Instructional Design Manager
Etonkids Insternational Education Group
December 2021 – August 2023
Etonkids, founded in 2002, is the first education group in China to obtain ISO 9001 quality management certification. It serves children and families from 0–18 years old through kindergartens, daycare, camps, vocational education, and EdTech. With nearly 60 schools across 17 Chinese cities and bilingual international kindergartens in Australia and the U.S. , Etonkids has evolved into a global education group.
📌 Role Overview
As Instructional Design Manager reporting to the Head of Department (Director), I led instructional design for multiple large-scale online training programs targeting Montessori teachers, parents, and childcare professionals. I collaborated with the technical department to optimize the LMS based on instructor pain points, translated and localized English content, and produced premium early childhood education video courses with external experts.
🎯 Key Initiatives & Outcomes
1. AMA Montessori Teacher Training Program (MACTE-Eligible)
Program Overview:
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Designed for Montessori teachers of children aged 3–6 (lead teachers + assistants)
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Developed under AMA (Asia Montessori Association)
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Certification eligible through MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education)
Course Topics:
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Montessori philosophy / Observation techniques / Practical life skills / Classroom leadership
Instructional Formats:
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Video lessons taught by renowned international Montessori educators
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Live interactive sessions (supplemental)
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Assignments & discussions (required for certification)
My Contributions:
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Served as the lead instructional designer for the online program
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Translated English course content into Chinese
Click the image to watch the video
2. LMS Optimization – Instructor-Centered Platform Redesign
I worked with the technical department from an educational technology perspective to optimize and upgrade the LMS system.
The Problem (Before):
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The old platform did not suit instructors' needs
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Required more effort, time, and unnecessary steps to complete basic workflows
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Instructors were frustrated with the inefficiency
The Solution (After):
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The new platform was tailored to specific learning needs
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Enriched with necessary functions that instructors actually needed
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Resulted in easier usage from the instructor's point of view
My Role:
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Advised the technical team on pedagogical and usability requirements
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Advocated for instructor pain points to be addressed
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Ensured the platform supported effective online learning, not just administrative tasks
📌 This was not a metrics-driven project, but the qualitative outcome was clear: instructors could now focus on teaching instead of fighting the platform.
3. CFO Program (Chief Family Officer) – Parent Empowerment
Program Overview:
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Produced in collaboration with the International Early Years Education Association (IEYEA)
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Designed for new mothers after childbirth
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Focuses on balancing and managing career and family roles
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Uses Montessori principles to guide mothers in caring for and nurturing their babies
My Responsibilities:
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Worked with SMEs to develop the course into an online format aligned with effective online learning practices
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Organized content chronologically by the baby's age in months
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Delivered the course via the LMS (post-optimization)
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📌 The course empowers mothers with the latest research findings to educate their children while maintaining their professional lives.
4. Childcare Professional Development Program (Company-Level Flagship)
Scale:
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Company-level flagship project in collaboration with 50 childcare institutions in Beijing
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Developed a training program consisting of 68 micro-lessons
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Served several hundred learners
Target Audience: Childcare personnel
Program Goals:
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Comprehensively enhance theoretical knowledge and practical skills
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Empower career development for childcare workers
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Help institutions optimize talent cultivation and improve teachers' professional qualities
🧰 Tools & Methodologies Used
🧠 Reflection Section -Designing for Impact
Etonkids was my most diverse instructional design role — I designed for Montessori teachers, new mothers, childcare professionals, and parents.
What I learned:
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Cross-functional collaboration is a core ID skill: I worked with technical teams, filming departments, SMEs, and external experts — and reported directly to the Head of Department. Success depended on clear communication, shared timelines, and mutual respect.
What I would do differently next time:
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Advocate for early pilot cohorts: For the AMA program, I wish I had pushed to launch a small pilot before I left, even if the full rollout was delayed. That would have generated feedback and portfolio data.
How this shapes my ID philosophy today:
I now believe that instructional design is about readiness, not just launch. I also believe that instructor experience is learner experience: if teachers struggle with the platform, students will feel it. Advocating for better tools is instructional design work.
Etonkids taught me to value design completion, cross-functional advocacy, and qualitative impact — not just numbers on a dashboard.
Contact
I’m always open to meaningful conversations. Let’s connect — whether for opportunities, ideas, or collaborations in learning design.
(+86)175-2683-5198