scaffolding learning design

In my last post from the DEHub summit I'll cover what was a very interesting keynote by Diana Laurillard from the London Knowledge Lab on 'The critical role of teachers in optimising technologies for open learning'. Lots to cover in this one...

Diana introduced work on a new tool (starter kit) to support collaborative learning design. Strangely enough I had been describing something similar only weeks before but was totally at a loss how the technology would work, so I'm excited to see how the tool might be adapted for our work in VET.

Diana began by presenting some major challenges:

• the best people to take forward thinking in L&T are the practitioners themselves however time and funding are lacking and we are NOT going to get this from Governments
• lack of teacher training and confidence
• lack of senior staff involvement
• lack of reward
• need for documented case studies of good practice
• dislocation between research and practice
• top down strategies and policies are not followed through
• bottom up activity is plentiful but not improving - market driven by software companies and localised

So what to do about it?

• trust the professionals if we give them the right tools
• a middle out approach where we focus on supporting teachers as collaborating innovators
• a learning design support environment providing tools for design, development and sharing
• focus on an iterative loop to support innovation - sharing learning designs → innovating pedagogic patterns → evaluating learning designs → implementing courses → expanding knowledge of teaching and learning

The aim of the design tool was to:

• expand knowledge and encourage progression to new methods,
• encourage thinking outside the box,
• encourage reflection and sharing,
• enable teachers to build on the work of peers
• import existing 'pedagogical patterns' of good teaching - patterns of digital versions of what teachers do now
• model pedagogical and logistical benefits and disadvantages
• allow play and experimentation, testing in practice
• allow redesign and adaptation

To do this the form and content are separated; content is stripped out and the pedagogy/design/form is left - fill in the gaps style. Each teacher, regardless of field of study, takes, adapts, improves and gives back. teachers are able to create a new design or import one. A range of outcome categories are presented and a choice of L&T activities (simulations, discussions etc). All properties are editable and can be dragged/dropped onto a timeline and then resized by emphasis/ % of time. The design data is presented via pie charts on the types of learning (practice,inquiry,production,acquisition,discussion) and the implications on cost (staffing etc).

You can try out the draft tool here!

[CC FlickR image shared by Giant Ginkgo]