Laura Giffin

Laura Giffin is a senior instructional designer with the Teaching + Learning Commons, working with faculty to support them in developing online and technology-supported courses for UC San Diego students and beyond. She is committed to taking a learner-centered and equity-minded approach to course design, considering how to choose and use technologies and andragogical approaches to create courses to serve learners from all backgrounds.

Before becoming an instructional designer, Laura worked in cognitive neuroscientific research, investigating questions about how adults learn and understand language, as well as how these skills and capabilities change with age. Laura earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in order to find new ways to bring what we know about how adults learn to the creation of learning experiences that challenge students and support them in achieving their academic goals and serving their communities. Prior to joining the Teaching + Learning Commons in 2021, Laura worked with the University of Wisconsin system supporting faculty in the creation of online courses and degree programs to serve students across the state.