Back in 2005, Gráinne Conole and Karen Fill developed a learning design toolkit. Conole and Fill were concerned that, despite the increasing use in society of “Information and Communication Technologies” (as people used to refer to our connected world), educators weren’t embracing the opportunities of e-learning to enrich the student experience. Their learning design toolkit was intended to guide teachers through the process of creating “pedagogically informed learning activities which make effective use of appropriate tools and resources”.

In the 12 years since their learning design toolkit was developed, technology has continued to improve steadily – but I’d argue that learning design has failed to keep up. Perhaps a new JISC publication will go some way towards improving matters. Their new online guide to technology-enhanced curriculum design – Designing learning and assessment in a digital age – collates the most significant R&D outputs over the past decade in curriculum and learning design in a digital context. It also includes examples of good practice.

The guide is based on a model with four elements:

  • Discover – understanding of where you are now, and what you want to happen
  • Dream – your vision for what learning, teaching and assessment could be like
  • Design – understanding precisely who you are designing for and the pedagogic purposes that are appropriate to those students
  • Deliver – creating the right environment and culture for high-quality digital learning and assessment

If you are interested in learning design in a digital context then I can recommend reading the guide. Whatever your level of proficiency, you’ll be sure to find something to take away!

 

 

The discover, dream, design deliver model with improving student outcomes at the centre
©Jisc

 

 

Feature image: JISC Learning Design Toolkit by Graninne Conole and Karen Fill is licensed  under CC BY-NC-ND