profile

Sarah A. Barker, PhD
Learning Researcher | Instructional Designer | Audio Content Creator

I spent nearly 20 years in the classroom training adult learners to perform in high-stakes, real-consequence environments — live broadcast studios, radio studios, film sets, professional media production.

That experience taught me something that no textbook quite captures: people learn best when the design respects both the complexity of what they're being asked to do and the very human way their attention actually works.

That insight led me to a PhD in Media Psychology at Fielding Graduate University, where I focused my research on attention, self-regulation, and performance in technology-enabled environments, including a large-scale meta-analysis of VR-based mindfulness interventions examining how immersive experience affects psychological and physiological outcomes, and published in JMIR in 2026.

Two decades of applied training design, doctoral-level research in learning and cognition, and a deep practice in sound and media production — I bring all three to bear on one goal: designing learning experiences that actually work the way human attention does.

What I bring:

• 15+ years designing and running structured training programs for adult learners

• PhD-level research in cognition, attention, and technology-enabled learning

• Deep background in audio production and sound design applied to learning content

• Expertise in SCORM/xAPI, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, and LMS integration

• ISTE Certified Educator | CITI Human Subjects Research Certified

Currently based in Los Angeles, I am actively seeking remote roles or in-person opportunities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — focused on instructional design, learning research, and content development, particularly with organizations working at the intersection of learning, wellness, and emerging technology.