Staff Spotlight: Patty Chrastka
This month, we’re spotlighting Senior Learning Interaction Designer Patty Chrastka! In the blog post below, Patty gives us a behind-the-scenes look into her work with Distance Learning.
How long have you worked here? How did you come to join the DL team / get involved in distance education?
I’ve worked with the DL department since November 2012. I was originally hired as a multimedia specialist, working on interactive flash-based exercises, and my position has evolved over the years to where I am today as a Senior Learning Interaction Designer.
Describe your typical “Day in the Life.”
Typically, most of my time is spent either in the course blueprint template or a Canvas site, whether I’m building modules, testing out LTIs (external apps that integrate with Canvas), or writing media guides for students. When I’m in meetings, there’s a lot of brainstorming, testing assessment scenarios on the spot, and researching examples with both faculty developers and learning designers.
Patty’s latest vacation trip to Caves of the Mounds in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.
What’s something about your job that might surprise readers?
There isn’t a hard and fast way to approach media for any given course. For example, a media plan for a graduate course in the same program may not work for the course that comes after it. I find myself researching new tools and new technologies to create media for the faculty in every development cycle.
What’s your favorite resource or tool that not many people know about?
I use the HTML Cleaner tool constantly while building courses in Canvas. Copying directly from Word or Google Docs to Canvas carries formatting styles that can break a content page’s layout. While copying and pasting without formatting is an option on most major web browsers, they still need a little bit more markup removal, which is where the HTML Cleaner Tool comes in.
Tell us something you’re passionate about.
I’m super passionate about cooking! It’s like being an artist in the kitchen, but like any craft, it requires patience and much practice. Not all recipes are made equal from my experience. While I was growing up, my mom loved exploring different cuisines from around the world, and now I share that same passion. Plus, sharing meals with others brings people together and creates great memories. Cooking is not just about eating; it’s a whole experience that I absolutely adore!
Patty: “Freya’s first shopping experience at Trader Joe’s. We got a lot of delicious food!”
The Distance Learning team is part of the Northwestern School of Professional Studies (SPS). To keep up with news, staff spotlights, online education insights and more, subscribe to the DL newsletter (The DL Digest), follow us on our departmental LinkedIn, and check out the rest of the Distance Learning blog!