Nettles, D. E. (2014). Design concepts for eLearning. (See attached PowerPoint Slideshow). This PowerPoint slide show explores the Dynamic Instructional Design model as well as Teaching Sequencing, the Hierarchy of Objectives, and selecting Absorb, Do and Connect activities.

1. Design Concepts for
Learning
Presented by
David E. Nettles

2. 2
OBJECTIVES
 Define e-learning and examine varieties
 Explain e-learning and instructional design
 Discuss design perspectives and influences
 Align learning goals and objectives
 Examine various teaching sequences
 Analyze learning activities

3. DEFINITION
What is E-Learning?
There are several definitions for this term, but
in a general sense e-learning is…
“The use of electronic technologies to create
a learning experience.”
- William Horton, 2012, p. 1
3Horton, W. (2012). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons

4. VARIETIES
There are multiple forms of E-Learning. For example:
4
Standalone
• Classes taken by an individual learner
• Self-paced
• No interpersonal interaction
Games / Simulations
• Perform simulated activities
• Learning occurs through exploration /
discovery
• May incorporate real world or
hypothetical situations to build skill
Mobile Learning
• Learning on-the-go
• Aided by mobile devices (smartphones,
electronic notepads, etc.)
• Classroom environment may be
conventional or standalone
Social Learning
• Learning through interaction
• Thought sharing and collaboration using
online discussion, blogs, wikis, etc.
Virtual-classroom
• Online courses using formal structure
• Employs traditional learning activities
(e.g. reading, presentations)
• Format utilizes virtual classroom
software (e.g. WebEx)
• Standalone course
• Games / Simulations
• Mobile learning
• Social learning
• Virtual classroom

5. Design Development
The decision making process
(based on both large and small
questions)
Determines what the material
should help the learner to
accomplish
Governs how decisions will be
carried out
Selecting, organizing, and
specifying learning experiences
Construction of the course
materials and learning resources
CREATING AN EFFECTIVE E-LEARNING PROJECT HAS
TWO ELEMENTS
5

6. “Unless you get
instructional design
right, technology can
only increase the speed
and certainty of failure.”
- William Horton, 2011
There are many
instructional design
models such as the
Universal Design for
Learning (UDL), or the
Dynamic Instructional
Design (DID) model
shown here.
DESIGN
DYNAMIC INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
1. Know the Learners
2. State Your Objectives
3. Establish the Learning Environment
4. Identify Strategies
5. Select Technologies
6. Make a Summative Evaluation
SIX STEP PROCESS:
DID Model Graphic from Lever-Duffy, 2011, p. 52

7. “Good design makes all
the difference. Designing
e-learning requires more
than traditional
instructional design.”
- William Horton, 2011, p. 66
DESIGN
Design must be applied to all
units of E-learning…
Image from Horton, W. (2011). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons
Understanding these units is critical as
each level influences the design technique
(e.g. selection of activities, media, etc.).

8. The things that may have an influence on e-learning design
come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Consider these influential variables:
 Adult learning principles
 Complexity of objectives
 Budgetary constraints
 The audience
 Time
DESIGN INFLUENCES
8
For example, when selecting
the type of media to best
satisfy the overall goal of the
lesson, the decision is directly
influenced by both the power
and complexity of the format.
Image from Horton, W. (2011). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons

9. 9
Training is most effective when aligned with specific goals.
For example, if the company is suffering from low customer
satisfaction scores, the goal may be to improve those ratings by
X% over a defined period of time.
Training efforts aligned with this need help the company
perform better, while enhancing necessary employee skill sets
(e.g. communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, etc.).

10. 10
Design begins with a goal in
mind.
Consider:
Employee turnover affects
efficiency and profitability. Your
organization wants to retain high
performing employees as a
means to increase productivity.

11. 11
Design begins with a goal in
mind. Consider:
Employee turnover affects
efficiency and profitability.
Your organization wants to
retain high performing
employees as a means to
increase productivity.
The company goal is to increase
employee retention by 20% by
encouraging managers to cross
train staff to increase skill and
enhance career interest.
The problem is the managers
do not know how to delegate
tasks effectively.

12. Designing a Delegation Workshop for
the management staff that will
empower them to develop their team,
demonstrates goal alignment.
Course objectives act as milestones
(e.g. learning to determine what to
delegate and to whom), and are
intentionally designed to incrementally
enhance the manager’s skill to meet
the overall goal.
12
IDENTIFY TASKS
DETERMINE POTENTIAL
TEAM MEMBER
TEACH
COACH
DELEGATE

13. TEACHING SEQUENCES
Hierarchy of
Objectives
Once the lesson
objectives have
been identified,
the designer must
determine the
order in which
they are to be
accomplished.
This order establishes
the Hierarchy of
Objectives.
The teaching
sequence of these
objectives can be
established in one of
three ways depending
on the needs of the
learner(s).

14. TEACHING SEQUENCES
Sideways sequencing allows the learners to
explore the material independently, and to satisfy
any prerequisite information as it is discovered.
Horton, W. (2011). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons
Top Down
sequencing
assumes the
learner has the
basic concepts,
allowing them to
review essential
information as
needed.
Bottom Up
sequencing allows
the learner to obtain
fundamental
knowledge/skills in
order to understand
advanced concepts.
Hierarchy of
Objectives

15. SELECTING LEARNING ACTIVITIES
15
“Activities are necessary to provoke learning experiences.”
- William Horton, 2011, p. 66
To accomplish the established learning objectives, learners
typically require three kinds of activities:
Learners absorb
knowledge by
reading, observing,
or listening
Physical activities
that build skill and
reinforce the
learning objectives
Learners connect
the learning with
real world
performance

16. SELECTING LEARNING ACTIVITIES
16
Learning activities also enhance the learning event by
incorporating multiple learning intelligences.
Using activities related to interpersonal skills, math and
logic, music, language, spatial relations, self-reflection, the
natural world, or physical activity substantially increases
positive learning outcomes.
Well designed activities enhance
comprehension, retention, and the
ability to build skill.

17. STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
Reference
Armstrong, T. (2009). Multiple intelligences in the classroom (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. B. (2011). Dynamic Instructional Design Model Graphic retrieved from
Teaching and learning with technology (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. B. (2011). Teaching and learning with technology (4th ed.). New York:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Horton, W. (2011). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons
Smith, P. L., & Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional design (3rd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-
Bass.