Unit 1: Introduction
Key terms
Learning design: is a learner-centred design approach that enables...
Learning design lies at the heart of all teaching. Although the design for learning is usually hidden from students, it involves deliberate choices about what, when, where and how to teach. Decisions need to be made about the content, structure, timing, pedagogical strategies, sequence of learning activities, and type and frequency of assessment in the course, as well as the nature of technology used to support learning. Making these decisions is the process of creating your own design.
Designing a course for learning is similar to completing a jigsaw puzzle: some pieces will not fit first time, and a complete picture requires careful consideration of the alternative options.
In some contexts the term 'instructional design' may be more familiar than 'learning design' to you and your colleagues; indeed, this terminology is often reflected in departmental and faculty job titles. Nevertheless, in general, the concept of learning design signals a shift away from focusing on the teacher and the instructional process to concentrating on the learner and the learning process. Whereas instructional design focuses on systematic planning, learning design focuses on pedagogically informed decision making. In other words, the two terms reflect quite different philosophies (Beetham, 2013).
Learning design is an approach that helps you consider all the necessary factors in designing an online activity or course. You will consider:
We can think about the learning design process in terms of three phases of development, as outlined in the activity below. As we work through this course, the elements in each of the three phases will be explored in greater depth.
We can think about the learning design process in terms of three phases of development, as outlined below. As we work through this course, the elements in each of the three phases will be explored in greater depth.
Learning design uses these and other factors to plan and develop learning resources and activities and assessments that will help students to achieve specific learning goals. Learning design for online courses:
In the following videos, expert practitioners share their thoughts on the importance of learning design, and provide useful tips.
In the following interviews, expert practitioners share their thoughts on the importance of learning design, and provide useful tips.
Download
Download an engaging Q&A with Jason Carter, a new instructional...
If you are planning a blended rather than a fully online course, it will have implications for all of the steps in your learning design process. When you consider the blended context, think carefully about the level of the desired learning outcomes, the possible ways of assessing these and how (and which) face-to-face and online learning activities can be woven together in a planned, pedagogically sound manner. You will also need to either:
Useful links
Useful summary of the flipped classroom approach: http://cft.vander...
Having worked through this screen on learning design, you should now be familiar with some of the key concepts that we will be using as we proceed through the course. Additionally, after watching the videos from learning design practitioners and hearing of their experiences of design and collaboration, you can start to understand the importance of following a systematic plan as you design your own online course.
Having worked through this section on learning design, you should now be familiar with some of the key concepts that we will be using as we proceed through the course. Additionally, after reading the interviews with learning design practitioners and hearing of their experiences of design and collaboration, you can start to understand the importance of following a systematic plan as you design your own online course.
Key terms
Learning design: is a learner-centred design approach that enables 'teachers/designers to make more informed decisions in how they go about designing learning activities and interventions, which is pedagogically informed and makes effective use of appropriate resources and technologies' (Conole, 2013, p.7).
Instructional design: is 'the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction into plans for instructional materials, activities, information resources, and evaluation' (Smith & Ragan, 1999).
Download
Download an engaging Q&A with Jason Carter, a new instructional designer from Purdue University, as he talks about the excitement and challenges of developing an online course for the first time. Do any of his experiences sound familiar?
Useful links