In 2020, I was given the opportunity to design and teach the Purposive Communication course for the Office of the Undergraduate Studies at Air Link International Aviation College. With the sudden shift to online learning due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, we needed to quickly adapt a course that had previously only been taught face-to-face. Since this subject is part of the General Education curriculum—and in the Philippines, teachers often double as instructional designers—it gave us full ownership of how the course would evolve.

I started by reviewing the existing teaching manual, course materials, and the institution’s online class policies. I also collaborated closely with co-instructors who would be handling the subject alongside me. We held consultations to determine which materials needed updating and how we could tailor the content for an online format. I also conducted content research to ensure accuracy and relevance, especially since we were building something that had to be both flexible and standards-aligned.

We mapped out essential topics, crafted course objectives, and identified instructional strategies that matched both the learning outcomes and the broader goals of the General Education framework. A key consideration was accessibility: all materials had to be low-bandwidth friendly to ensure students could participate regardless of their internet connection.

Once we had a solid plan, I developed the course syllabus and, after receiving approval, built a prototype using Google Classroom. I created the content in Google Docs and Google Slides, incorporating knowledge checks, formative assessments, and summative evaluations based on feedback from subject matter experts and fellow instructors. For visuals and engagement, I used Canva to design clean, accessible materials that were easy to navigate.

After everything was finalized, I migrated the content to Canvas LMS for deployment. The course featured interactive lessons, quizzes, major assessments, and learner-friendly visuals designed to keep students engaged in the virtual environment.

In 2022 and 2024, the course was updated to support the college’s move to hybrid learning. These updates included new references, revised layouts, and curriculum adjustments to meet evolving accreditation requirements.