Bethany McHugh Instructional Designer

Instructional Designer

Nice to meet you.

Hi, I'm Bethany! I'm an instructional designer living in beautiful Missoula, Montana, where I balance my love for travel, adventure, and painting with creating impactful learning experiences.

With more than six years of experience, I design creative, learner-centered training using tools like Articulate Storyline 360, Adobe, Microsoft 365, Canva, and more. My passion is blending innovation and accessibility to make learning not only effective, but engaging and memorable.

6+ Years Experience
Storyline 360 & Vyond
UDL Accessibility
ADDIE Design Framework
Instructional Designer at work
Featured Expeditions

Selected Work

Projects created using Vyond, Canva, Articulate Storyline 360, and other digital tools. Each one showcases creativity, instructional design skills, and a commitment to learning that is both effective and engaging.

Storyline 360 game: drag-and-drop biography attributes
Storyline 360 • Scaffolded Practice

Biography of a Famous American

Following an interactive introduction video, students start with a sorting activity where they separate attributes of a biography text from a work of fiction, a simple task designed to surface prior knowledge. Later in the unit, a character, Jerry the Monkey, pauses and asks students to drag key details into the correct section of a graphic organizer while interacting with a short biography of Jane Goodall.

  • Tool Articulate Storyline 360
  • Approach Model, guided practice, independent application
  • Focus Scaffolded, intellectually active learning
Review Case Study
Canva • Visual Design

Assistive technology in the classroom

An interactive presentation designed to inform and help integrate assistive technology (AT) into classrooms for children with disabilities.

  • Tool Canva
  • Format Presentation
  • Purpose Clarify, Inform, and reduce barriers
Review Case Study
Canva infographic: Productive Conflict Management in the Workplace
The Path

My path to instructional design.

From Texas Tech, to Thailand, to job coaching, to the world of instructional design and education.

Texas Tech → Foundations of Learning

Foundations of Learning

My path began with earning a degree in Early Childhood Education at Texas Tech. Constructivism became the basis of how I approach educational design: learning happens as people make meaning from experience, often through challenge and problem-solving.

University architecture
Teaching in Thailand
Peace Corps → Cultural Adaptability

Teaching and Training in Thailand

From training teachers in the foothills of Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer, I learned that learning should feel purposeful, accessible, and empowering, not passively received.

This experience shaped my belief that students learn when they are asked to think, make choices, challenge themselves, and connect new ideas to something that matters to them.

Job Coaching → Human-Centered Design

Job Coaching

Supporting adults with intellectual disabilities as a job coach showed me that a student who struggles with one skill should not fail to demonstrate understanding in content areas unrelated to that skill. I believe accessibility is a matter of equity.

Hands collaborating
Professional Expertise

What's My
Philosophy?

My philosophy of learning design and technology has grown out of many facets of my life experience. Select an element below to explore further.

Constructivism

Challenge • Problem-Solving • Meaning-Making

Universal Design for Learning

Multiple Means of Representation • Equity

Learner Agency

Meaningful Choice • Self-Efficacy

Alignment

ADDIE • Outcomes Before Tools

Philosophy

"Wilson and Novak (2024) explain that learning happens as people make meaning from experience, often through challenge and problem-solving. When students are simply told information, it fades quickly. When they are asked to categorize, compare, organize, or explain ideas in their own words, the learning not only becomes exciting, but it sticks with them long term."

Seen in: Biography of a Famous American, sorting & organizer activities.

Philosophy

"CAST (2018) discusses neuro-variability and reminds educators that there is no single way learners process information. I intentionally include multiple means of representation and expression. A student who struggles with reading should not fail to demonstrate understanding in content areas unrelated to reading ability. I believe accessibility is a matter of equity."

Seen in: Listening, reading, and image-based comprehension supports.

Philosophy

"Brod et al. (2023) describe agency as a learner's ability to make meaningful choices and shape their own learning process. When students have choice in their learning, their motivation changes: they ask better questions, care more about accuracy, and revise more willingly. Choice is not just motivational; it builds self-efficacy."

Goal: Structures that support independence without removing necessary guidance.

Philosophy

"The ADDIE framework has supported this alignment by encouraging thoughtful analysis before design. Rather than beginning with tools, I begin with outcomes. If a digital element increases engagement, clarifies feedback, or reduces barriers, I use it. If it is simply decorative, I reconsider."

Method: "I do, we do, you do," model, guided practice, independent application.