Defining Learning Design and Technology
Learning Design and Technology is the creation of instructional materials to educate learners based on up-to-date research of learning theory and the needs of the client, through current and emerging technologies, which is the means of delivering the materials in formats that meet the needs of the target learners.
The following are further explanations of the phrases above. Creating instructional materials is the process of developing, reviewing, evaluating, and revising the materials that will provide the information and practice needed by the learners. It is vital for a Learning Designer to stay up-to-date on current research of learning theory so materials are created based on best practices. Basing the instructional materials on the needs of the client is fulfilling the duties that the Learning Designer was hired to accomplish. Incorporating current and emerging technologies requires a life-long pursuit of studying new technologies. Assessment of the target audience, combined with knowledge of learning styles, accessibility needs, and the application of related technologies, is key to delivering the materials in a format that meets the needs of the target learners.
A critical part of my definition is using formats that meet the needs of the target learners. According to Wagner (2011), during Wagner’s work as a commercial instructional designer many of the stakeholders really didn’t care about learning. This reveals a potential hurdle to my future role as an instructional designer. I will either need to choose a client who cares about learning or I will need to be aware that extra effort will be required to demonstrate that caring about learning will obtain the results that they are ultimately desiring.
Wagner (2011) gives several definitions of Instructional Design and, while they resonated with me as a whole, a surprising phrase in the article was, “We used to look more like psychologists than artists, scripters or programmers, but that balance has shifted. ID must work with technology tools, because so much of today's learning and performance support is enabled / managed / distributed via technology.” Wagner appears to make this statement about technology in a negative sense, but I see the incorporation of technology as a massive benefit. The ability to use technology not only allows companies to educate learners across the globe via a consistent and standard means, but also allows them to engage and educate learners with a variety of learning styles and abilities.
Gronseth et al. (2020) made a statement that will become my new motto, “...the notion of an ‘average’ learner is a misnomer, and learner diversity (rather than uniformity) is actually the norm.” I find this to be an encouragement as I do not feel like an ‘average’ learner. Instructional Designers use empathy to understand target learners’ experiences and the information in Table 1 of the Non-Exhaustive List of Potential Considerations, Barriers, and Supports (Gronseth et al., 2020) is a fantastic jumping off point for a list of resources that I will continue to compile and put to use. Individuality in learning styles, as noted by Kolb (2015), is also impactful in the learning process.
The image below represents my definition of learning design. This is an image of the tools that I use to exercise, but they represent more than tools. They represent providing options to honor my mind and my body on a daily basis. Every day I ask myself, “what do my body and mind need to exercise today?” Only some exercises work for my body and mind, so I have learned which they are and which tools are needed. But on different days, my body needs different things. Some days my body needs slow stretching on my yoga mat, some days my muscles need a workout with resistance, some days my legs need a long walk. And on different days my mind needs different things. Some days my mind needs fresh air, some days it needs a checklist of movements to do at my own pace, some days it needs an instructor on video conferencing to keep me on task. Compiling all of these options and tools allows me to choose what my body and mind need on a daily basis. As I go through this process, I tweak my options and tools depending on the weather and my season of life and taking into account reflections of successes and hindrances.
In the same way, different learners will need a variety of options to account for accessibility needs, learning styles, and minds and bodies needing different options on different days. As an Instructional Designer, it is my goal to continually learn about and reflect on a plethora of learning design tools in order to provide learners with options that meet their needs.
References:
Kolb, D. (2015). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (2nd ed.). Pearson Education, Inc. (Original work published 1984)
Gronseth, S. Michela, E. & Oluchi Ugwu, L. (2020). Designing for Diverse Learning, Design for Learning: Principles, Processes, and Praxis. https://edtechbooks.org/id/designing_for_diverse_learners
Wagner, E. (2011). Essay: In search of the secret handshakes of ID. The Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 1(1), 33-37. www.jaidpub.org
