Learning Design

• Learning Design

• Welcome to this module on Learning Design

  This module takes you through a range of activities following a learning design sequence.

  The sequence begins with looking at your learners and the principles that will govern your approach to design. It then explores the goals and objectives - what your learners will be able to do when they complete.

  Once we have this information that underpins our design we move on to assessment - how will we gather evidence and measure their achievements? Remembering all the while that assessment tasks themselves should be part of the learning pathway and not necessarily 'events' in their own right.

  This then informs what activities, experiences, resources and support our learners will need in order to gather the skills, knowledge and attitudes to successfully meet the criteria for achievement.

  Note that you can 'check off' your activities as you go by clicking in the checkboxes to the right of each activity to help you monitor your own progress.

• 1. Overview

• 1.1 The Learning Design Sequence

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  Have a look at the Learning Design Sequence diagram, which contains a recommended sequence of tasks that allows for the design of a course.

  In this toolkit we will be going through most of the steps in order as well as providing templates to guide your thinking.

• Learning Design Sequence File 154KB
• 1.2 Learner Personas

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  Using the template provided, create a persona based on a 'typical' learner who would enrol on your course. You only need to create one at this stage, but typically it is a good idea to create two three to reflect the diversity within a cohort.

  You can have a lot of fun with this activity - use your imagination and be as specific as you can. Create a complete backstory. Remember the more believable your persona, the more you will empathise with the learner's needs and frustrations, which in turn will create a more holistic experience for that learner. 

• Learner Persona Template File 44.3KB
• 1.3 Learning Design Principles

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  All areas of design have design principles. They are philosophical statements that underpin how to approach your design thinking. They provide a way of helping your designs reflect your values, beliefs and standards.

  Revise the Learning Design Principles listed on page 4 and 5 of the NMIT Learning Design Framework.

  Using the template worksheet below, make a list of the principles in order of their importance to YOU. Then fill in the other table cells by stating why this principle is important to you and how you might implement the principles in your learning activities.

• Learning Design Principles Template File 28.2KB
• 1.4 Approaches to Learning

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  Visit the website below and read the article. It summarises several of today's most common approaches to learning.

  As you read, reflect on the following:

  • What factors would govern the approach you took?
  • How would you gather information on learners to decide what approach to take?

  Note: another of the considerations for approaching learning design is how much 'blended learning' you will use. For more information on this see the next module on this site on Blended Learning.

• Learning Approaches URL
• 1.5 Course Goal and Objectives

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  For this task you will be creating the goal and objectives for a course.

  Steps:

  1. Choose one of your courses
  2. Course Goal: Think of the overall goal of your course (try to have just one, if possible), e.g. To provide students with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to be able to design engaging and effective learning experiences
  3. Course Objectives: Create a list of all the things your students should be able to understand and perform by the end of the course. Learning objective statements start with "By the end of the course the learners will..." e.g. 1. Become familiar with the Learning Design Framework, Learning Design Principles, and Quality Standards, 2. Apply this knowledge to the design of a course using effective practices
  4. Use the template below to create the course goal and objectives
• Goal and Objectives Template File 13.3KB
• 2. Assessment

• 2.1 Assessment Schedule

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  Fill out the template below for your course. It requires you to map your assessments to the course's learning outcomes as well as identify any opportunities for recognising transferable skills. View the example to help you understand how to complete the task.

  Remember that one assessment may cover more than one learning outcome so modify/adapt the worksheet as necessary. It is really just to be used as a catalyst for your assessment design.

  Once finished with the Assessment Worksheet, then complete the Assessment Schedule by using the template provided.

• Assessment Worksheet Example File 172.3KB
• Assessment Worksheet Template File 14.4KB
• Template Assessment Schedule File 12.5KB
• 2.2 Assessment Brief

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  For this task you are to write the detailed instructions for an assessment in your course.

  Steps:

  1. Download the Assessment Brief Template from below
  2. Using one of the assessments you have identified from the Assessment Schedule activity, fill out the template giving comprehensive instructions for the assessment tasks
• Assessment Brief Template File 13.8KB
• 3. Module Breakdown

• 3.1 Course Map

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  Create a course map for your course using the template provided. Use one page per week/session so you can build a timeline of activities and events.

  Note: you will be refining this map over the next few activities, so it's not essential to get this perfect at this stage.

  You will need a pen and four colours of post-it notes (the small size is fine).

  Steps:

  1. Download and print out multiple copies of the template (one per week/session)
  2. Number each each page with the corresponding week/session and lay them out on the floor or other large surface
  3. Place the post-it notes on the map templates using one colour per aspect, i.e. assessment, activities, resources and support, as well as filling in the 'topic' for each week (it is often best to start by placing the assessments in order of due date first as these are so important and then fill the other aspects in). The type of information you will write on the post-its are:
     1. 1. Start with Assessment: the names of the assessment tasks (according to your Assessment Schedule), due dates and when to alert students
        2. Activities: activity name/type (task, exercise, reading, video), links to assessment
        3. Resources: what resources will support the activities and assessments
        4. Support: what considerations for supporting students are needed, e.g. assessment reminder, technology training, opportunities to embed literacy and numeracy
• Course Map Template File 13.2KB
• 3.2 Module Breakdown

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  Use the results from your Course Map activity to fill out the module breakdown template below.

  You will notice that it contains similar fields to the course map, however there is a field added to allow you to spark discussion or reflection as well.

  The reason we want to transfer our course map information to this word document table is to be able to now save changes to the map digitally. This also allows us to share it easily if you are designing the course in a group. A collaborative tool like Office 365 or Google Docs is perfect for this work.

  We will be adding to the Module Breakdown in the next activities.

• Module Breakdown Template File 14.1KB
• 3.3 E-tivities

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  Read this excerpt from the Carpe Diem Workbook. It is a chapter on 'E-tivities'. E-tivities are activities that are designed especially for the online environment. This excerpt contains a number of considerations for creating e-tivities as well as a few example designs.

  This reading will be followed up with an activity using the e-tivity template.

• E-tivities Excerpt File 480.2KB
• 3.4 E-tivities Activity

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  Fill out the e-tivity template below using the previous reading and examples as a guide. Use one template per e-tivity.

  Update your Module Breakdown document as necessary as new ideas emerge. We will continue updating it in the next activity.

• E-tivity Template File 13.7KB
• 3.5 Resource Summary

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  Use the resource list template to help identify what resources (readings, videos, worksheets etc) you will need.

  Follow the questioning steps below to help guide your apporach to sourcing resources:

  1. Are there existing resources here here at NMIT that I can use or update?
  2. Are there any Open Educational Resources that I can use? (for more info on OER - contact FLiT)
  3. Are there any resources that I can have purchased for my course/programme or get the learners to buy?
  4. Do I need to create any new resources?
  5. How will I find time to create these resources?

  Update your Module Breakdown as necessary and save it. We will continue updating it in the next activity.

• Resource List Template File 12.9KB
• 3.6 Designing Support

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  Read through the document below. It uses the wellness model of Te Whare Tapa Wha as a framework for designing support for your learners. For each of the four cornerstones it asks seveal guiding questions. You don't have to answer all of them, but it is a useful guide to make sure you are keeping your learners' user experience to the fore.

  As you're reading and reflecting on the questions you may come up with ideas. Write them into your Module Breakdown document in the appropriate places.

• Te Whare Tapa Wha File 292.3KB
• Question Forum

• Learning Design Forum

  Use this forum to ask any questions you have about learning design and the learning design sequence. Also post any comments about things you'd like to see added to the toolkit.