Teaching as a design science

Foundation Skills
Session/learning sequencing and delivery
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StudyDesk

Diana Laurillard, in her book: Teaching as a design science: Building pedagogical patterns for learning and technology], promotes the idea of teaching as a design science. Many think of teaching as an art (demanding both creativity and imagination), but Laurillard maintains that teachers also have a lot in common with other professionals, such as architects and engineers, who design systems and products. "Teaching is more like a design science because it uses what is known about teaching to attain the goal of student learning, and uses the implementation of its designs to keep improving them" (Laurillard, 2012, p. 1).

• Laurillard also says that teaching is a design science because it: (i) aims to improve practice, and (ii) builds on the work of others, using design principles.
• Teachers continually design and test new strategies in their teaching, but often their experiences are not shared with other teachers.
• Several different types of learning are identified, and a model for designing learning.

Activity

Check out chapters one and four to begin your reading. To what extent do you agree or disagree with Laurillard's opinion that teaching is a design science? How applicable is this perspective to your context? Which type of learning, covered in chapter 4, resonates with your context? What type of learning would you like to explore further? Describe your understanding of Laurillard's design model. Post 200 words to your portfolio and share on Moodle.

Reference

• Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a design science: Building pedagogical patterns for learning and technology New York: Routledge. This is a Google book, and some pages may be missing.
• This book is available both online and as a hard copy in the Robertson library.