An overview of learning design theory

1. LEARNING DESIGN FOR ONLINE
AND BLENDED LEARNING
Kate Molloy
CELT
NUI Galway
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

2. WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR?
• Staff teaching online or blended modules, or
planning to, and need some guidance to get
started.
• Staff that have taught online for a number of years,
but are looking for a fresh approach.
• New staff looking to begin teaching in an innovative
way.

3. WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
• Available technologies
• An introduction to
learning design
• Activities:
• A1: How to ruin a
course
• A2: Course features
• A3: Personas
• A4: Forums, blogs and
wikis
• A5: Resource audit
• A6: Course map
• A7: Activity profile
• A8: Story board
• A9: Evaluation

4. INTRODUCTIONS AND DISCUSSION
• What are the most prominent technologies that have
emerged in the past thirty years, and how have they
shaped teaching and learning?

5. WHAT TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU?
Within the VLE:
• Meeting
rooms/chat/communication
tools
• Video
• Assessment and feedback
tools
• Tests/surveys/polls
• Journals/blogs/wikis/discussi
on boards
• Groups
• Audio/images/video files
• Links to external content
Outside the VLE?
• Domain of One’s Own
• Other tools

6. WHAT IS LEARNING DESIGN?
• Pedagogically informed
• Use of appropriate technologies

7. THEORIES & FRAMEWORKS
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash

8. Critical Digital Pedagogy
Because digital environments provide more
mystery than answers, inquiry into how to teach
online is key—and not just how to load up
content into an LMS, but how to reach students,
how to create rigorous, invigorating discussions,
how to build opportunities for peer-driven
learning, how to grow academics in that space,
how to incorporate those more boundary-
pushing pedagogies into digital teaching.
Teaching online and in hybrid spaces must be
considered an academic field in itself; it is an
academic pursuit. Digital teaching and learning
scholarship.
Sean Michael Morris

9. TPACK FRAMEWORK
1. Teaching with technology is a difficult
thing to do well. The TPACK framework
suggests that content, pedagogy,
technology, and teaching/learning
contexts have roles to play individually
and together. Teaching successfully with
technology requires continually creating,
maintaining, and re-establishing a
dynamic equilibrium among all
components. It is worth noting that a
range of factors influences how this
equilibrium is reached.
Koehler & Mishra

10. THE 7CS OF LEARNING DESIGN
http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-distance-research-
alliance/7Cs-toolkit
1. Conceptualise
2. Create
3. Communicate
4. Collaborate
5. Consider
6. Combine
7. Consolidation

11. TO ACCESS THE TOOLKIT…
Visit http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-
distance-research-alliance/7Cs-toolkit to access the full
toolkit

12. OBJECTIVES FOR THIS WORKSHOP
• Apply learning design processes to existing
modules;
• Assess the pedagogical features of tools you
might use in your modules;
• Carefully consider the learner in your design;
• Justify your chosen module features in a course
map;
• Use your course map to design your new
modules.

13. A1: HOW TO RUIN A COURSE
• For discussion in your groups:
How can you ruin a module for your learners?
• Find e-tivity at: http://goo.gl/d9Quy

14. A2. COURSE FEATURES
What we want
Minor
features
What we
don’t want
• Using the pedagogical features cards in front of you,
label your flipchart paper with the following headings
and sort the cards into the appropriate category:
OULDI Pedagogical Features Card Sort:
http://jiscdesignstudio.pbworks.com/w/page/47937543
/OULDI%20-
%20Pedagogical%20features%20card%20sort
Find full e-tivity at: http://goo.gl/dCeDg

15. A2. COURSE FEATURES
• The pedagogical features cards contain the following
categories:
• Guidance and Support (Orange)
• Content and Experience (Blue)
• Communication and Collaboration (Green)
• Reflection and Demonstration (Purple)

16. A2. COURSE FEATURES
• Let’s have a look at the options for assessment within
the VLE. Do any of these match the pedagogical
features chosen for your module?

17. A3: PERSONAS
• Take some time in your group to outline the learning
persona for your students in this module.
• Learning Design – Personas: http://www.ld-
grid.org/resources/representations-and-
languages/personas
• Visit www.allaboardhe.ie for interactive lessons on
using the VLE for students and many basic digital
skills necessary for success in third level education
and beyond.

18. A6: COURSE MAP
• Using the Course Map document, outline your course
map under the four categories on the flipchart sheets
provided.
• Find e-tivity at:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-
distance-research-alliance/7Cs-toolkit/archived-7cs-
resources/course-map-
resources/Course%20Map%20MS%20Word%20forma
t.docx/view

19. CONCLUSIONS AND QUESTIONS
• How can you adopt these processes when designing
your modules?
• Are there any other ways in which you could use these
resources?
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

20. REFERENCES
• Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical
content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher
Education, 9(1). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/volume-9/issue-1-
09/general/what-is-technological-pedagogicalcontent-knowledge
• Molloy, K. (2018). Getting Started with Teaching Blended or Online Modules.
[online] Learntechgalway.blogspot.ie. Available at:
https://learntechgalway.blogspot.ie/2018/03/getting-started-with-teaching-
blended.html [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].
• Morris, S. (2018). Critical Digital Pedagogy and Design. [online] Available at:
http://www.seanmichaelmorris.com/critical-digital-pedagogy-and-design/
[Accessed 16 Mar. 2018].
• The 7Cs of Learning Design Toolkit — University of Leicester. [online]
Available at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/oer/oers/beyond-distance-
research-alliance/7Cs-toolkit [Accessed 27 Aug. 2017].