Driven by Purpose, Designed for Learning— Here's my story.

Hazel Pagulayan

I’m an educator with over ten years of experience, and for the past five years, I’ve also been working as a course and instructional designer based in Parañaque City, Philippines.

I grew up in the lively streets of Manila, Philippines, where every corner turned into a playground and “make-believe school” was the game of choice. While other kids raced to be the student, I proudly took on the role of teacher. And here we are, 30-ish years later.

I started teaching in 2014, fresh out of college and newly licensed, teaching ESL learners online. By 2015, I was in a classroom teaching elementary and junior high, then moved on to senior high school by 2018. In 2019, I finally landed my dream role as a college instructor—just in time for the world to turn upside down in 2020.

Pivoting to online instruction, I found myself not just teaching but truly enjoying the art of designing learning experiences. Since 2020, I’ve created numerous higher education courses aligned with regulatory and accrediting standards—and I’ve been loving every bit of the journey.

I am genuinely interested in transitioning into the corporate learning and development field, where I can apply my background in education and instructional design to develop engaging, purpose-driven learning solutions that foster employee growth and drive business success.

I’m currently working on my master’s thesis and hoping to finish it by August 2025—fingers crossed.

Educator | Course & Instructional Designer

11

years as educator

5

years in ID and adult learning

20+

courses designed and maintained

My Instructional Design Philosophy

I design learning that makes sense, sparks interest, and drives results. With a teacher’s heart and a designer’s mindset, I focus on creating clear, inclusive, and purpose-driven experiences that support real learning—whether in school, online, or at work.

Design mindset

Learner Experience First

Good design starts with the learner. I ensure that content is not only engaging and accessible, but also easy to navigate and purposefully structured.

Innovation-driven

I apply creative strategies and emerging tools to design engaging and forward-thinking learning experiences that adapt to evolving learner needs.

Practical, Real-World Application

I design with relevance in mind—so learners can connect the material to their roles, responsibilities, and professional goals right away.

Excellence in Quality and Execution

From storyboards to course builds, I aim for excellence. Quality means being thoughtful with details, responsive to feedback, and grounded in both best practices and user needs.

My teaching beliefs

I view teaching as a purposeful and structured process that promotes learning through clear objectives, aligned instruction, and continuous feedback. My goal is to create outcome-driven, student-centered environments—whether in-person or online—that support critical thinking, active engagement, and practical skill development.

Teaching mindset

Student-Centeredness

I design lessons based on what learners need, want, and aim to achieve. This helps make learning more meaningful and connected to their real-life goals.

Instructional Alignment

I make sure the goals, content, and assessments all work together. This keeps learning focused and easy to follow.

Active Engagement

I use activities that get learners thinking, doing, and participating. When learners are involved, they understand and remember more.

Clarity and Measurable Progress

I keep lessons clear and goal-oriented. This way, both learners and I can track improvement and make changes if needed.

Let's connect!

I'd love to connect with you! If you're interested in chatting, collaborating, or simply want to reach out, feel free to contact me through the social media links below. You can also drop me an email at pagulayanhazel54@gmail.com.