Welcome to the site of my Professional Portfolio! Thank you for your interest in my professional experiences and career at The Pennsylvania State University. I have worked in the Central Pennsylvania Area for over 25 years, in a variety of positions serving people across all ages.

Visit my portfolio that includes work done outside of Penn State.

Professional Summary

Higher education leader and instructional design expert with over 25 years of experience in curriculum design, online learning, faculty development, and program leadership. Proven record of designing innovative, student-centered learning experiences and managing cross-functional teams to support institutional goals. Experienced in leading organizational development initiatives, mentoring faculty, and building strong collaborative relationships to foster academic excellence.

Summary of Qualifications

• Over 25 years of progressive experience in higher education, instructional design, curriculum development, and faculty and staff development.
• Proven expertise in designing, developing, and delivering high-quality online, blended, and face-to-face learning experiences that align with pedagogical best practices and accessibility standards.
• Strong background in academic leadership, including supervising and mentoring staff and student employees, leading cross-functional teams, and managing complex instructional and organizational projects from initiation to completion.
• Experienced in building and sustaining collaborative relationships with faculty, administrators, and university partners to promote student-centered teaching and learning initiatives.
• Skilled academic researcher and practitioner with a focus on instructional design, adult learning, learning analytics, and higher education leadership, with multiple publications and national presentations.
• Committed to applying research-based learning strategies, universal design for learning (UDL), and ADA Section 508 compliance to ensure inclusive and accessible learning environments.
• Extensive experience with learning management systems (Canvas, D2L BrightSpace, Moodle), instructional technologies, and content development tools, as well as project management platforms to support instructional and organizational goals.

I am proud of the work I have done at Penn State both personally and professionally. Click through the pages to learn more about my career.

Instructional Development Philosophy

My Instructional Development Philosophy is grounded in a learner-centered and service-oriented approach that focuses on listening to and collaborating with faculty, instructors, and stakeholders to create effective and meaningful learning experiences. I believe that instructional development must be responsive, flexible, and tailored—there is no one-size-fits-all model that can address the diverse needs of every learning environment.

At the core of my philosophy is a commitment to listening first—to understand the unique goals, challenges, and motivations of those I work with. By assessing both the instructional context and the learners’ needs, I am able to recommend and collaboratively implement instructional strategies that are relevant, practical, and aligned with the desired learning outcomes. While I draw from established instructional design models and frameworks, such as ADDIE, backward design, and Universal Design for Learning, I also rely on adult learning principles that emphasize learner initiative, self-direction, and experiential learning.

My approach focuses on sequencing instructional activities and strategies that are purposeful and directly aligned with clearly defined, learner-centered performance objectives. I work closely with instructors to articulate these objectives and design learning experiences that engage students through active and authentic learning, including scenario-based practice, interactive exercises, and assessments that measure student achievement of course outcomes.

With a strong background in curriculum development and instructional design, I have successfully created flexible, highly interactive, and engaging courses and programs across a variety of content areas and learning levels. I have extensive experience recommending instructional strategies and multimedia elements that are thoughtfully aligned with the specific content and instructional context.

Additionally, I am committed to maintaining high standards of quality and accountability. I implement quality assurance processes and standards to ensure that each course or program meets the expectations of institutional leadership, faculty, and students. This includes alignment of objectives, content, and assessments, as well as considerations for accessibility, inclusion, and effective use of technology.

In summary, my Instructional Development Philosophy reflects a collaborative, adaptable, and learner-centered approach that prioritizes faculty partnership and student success. By building strong relationships with instructors and focusing on instructional effectiveness, I aim to contribute to the development of transformative learning experiences that support both faculty and learners in achieving their goals.

 Contact:

Heidi A. Watson-Held, D.Ed.
The Smeal College of Business, eLearning Design and Innovation Group (eLDIG)

382 Business Building
University Park, PA 16802

Cell: 814-883-5008
Email: haw6@psu.edu