Today we are at a point of transition: we have completed the first round of five courses for TecNM Virtual and are now beginning the second. We feel a mix of emotions. I am motivated, because I can now iterate on the results and lessons of the first round. My fellow instructional designers feel both confident and relieved, because we already know the process. But above all, we feel a renewed pressure: once again, we are working with subject-matter experts under tight deadlines. We are ready to demonstrate that the experiences we gained have borne fruit and that we are applying them to improve.
Currently, I am generating documentation aligned with the real needs identified during the first round. In the Phase 1 template, I restructure the spaces and formulas from the outset, removing unnecessary columns. In the instructional design template, I adjust all the elements we added in the first round so that they function smoothly for the final stage of course assembly. The same applies to the graphic design and course-mounting templates: each one is refined to ensure a continuous flow of precise instructions. For expert training, I prepare a master document that gathers all the resources they will need from the start: from how to formulate learning objectives for virtual environments, to how to create more engaging resources or design a master class. I also implement a control document to register expert submissions, with clear deadlines and conditions, so that each expert leaves a digital record of their participation.
The courses in this second round are: Human Capital Management, Business Planning, Production Management II, and Strategic Management. Teams maintain the same structure: one instructional designer, a lead expert, and additional subject-matter experts. The innovation now lies in the social dimension: we are fostering the design of discussion forums to encourage collaboration and communication among students, and we are promoting the use of Padlets as spaces for exchange. These elements were absent in the first round, and today we integrate them because we know that virtual education is not only about self-directed resources, but also about building community.
We expect this second round to bring fewer delays, greater clarity in deliverables, and better integration of resources. Our experience allows us to anticipate problems and improve communication with experts, while also recognizing that working with new faculty involves different learning curves. The key is to accompany them, maintain constant dialogue, and sustain the same level of quality we achieved in the first phase.
Today I confirm that virtual education is built through iteration: every course is a living learning process. This moment is not simply a continuation of the project, but the consolidation of a model that establishes strong foundations for the development of quality university-level educational resources. We are building a system that directly impacts the academic lives of thousands of students, and we do so with the conviction that each iteration brings us closer to a solid, coherent, and transformative model of online education.