What is learning design?
A learning design map for the RPET project.
This month the Learning Café topic is "Learning Design - is it delivering the promise?" The basic premise is that learning design in the corporate world is underachieving. In the corporate world of learning I haven't heard much talk about learning design. The focus is more on instructional design and a few clients talk about program design. Back when I worked more in the VET sector there was a lot more talk about Learning Design because there was a focus on encouraging to move the teachers away from content transmission and focusing on words on pages to blended, active experiences. At Sprout Labs we talk about both instructional design and learning design. One of the main frameworks we use is Ron Oliver's learning design framework.
To be honest I don't see a lot of what I call learning design happening in corporate learning, and I think this is to do with a lack of skills and understanding about what learning design is. In the table below I have outlined a comparison between Instructional Design and Learning Design. Often what is called "best practice instructional design" is actually learning design.
Instructional design as we all know it now |
Learning design (or what instructional design could be) |
Designs courses |
Designs learning experiences |
Has a background in technical writing or face to face training |
Has a background in learning expertise |
Focuses on screen design and the words on the screen |
Focuses on learning activities |
Often a single mode of delivery eg online or a workbook or a face to face course |
Complex blends of modes that are right for the learners and business outcomes |
Information design |
Interaction design |
Design storyboards |
Designs learner stories, process maps, storyboards, facilitation plans |
Inspired by other learning experiences |
Inspired by trans-media story telling and game design |
Social learning is seen as new |
Social learning is at the core of every learning design |
Focus on learning outcomes |
Focus on performance outcomes and competencies |
Talks about the content to be delivered |
Talks about activities the learner will be doing |
Designs multiple choice quizzes based on recalling knowledge |
Designs complex scenarios where the learner has to solve real problems |
Converts face to face courses to online courses |
Transforms face to face courses into blended learning experiences |
Hands over storyboards for someone else to develop |
Actively involved in developing the program |
Talks about alpha and beta stages of projects |
Use agile project methodologies and works in an iterate way |
Learning projects that aim to save money and time |
Learning projects that focus on effective learning change and business outcomes |