The self-evaluation form comprises five domains and 31 competencies that outline the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to be considered a competent instructional designer. I completed my first self-evaluation in September 2024 at the start of the IDD&E M.S. program at Syracuse University. The second evaluation took place midway through the program in December 2024, and the final assessment was conducted near the end of the program in May 2025.

One key takeaway from comparing the September and December evaluations is a noticeable decrease in my self-assessed competency levels. For example, within the “Ongoing Professional Development” domain, two competencies dropped from high to medium, two from medium to low, one remained the same, and one improved from low to medium. Similar patterns appeared across the other domains.

I believe this perceived decline in skill levels does not indicate an actual regression but rather reflects an overestimation during the initial evaluation. At the time of the first self-assessment, I had limited understanding of how these competencies applied in real-world instructional design contexts. I often rated myself too highly based on my successes in prior work and academic experiences without fully grasping the specific expectations of the IDD&E field.

Despite the initial misjudgment, I am confident that my actual skills and knowledge improved between September and December. This growth is evident not only in the few competencies that showed documented improvement, but also in the more accurate—and lower—ratings I gave myself in December, which better aligned with my true abilities. In retrospect, while my September assessment suggested mostly medium to high proficiency, a more realistic appraisal would have placed most competencies at a low level. By December, however, my skills had progressed to predominantly medium levels, indicating meaningful development.

With this in mind, the shift from my second evaluation to the final iteration is perhaps the most revealing. In all but one competency (5.3), I assessed my skills as at least medium, reflecting significant growth. The Syracuse University IDD&E M.S. program has provided me with a robust foundation in both the theory and practice of instructional design. This strong academic grounding will be invaluable as I transition into my instructional design internship and begin building a meaningful and impactful career.

One key takeaway from comparing the September and December evaluations is a noticeable decrease in my self-assessed competency levels. For example, within the “Ongoing Professional Development” domain, two competencies dropped from high to medium, two from medium to low, one remained the same, and one improved from low to medium. Similar patterns appeared across the other domains.

I believe this perceived decline in skill levels does not indicate an actual regression but rather reflects an overestimation during the initial evaluation. At the time of the first self-assessment, I had limited understanding of how these competencies applied in real-world instructional design contexts. I often rated myself too highly based on my successes in prior work and academic experiences, without fully grasping the specific expectations of the IDD&E field.

Despite the initial misjudgment, I am confident that my actual skills and knowledge improved between September and December. This growth is evident not only in the few competencies that showed documented improvement, but also in the more accurate—and lower—ratings I gave myself in December, which better aligned with my true abilities. In retrospect, while my September assessment suggested mostly medium to high proficiency, a more realistic appraisal would have placed most competencies at a low level. By December, however, my skills had progressed to predominantly medium levels, indicating meaningful development.

With this in mind, the shift from my second evaluation to the final iteration is perhaps the most revealing. In all but one competency (5.3), I assessed my skills as at least medium, reflecting significant growth. The Syracuse University IDD&E M.S. Program has provided me with a robust foundation in both the theory and practice of instructional design. This strong academic grounding will be invaluable as I transition into my instructional design internship and begin building a meaningful and impactful career.