I genuinely enjoy learning. Whether it’s exploring new tools, testing instructional strategies, or experimenting with AI-assisted workflows, I’m motivated by curiosity and improvement.

Why AI Excites Me in Learning and Work

We are entering one of the most transformative moments in the history of learning and work.

AI is not just another tool—it changes how we access information, how we practice skills, and how we design learning experiences.

My own research has explored how learners use AI tools for language learning, and I’ve seen firsthand how AI can:

Provide immediate feedback
Enable personalized practice
Support learner autonomy
Reduce barriers to accessing help
Enable scalable learning experiences

But I don’t see AI replacing educators or instructional designers. Instead, I see it as an amplifier.

AI as a Learning Companion

AI can become a practice partner, tutor, coach, and support system that learners can access anytime. This is especially powerful for learners who lack access to human mentors or formal training.

AI for Smarter Learning Design

For learning professionals, AI can help:

Prototype training materials faster
Personalize learning pathways
Analyze learner data
Improve course recommendations
Reduce repetitive design tasks

This allows designers to focus on creativity, strategy, and learner experience.

AI and the Future of Work

Work itself is changing. Employees need to reskill constantly. Training must be continuous, flexible, and accessible.

AI-supported learning ecosystems will likely define how organizations adapt to rapid change. Companies that build strong learning cultures will thrive.

Being part of this transition, helping shape how AI supports learning responsibly and effectively, is deeply exciting to me.

Critical AI Literacy: Using AI Responsibly and Thoughtfully

While AI offers powerful opportunities for learning and work, excitement alone is not enough. We also need critical AI literacy—the ability to understand, question, and use AI tools responsibly.

AI systems are not neutral. They reflect the data they are trained on, the assumptions built into them, and the contexts in which they are deployed. Without critical awareness, learners and organizations risk over-relying on AI outputs, accepting inaccuracies, or unintentionally reinforcing bias and inequity.

For learners, critical AI literacy means knowing when to use AI as a support tool and when to rely on human judgment, collaboration, and deeper reflection. AI can help summarize information or provide practice, but meaningful learning still requires critical thinking, creativity, and human interaction.

For learning designers and organizations, it means designing systems that prioritize transparency, ethical use, data privacy, and learner agency. AI should enhance human learning, not replace human decision-making or reduce opportunities for meaningful engagement.

In my own work, I see AI literacy as a core future skill—one that helps learners move from simply using AI to working thoughtfully with AI. The goal is not dependency but empowerment: helping people leverage AI tools while remaining informed, critical, and in control of their learning and professional growth.

Building this critical awareness alongside technological innovation will determine whether AI becomes merely a productivity tool or a force that truly expands human learning and opportunity.

Bringing It All Together

Looking ahead, my goal is simple: to help people learn better so they can do meaningful work more confidently.

My journey, from language education to eLearning development to instructional design research, has led me to this point where technology, learning science, and real-world impact intersect.

OpenSesame represents an opportunity to:

Apply what I’ve learned
Continue growing as a learning professional
Contribute to making workplace learning more accessible and impactful
Explore how AI can enhance learning experiences at scale

And perhaps most importantly, it’s an opportunity to work with people who believe learning matters.

I’m excited about where learning and work are heading, and I’m eager to help build that future.