Welcome to Week 2! This week will be exploring foundational learning theories as well as learning design. The learning theories will lay the groundwork and the focus on learning design is all about what it means to intentionally plan learning experiences, not just deliver content. The foundational readings walk you through how learning design starts with well-articulated learning outcomes and then connects activities, assessments, and resources in a meaningful way. You’ll explore planning frameworks and constructive alignment – the basics in ensuring everything in a course works together holistically. You’ll be introduced to the web annotation tool, hypothes.is (strongly encouraged, but not required) as we work through and consider open conversations on the topics under exploration. By the end of the week, you should have a better sense of how good learning design helps learners stay engaged and succeed, especially in online and technology-mediated environments.

Here is your list of ‘to do’s’ to complete prior to next Monday, May 25th

  • Double check you have completed everything you needed to do in Week 1 – especially as it relates to blogs and getting into your learning pod groups! Students who have not signed up for a learning pod by Tuesday, May 19th will be randomly assigned to a group so please do this step.
  • Watch the Week 2 Instructor Video on Brightspace – linked in Week 2 announcement
  • Keep up with any announcements on BOTH Teams and Brightspace
  • Read the ‘Learning Theories’ post on the course blog.
  • Craft your Blog Post 1 and cite any resources used as soon as possible (deadline was May 18th but with the blog issues we have been experiencing, don’t worry about being alte. Make sure you submit your blog post link via the Blog Post #1 drop box folder in Brightspace.
  • Read the Blueprint assignment, and another page with some further clarification.
  • In your learning pods, chat about your blueprint assignment and discuss your response to the blog prompt. Please comment on the blog posts of one of your peers – your learning pod members are a good place to start with this. Try to aim to share feedback on the posts of one or two other classmates each time we blog. Create a separate post for all of these comments on your own blog and hyperlink back to the original authors for easy tracking (you will be asked to submit this “Comments post” as evidence of this aspect of the grade.
  • Read the post “What is Learning?”
  • Read the post “Designing Learning,” including Chapter 21 (‘Using the First Principles of Instruction to Make Instruction Effective, Efficient, and Engaging’) of Foundations of learning and Instructional Design Technology
  • Read the post “Planning Frameworks”
  • Read the post “Learning Outcomes“
  • Read the post “Constructive Alignment“