Romero-Hall Explores Global Perspectives on Learning Design in New Book
Romero-Hall Explores Global Perspectives on Learning Design in New Book
Spend some time with Enilda Romero-Hall, and you’ll quickly discover her passion for learning design. What may come as a surprise, however, is how deeply cultural and geographic contexts shape the journeys of learning designers around the world. That idea lies at the heart of her new book, Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South.
The inspiration for the book emerged during the pandemic in 2020, when Romero-Hall was working with three graduate students on a research project examining the competencies of education professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean. As they connected with learning design professionals throughout the region, Romero-Hall found they were eager to share their expertise and experiences.
“It made me realize that I wanted to work on a larger project that would allow me to capture the practices of learning designers not only in Latin America, but also across other regions of the Global South,” said Romero-Hall.
Romero-Hall is an associate professor of interdisciplinary learning & teaching in the Department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her book is among the first to bring together lessons and insights from learning designers in diverse contexts, exploring how practitioners effectively draw on the knowledge, skills, and resources available to them. Romero-Hall highlights the work of 13 professionals in sectors ranging from finance and higher education to government and nonprofit organizations. Each chapter features one practitioner, offering a perspective on their professional journey and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
“Each learning designer has a story to tell about how they entered the field, the cultural, geographical, and sector-specific contexts in which they work, and the resources and constraints they navigate,” Romero-Hall said. “Even as a learning design professional myself with more than 18 years in the field, writing this book and sharing these journeys has inspired me personally—and I believe it enriches our profession as a whole.”
Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South is available through Routledge.