Blended Reading Workshop: Instructional Redesign for Graduate Academic Literacy

Project Overview

As part of the university-wide initiative to modernize the language curriculum, I played an active role in the instructional redesign of the Taller de Lectura (Reading Workshop), transitioning it from a traditional face-to-face course to a fully blended format.

The project required pedagogical, technical, and collaborative input at every level—from curriculum design and instructional sequencing to visual identity and assessment tools. I supported this transformation with a focus on learner autonomy, multimodal learning, and faculty engagement with blended methodologies.

Learning Objectives

The Blended Reading Workshop was designed to foster academic literacy in English among graduate students across disciplines. The course emphasized cognitive, linguistic, and metacognitive strategies to enhance reading comprehension and academic autonomy.

By the end of the workshop, students were expected to:

Apply advanced reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, inferring, and identifying argument structure in academic texts.
Recognize and use cohesive devices and other linguistic features to improve comprehension and critical analysis.
Develop metacognitive awareness by evaluating their own reading process and reworking their understanding through individual and group reflection.
Engage in blended learning tasks by navigating Moodle-based resources, participating in asynchronous forums, and completing interactive digital activities that reinforced face-to-face instruction.

Target Audience

The course was specifically tailored for:

Graduate students (Master’s and PhD) from a range of disciplinary backgrounds (engineering, law, social sciences, health, and humanities)
Non-native English speakers with an intermediate to upper-intermediate reading proficiency (B1–B2 CEFR)
Learners required to fulfill the Leng-4999: Reading in English institutional requirement for graduation
Adult learners balancing academic, professional, and personal responsibilities, in need of flexible but rigorous learning formats

Instructional Design Approach

The redesign of the Taller de Lectura into a blended format was grounded in constructivist and learner-centered principles. The project aligned with backward design methodology and incorporated Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to ensure accessibility and relevance.

Key features of the instructional design included:

Backward Design: Learning outcomes guided the development of assessments, followed by learning activities.
Modular and Cyclical Structure: Each cycle addressed specific cognitive reading strategies, reinforced through repetition and variation.
Blended Learning Integration: Online modules (initially hosted on Moodle) were structured to complement and extend in-class sessions, not duplicate them.
Multimodal Resources: Materials included curated readings by discipline, interactive exercises, explanatory videos, and peer discussion forums.
Formative Assessment: Ongoing evaluation through digital tasks, self-correction tools, and scaffolded activities promoting self-regulation.
Faculty Collaboration: Instructional teams co-designed activities and shared reflections through an institutional online platform, reinforcing the iterative nature of the blended model.

Project Flow

Introduction to multimodality: key concepts and examples
Group analysis of existing digital projects
Interactive discussion: what makes a multimodal project “academic”?
Rubric unpacking: how are multimodal projects graded?
Final reflection and peer feedback protocols

Assessment & Strategy Mapping

Designed a detailed evaluation matrix for Taller 2, connecting each activity to reading outcomes and cognitive indicators (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation).
Participated in the construction of strategy templates and alignment of academic objectives with formative assessment criteria.
Contributed to the creation of visual templates and activity flowcharts that helped faculty plan and implement lessons more effectively.

Faculty Collaboration & Equity

Coordinated and participated in working groups dedicated to key topics such as student motivation, digital technologies, and hybrid pedagogies.
Advocated for workload balance and equitable roles across faculty teams, helping to redefine task distribution and project pacing across semesters.
Facilitated the use of the institutional platform (SICUA Plus) for collaborative content creation and reflective journals during course development.

Visual and Instructional Branding

Assisted in the visual redesign of workshop materials, contributing to the new identity of the course in both digital and print formats.
Helped develop infographics and layout proposals used in the course handouts and Moodle structure.

Reflection as an Instructional Designer

Designing the Blended Reading Workshop at Universidad de los Andes was a formative experience that deepened my understanding of instructional design as both a pedagogical and collaborative practice. Rather than simply adapting existing content, I was called to reimagine how students construct meaning in hybrid environments—balancing academic rigor with accessibility, structure with flexibility. Working closely with faculty, I engaged in iterative cycles of design, implementation, and reflection, which reinforced my belief that meaningful learning happens when digital tools are aligned with intentional, student-centered strategies. This project affirmed for me that instructional design is less about delivering content and more about crafting experiences that foster autonomy, clarity, and engagement.