eLA 101 Online Course Building Philosophy

We believe that the development of any eLearning project, whether large or small, should be a consultative process.  As we work collaboratively with you on your project, we’ll check in with you, at a minimum, at these points in the project: 
 

1. While we are gathering the requirements of the project,

2. When a proposal is completed,

3. After some initial work is conducted to make sure we are on the right track, and

4. When the project is complete and its time for you to review and provide feedback. 

In general, starting with the end in mind is a good rule of thumb.  All learning materials (text, media, activities, and assessments) should relate to the intended outcomes.  The most appropriate instructional strategies, grounded in the theory of learning and cognition, should be reviewed and selected in order to accomplish each learning outcome. 

We believe that the principles of andragogy are applicable to most online and adult learning environments, and that good instructional design facilitates active and self-directed learning, both of which are important to adult learners. 

The electronic delivery of learning material should not become an impediment to the innovative use of multimedia and active learning.  Conversely, over-use or misuse of multimedia “bells and whistles”, while initially eye-catching, can actually become distractions to learners.

Some of the theorists and practitioners in learning and adult learning theory who have most impacted our philosophy of instructional design are: 

·         Malcolm S. Knowles – initial contributor to the theory of andragogy

·         Mayer and Moreno – pioneers of the 6 principles for effective design of multimedia

·         Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory

·         Chickering and Ehrmann – developed principles of effective learning environments

·         Howard Gardner – developed the theory of multiple intelligences

·         Bloom’s Taxonomy – proposes six levels of learning, culminating in higher-order thinking

eLA’s Instructional Design Principles: 

Constructivism – the experiences, knowledge, and skills that a learner brings to the learning environment is an important factor that affects how the learner assimilates, interprets, and applies new learning. 

Relevance – Relevance of the content is important to adults because they not only seek personal growth, they require that learning be applicable and beneficial to them professionally.  Learning materials should focus on time on task and should allow learners to progress in the most efficient manner possible.

Learning Styles – It is important to present material in a manner that utilizes different cognitive and sensory inputs to ensure that all learners will be engaged and challenged by the learning materials.

Organization – learning material should be presented in manageable portions (typically in 10-15 minute segments), in a logical sequence that builds upon prior learning.  eLearning and self-directed learning environments require particular attention to intuitive interfaces and overt navigational cues.

Assessment - The attention and focus of learners are most often driven by the assessments utilized, rather than the intended goals of learning.  Therefore, the assessments must relate to specific learning outcomes, and a variety of types and levels of assessment should be employed.  Expectations and criteria for assessments should be made apparent to learners.

Innovation and Individuality – Although there are best practices and guidelines that are often helpful when developing an online course or any learning environment, these should never limit academic freedom or innovation in the methods of presenting information, interacting with students, and assessing their learning. 

References

University of Mississippi School of Education Website.  Bloom's Taxonomy (2003).  Retrieved April 23, 2004, from http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/educ_school2/docs/stai_manual/manual10.htm

Chickering, A.W., & Ehrmann, S.C., (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. Retrieved April 14, 2004 from http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. Tenth Anniversary Edition with new introduction, New York: BasicBooks, 1993.

Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in action: Applying modern principles of adult education. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Mayer, R.E., & Moreno, R., (n.d). A cognitive theory of multimedia learning: Implications for design principles. Retrieved June 12, 2005, from http://www.unm.edu/~moreno/PDFS/chi.pdf

Palomba, C.A., and Banta, T. W., (1999) Assessment Essentials, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. In Cognitive Science, 12, 257-285.