Slides presented at the International Blended Learning Conference 2012 in UK. For an abstract of the presentation see the conference handbook at: http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/intranet/lti.nsf/0/5E3F2AD8DB04B3B880257A370051AA0F/$FILE/IBLC%202012%20delegate%20brochure.pdf

1. Designed Learning and the
Learning Design Problem
Space
Simon Cross
The Open University
14 June 2012
1

2. OULDI-JISC Project
Workshop
participants
200
+
50OU staff
interviewed
9Pilots across
5 Universities
4000
Cloudworks website:
Registered users
100
Survey responses
700
Evaluation & Research
reporting totalling
over
pages
Downloads of
CompendiumLD
Resources and
OULDI design cards
24+
Personal
narratives
+
2
+
Lotsof

3. What is meant by ‘learning design’?
Artefact
(representation)
Process
(how activities
are organised)
Practice
(a way of working
a disciplining)
Designed
Learning
Designer perspective Student perspective
3

4. A. Later stages
rely on well
understood
problem space
• Define
• Research
• Ideate
• Prototype
• Select
• Implement
• Learn
Seven steps
to a good design
Process (Ambrose & Harris, 2010)
4

5. B. Challenge
and change
‘in an attempt to use some of my
new H800 learning I am attempting to
change my existing traditional (read
boring) [sic] lessons to ones which
involve the use of a wiki. Based on an
idea by a [colleague] I’ve produced
a compendium[LD] design which I
submit to the Cloudworks community’
OULDI-JISC Project Evaluation
Report (forthcoming)
5

6. C. Better
understood
and articulated
designs
‘Traditional architectural studies
teaching is based on the
notion that successful design
solutions and learning are
a direct outcome of the extent to
which the design problem
space is explored’ (Wang, 2010)
NOVICE
DESIGNERS
EXPERT
DESIGNERS
Vs
‘[the rush to embodiment limits] the
creative search space due to [offering]
limited understanding of the substantive
issues relating to the design. It can be
argued that they lack an appropriately
comprehensive methodology or thinking
tool for mapping these complex ynamically
interrelated issues’ (Koktovich, 2008)
6

7. C. Better
understood
and articulated
designs
‘The greater the number of quality design issues a
designer develops the greater the opportunity for the
clear articulation of complex dynamic interrelationships
between design issues. This has implications for the
design process in that a detailed analysis and
subsequent understanding of a design problem could
offer greater opportunities for more creative and
considered solutions’ (Koktovich, 2008)
Findings (1)
7

8. C. Better
understood
and articulated
designs
Findings (2)
‘’The greater number of clearly articulated themes/issues
[raised] in the early stages of the [process], the greater the
probability the final design proposal will be determined as
being creative’
When designers are able to articulate relationships between
design Issues they are ‘better prepared to present highly
regarded reasoned analysis of their final design proposal’
(Koktovich, 2008)
8

9. What does the Design Problem
Space look like?
9
…one space

10. the Lattice design problem space
10
…a tool to frame exploration in the problem setting phase

11. 11

12. 12

13. 1
1. Learning design perspective
13

14. 2 Social-cultural perspective1
2. Social-Cultural Perspective
14

15. 3
Assessment perspective
1
3. Assessment
15

16. 4
Instructional design perspective
1
4. Instructional Design perspective
16

17. 6
Management perspective
1
5. Management views
18

18. 7
Evidencing design
1
6. Evidencing design
19

19. 9
Authentic learning
1
7. Authentic learning
21

20. 9
Authentic learning
1
…a tool to frame exploration in the problem setting phase
22

21. Using the framework for evaluating design tools1
Using the Lattice Framework for Evaluating Design Tools
23

22. Artefact
(representation)
Process
(how activities
are organised)
Practice
(a way of working
a disciplining)
Designed
Learning
Designer perspective Student perspective
24

23. Conclusions
Understanding the problem – the design problem
space is important
Lattice framework provides a visualisation of the
problem space based on a variety of perspectives
Those involved in Learning and Curriculum Design
can use this to guide them in their research and
problem setting
The framework can also define the criteria for
evaluating effectiveness of tools in respect to
supporting early stages of course design
1
2
3
4
25

24. Simon’s blog www.latestendeavour.com
OULDI website ouldi.open.ac.uk
Dr Simon Cross
The Open University
s.j.cross@open.ac.uk
END