Working with students has shown me that educational support depends partly on how information is organised and accessed. A missing academic record, an unclear registration process or difficulty navigating a learning platform can create obstacles alongside the demands of study itself. My experience in admissions, teaching and student development has led me to pursue a Master of Information, with a particular interest in user experience design and educational technology.
I hold a Bachelor of Education and have developed my interest in information through roles that connect people with educational services. As a Student Admission Assistant between 2016 and 2017, I reviewed the student data system for incomplete records and transcripts. I also worked with the Executive Director and Media Team on activities supporting student recruitment. These responsibilities made me attentive to the importance of accurate information and communication suited to its intended audience.
As an English Instructor between 2018 and 2019, I prepared lesson plans and supplementary materials for students working at different levels. I used individual and small-group activities to address varied learning needs in reading, writing and listening. This experience encouraged me to consider how the structure and presentation of material affect a learner's ability to engage with it.
My subsequent role as a Student Development Coach brought these interests together. Between 2019 and 2020, I helped students understand university programmes, prepare study plans and navigate course registration. I also maintained a computerised student database and its documentation. Supporting students through academic difficulties taught me to listen before proposing solutions and to recognise when an obstacle arose from a process rather than a lack of effort.
These experiences explain my interest in user experience design. I want to learn how research, information architecture, interaction design and usability evaluation can inform educational tools. Accessibility is also important to me: students approach systems with different abilities, experiences and levels of confidence. I would like to understand how design decisions can better accommodate those differences.
My administrative work further developed my organisational and communication skills. Managing calendars, travel arrangements and expense reports required attention to detail, while collaborating on events required coordination across responsibilities. These tasks reinforced the value of making information usable for the people who depend on it.
Across these roles, I have often acted as a facilitator, helping people explain a problem and communicate with the department or colleague able to resolve it. Listening carefully helps reveal needs that may be missed when a process is considered only from an organisational perspective.
Through a Master of Information, I want to develop the research and design skills needed to move from supporting existing systems to contributing to their improvement. My longer-term goal is to work on digital learning experiences that are easier to navigate and more responsive to learners' needs. I would bring an educational background, experience of student-facing services and a clear interest in connecting information design with learning.