Learning design process
The Typical LD Process
graphic to illustrate cyclic, iterative process
Understand the learning need
- Ensure learners drive the design.
Content: rationale for need of this focus, focus groups, student interviews, observations, example questions, learner characteristics
- Establish what teachers want to achieve
Content: clarification of learning goals AND clarification of goals of design project, analyzing the context for learning, working with where teachers are at, assessment, examples
- Ascertain what students need to DO to meet learning goals
Content: focus on tasks and interactions as opposed to focus on content, include reference to learning theory, assessment, examples.
- Identify what resources are available.
Content: use of resources and tools as opposed to content creation, adapting materials, providing learner support, uses of social software and relation to learning design, examples.
- Decide on design team
Content: who can be involved, benefits of team work, possible roles, examples
Design to facilitate learning
- Arrive at solutions to the learning ‘problem’
Content: matching understanding of teaching and learning (pedagogy) to learning needs, rationale for teaching and learning strategies, content analysis and structuring of resources, role of learning theory, need for trial and error, iterative nature of design.
- Decide on use of media.
Content: ways media can support learning, discussion re need for interaction, use of social software tools, visual representation, voice, narrative, role of creativity
- Create a representative sample or prototype for critique/evaluation
Content: value of prototyping, testing, use of feedback
- Calculate workload for learners and teachers.
Content: notional learning hours, analysis of course components, workload calculations
- Plan to manage the design and development
Content: discussion re scoping, budgeting, relation to design plan
- Articulate constraints that may impact the design.
Content: pedagogical, technological, contextual/practical constraints
- Write a design plan.
Content: Outline for written plan, revised cfdl blueprint, examples
Make the design a reality
- Design to accommodate distance
Content: how materials differ from traditional teaching resources
- Create ‘templates’ for developing resources as required
Content: pros and cons of template use (“tension between standardisation and creativity that is underscored using templated design”), examples
- Co-ordinate team members
Content: working with subject experts, web-developers, visual designers or whoever is available, to co-ordinate development of learning resource, use of design plan
- Organise for management and administration of course
Content: role of LMS or other, clarification of roles
Use the designed resource
- Provide advice as teaching ensues
Content: professional development options
- Make changes or adjustments (pedagogical and/or technical) as required
Reflect on the design
- Collect information about the impact and effectiveness of the design
- Reflect on the process
Content:types of data for feedback, collection of data, reporting, research opportunities, examples
