1. OLI Course Design &
Learning Principles

2. Why a “learner-centered” approach?
Learning results from what the student does and
thinks and only from what the student does and
thinks. The teacher can advance learning only by
influencing what the student does to learn (Herb
Simon, 2001).
It’s not teaching that causes learning. Attempts by
the learner to perform cause learning, dependent
upon the quality of feedback and opportunities to
use it (Grant Wiggins, 1993).

3. Data on student thinking is critical
to effective instruction … example
Which problem type is most difficult for Algebra students?
Story Problem
As a waiter, Ted gets $6 per hour. One night he made $66 in tips
and earned a total of $81.90. How many hours did Ted work?
Word Problem
Starting with some number, if I multiply it by 6 and then add 66, I get
81.90. What number did I start with?
Equation
x * 6 + 66 = 81.90

4. Algebra Student Results:
Story Problems are Easier!
80%
70%
61%
Percent Correct
60%
42%
40%
20%
0%
S tory W ord Equation
Problem Representation

5. The Expert’s Blind Spot
Expert intuitions about student difficulties are
often wrong, systematically biased
100
90
80
70
% Making 60
Correct 50
Ranking 40
(which
problems 30
hardest) 20
10
0
Elementary Middle School High School
Teachers Teachers Teachers
Nathan, M.J. & Koedinger, K.R. (2000). Teacher’s and researchers beliefs of early algebra
development. Journal of Mathematics Education Research, 31(2), 168-190

6. The Course Design Triangle
Objectives
Descriptions of what students
should be able to do at the end
of the course
Assessments
Tasks that provide
feedback on students’
knowledge and skills
Instructional Activities
Contexts and activities that foster
students’ active engagement in
learning 6

7. The Triangle Exemplified
Learning Objective … the students should be able
to write a clear topic sentence
Categorize example sentences
Instructional Activities Revise poor examples
Practice at writing topic
sentences
Generate a clear topic
Assessment sentence for a new topic 7

8. Using The Course Design Triangle
To Guide CC-OLI Design
Objectives
Student Centered & Measurable
Applicable in Many Community
Colleges
Assessments
Opportunities to learn
Support monitoring of learning
Affordances of OLI technology Activities
Principles of Learning
Multi-Media Design Principles
Affordances of OLI technology
8

9. The Principles
From the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/principles/learning.html

10. A Quick Detour
User Experience Matters
• Interfaces can get in the way of learning
• Tools need a purpose – technology should
play a supporting role

11. Practice and Feedback
Goal-directed practice and targeted feedback are critical to
learning.
Practice that is...
• directed toward a specific level of performance
• continually monitored
• informed by previous feedback
Feedback that is...
• related to performance criteria
• timely, frequent and constructive
• linked to opportunities for further practice

12. OLI MiniTutors
• Goal-directed practice and targeted feedback are critical to
learning

13. Organization
The way students organize knowledge determines how they use it
Can facilitate retrieval and use of knowledge and further learning when...
• knowledge is organized around meaningful principles
• relationships between and among concepts are clear
• knowledge includes conditions and contexts for use
Can interfere when knowledge is...
• fragmented or disconnected
• linked inappropriately (causal, correlational)
• missing conditions and contexts for use

14. Big Picture
The way students organize knowledge determines how they use it.

15. Mastery
Students only learn what they practice, so they must
• practice component skills and knowledge
• practice synthesizing skills
• practice when and how to apply knowledge and skills
otherwise students will unable to transfer them to a new context

16. StatTutor
• The way students organize knowledge determines how they use it.
• Goal-directed practice and targeted feedback are critical to learning.
• Mastery involves developing component skills and knowledge, and
synthesizing and applying them appropriately.

17. Principles of E-Learning
1. Multimedia
2. Contiguity
3. Coherence
4. Modality
5. Redundancy
6. Personalization
Clark, R. & Mayer, R., e-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven
Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning, 2005

18. Principles of E-Learning
Resources:
oli.cmu.edu (especially after June 7)
youtube.com/cmuoli
@cmuoli
@NormanBier
@BillJerome
@JohnRinderle
Clark, R. & Mayer, R., e-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven
Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning, 2005