Fine Arts Program Training and Resource Guides
Project Snapshot
Roles & Responsibilities
- Instructional Designer
- Facilitator
- LMS Administrator
- Learning Needs Analysis
- Video Production & Editing
- Graphic Design
Programs & Tools Used
- Canvas LMS
- Camtasia, Audiate, Snagit
- Articulate Storyline, Rise
- Vyond
- Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel
- Canva
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Google Workspace
- YouTube
Context
A district-wide rollout of a new Fine Arts website introduced unexpected operational friction for educators. The editing interface was unintuitive, workflows were unclear, and no structured training accompanied the launch. As a result, routine updates required frequent troubleshooting support, pulling the web developer away from higher-level initiatives.
At the same time, fine arts educators across the district were managing complex administrative responsibilities such as budgeting, trip planning, ordering supplies, inventory tracking, and event scheduling, without standardized systems or centralized documentation. This inconsistency led to errors, duplicated efforts, and increased reliance on the department coordinator for routine support, limiting his capacity for strategic work.
Design Considerations
The department needed a comprehensive, scalable training solution that could:
- Simplify and standardize administrative workflows.
- Empower educators to confidently manage their own website content and operational tasks.
- Consolidate all Fine Arts resources, guides, and training into one accessible, easy-to-navigate location.
Applied adult-learning principles to ensure materials supported self-directed, problem-centered, and experiential learning. Resources were provided in multiple formats for flexible, just-in-time use.
Solution
In collaboration with the Technology Department and Fine Arts Coordinator, I designed and developed the Fine Arts Hub, a centralized Canvas-based course serving as a one-stop resource for all fine arts educators.
Key Components
How-To Document
I created a step-by-step document, complete with annotated screenshots to help staff learn how to edit their program web page. This also served as a reference guide for staff to use after the hands-on workshop.
Website Training & Workshop
I facilitated a hands-on professional development workshop for all Fine Arts atff, supported by one-on-one assistance and real-time practice. Staff had the opportunity to practice using the guide in a safe environment with immediate assistance available.
Multimedia Expansion
Responding to staff feedback, I produced tutorials using Camtasia for screen-recorded walk-throughs, labeling chapters in the video for each access to topics at the time of need. I also developed eLearning and other micro-learning assets to reinforce skills and accommodate different learning preferences.
Administrative Support Resources
I build a comprehensive, modular hub containing tutorials, templates, and reference materials for budgeting, purchase orders, scheduling, equipment repairs, and website maintenance, hosted in Canvas LMS. All staff used Canvas LMS regularly and knew how to access information as needed.
Impact
Improved Efficiency
Staff spent less time completing administrative tasks. Greater self-sufficiency also reduced administrative bottlenecks and turnaround time for payments and approvals.
Freed Leadership Capacity
The Fine Arts Coordinator regained time to focus on program development and strategic planning. He was able to spend more time on program-level tasks with reduced requests for support with staff tasks.
Sustainable System
The Canvas Hub is a continually updated, scalable platform for onboarding and reference and adaptable as district systems evolve. All staff know how to find materials when they’re needed most.
Enhanced Adoption
The workshop and resources provided led to a 90% increase in program website updating. Staff who have found helpful materials in the hub return to look for help when they need it.
My Process
Needs Analysis
The project began when a new website kick-off training in the district did not lead to an increase in website adoption or staff understanding of how to access and update their program pages. I met with the Fine Arts Coordinator (Stakeholder) and the Web Developer (SME) after speaking with and surveying the staff to find out what would be most helpful. I found that staff were mostly frustrated that the guide and training provided were very technical, and many of them were not able to log in to complete first steps.
The other challenge that needed addressing was the significant administrative burden placed on our 95 Fine Arts staff. Educators are responsible for extensive non-teaching duties, including event planning, vendor management, budget reconciliation, travel booking, instrument and kiln repairs, and complex financial paperwork, all without dedicated time to complete these duties.
This lack of standardized, easily accessible information created a major bottleneck: the Fine Arts Coordinator (our SME) was inundated with assisting 95 staff with various processes, all while completing his own required job tasks. He constantly spends time answering repetitive questions and guiding staff (myself included, often asking, “Where do I find this form again?”). This effectively prevented the SME from focusing on his strategic, core responsibilities. The need was further compounded by frequent changes in administrative staff and internal procedures/forms.
I consulted directly with the Fine Arts Coordinator and spoke with over half of the Fine Arts Educators to find out where the problems were rooted. Our goal was to systematically pinpoint the critical gaps in documentation and determine the exact resource needs that would help to solve the identified issues.
Design
After conducting the analysis, the Fine Arts Coordinator and I agreed that a resource repository, or “Hub” would be the best place to house resources for staff to access. The technology and curriculum departments opened a Canvas LMS course for this purpose, making the Fine Arts Coordinator and me the administrators of this course. All district staff are familiar with Canvas, which made it an easy way to make sure all staff had access, and there was no learning curve to access the information in the Hub.
I wanted to create a course that could be easily navigated multiple different ways, and staff needed to be able to find information on the job at the moment of need, as they often only had a few minutes to complete detailed administrative tasks.
Course Shell
I laid out and created the modules and pages for this course in Canvas LMS. All materials are organized under modules with clear and concise names, with pages for each element underneath.
All staff knew how to navigate modules on Canvas, regardless of how each of their courses was organized. I was also able to work on different parts of the Hub while waiting for more forms and resources from the Fine Arts Coordinator (the SME for this part of the project).
Navigation
The home page also had modules organized visually, using a bit of HTML editing, to draw attention to categories, with programmatic lists below each that linked to their specific pages within the course.
Any important updates were announced at the top of the home page, where staff could also access a page that housed the weekly newsletters the Fine Arts Coordinator created.
I designed the home page so anyone would be able to edit the content without needing to know how to edit the HTML.
The landing page for each module has a large banner heading. Below that are links for each module, accompanied by descriptions. Staff can see exactly what is on each page before navigating there.
Printables
Some staff expressed a need for a printed reminder for steps for some tasks, and many had resorted to sticky notes in various areas in their workspaces.
As well as describing steps in the module on Canvas, I provided some printable guides for staff to keep at their workspace for tasks that were common enough to need them, but uncommon enough to forget the steps.
Image description: The job aid is a combination of navy, white, and dark gray. Steps are in large print with smaller print descriptions under each.
Make a direct purchase with district funds. Use this guide when purchasing specific items.
- Choose an approved vendor. If your vendor is not on the approved vendor list, they can fill out a W9 to be approved.
- Get a quote. Request an official quote from the vendor with the item, price, and vendor information.
- Submit Requisition. E-mail the quote and a payment requisition to the Fine Arts Coordinator.
- Wait. It may take up to two weeks for a purchase order to be created, plus the time the vendor needs to send your items after receiving the PO.
- Submit Invoice. After you receive the invoice from the vendor AND you have received the items, send the invoice to the Fine Arts Coordinator as “okay to pay.”