A presentation about using Learning Design to support volunteering-style activities, such as the PACE program at Macquarie University

1. Learning Design and
Volunteering
James Dalziel
Professor of Learning Technology &
Director, Macquarie E-Learning Centre Of Excellence (MELCOE)
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
james@melcoe.mq.edu.au
www.melcoe.mq.edu.au
Recorded presentation for ALTC National Teaching Fellowship

2. Background
• Recorded presentation to accompany main Learning
Design workshop recordings for ALTC National
Teaching Fellowship
– See 3 Workshop recordings, and 2 Larnaca Declaration
recordings at http://www.slideshare.net/jdalziel71
– Learning Design context and Larnaca Declaration
• Reflections on using Learning Design for Volunteering
– PACE at Macquarie & Australian Volunteers International
– Online training for volunteering unlike LMS structures
– Re-use/adaptation of Learning Designs and volunteering

3. Learning Design
Learning Design
Learning
Design
Conceptual
Map
(LD-CM)
Learning
Design
Framework
(LD-F)
Learning
Design
Practice
(LD-P)
The Larnaca Declaration on Learning Design:
New Definitions for the future of the field
See www.larnacadeclaration.org for document

4. Challenge
Creating learning experiences aligned to particular pedagogical approaches and learning objectives
Teaching Cycle
Educational Philosophy
Level of Granularity
All pedagogical approaches
All disciplines
Program
Theories & Methodologies
Module
A range based on assumptions
about the Learning Environment
Session
Learning Environment:
Characteristics & Values
Learning Activities
External Agencies Institution
Educator Learner
Core Concepts of Learning Design
Guidance
Representation
Sharing
Implementation
Tools
Resources
Learner Responses
Feedback
Assessment
Learner Analytics
Evaluation

5. Learning Design and Volunteering
• Macquarie University has implemented “PACE”
(Professional and Community Engagement) program as
one of the pillars of the undergraduate experience
• “PACE units foster professional and community
engagement by enabling students to work with partner
organisations in a range of workplace activities as part
of their degree. PACE activities are similar to:
– internships
– practicums
– field trips with a partnership component
– community service and learning
– community development and/or research projects”

6. Learning Design and Volunteering
• PACE includes local, regional and international
activities
– PACE activities tend to have a different structure to a typical 13
week unit
• While a LMS can be used for online aspects of PACE
(or similar) activities, the “course page” structure isn’t
always well suited
• By contrast, Learning Design, because it focuses on
just a single set of activities, can be more appropriate,
as the online component for a PACE task can be one
(or more) sequences of online activities
– Without the need for a unit page with a dropbox, email, etc

7. Learning Design and Volunteering
• The different online needs of volunteering vs traditional
units was more pronounced for Australian Volunteers
International, who support programs like PACE and
others
• AVI does not really have any structure equivalent to a
“unit” or “course”, so a typical LMS course page
structure can seem quite out of place
• Whereas a one or more Learning Designs, each
accessible via a URL, is more flexible to add to project
co-ordination pages, such as a blog or wiki

8. Learning Design and Volunteering
• A second benefit of Learning Design for Volunteering
arises from the ease of re-use and adaptation of
Learning Designs
• In many cases, similar online training or support
materials are used across multiple groups and multiple
projects
– Often with only small changes, eg, slight policy changes for
different contexts
• The ease of re-using and editing Learning Designs
support rapid creation/adapting/updating of online
support/training materials

9. Example of re-usable Learning Design for Project preparation

10. Example of re-usable Learning Design for country visit

11. Conclusion
• Learning Design can be particularly appropriate for
online training for volunteering-style activities
• Avoids the constraints of a typical LMS course page
• Support easy re-use and adaptation of training
materials
– More suitable for contexts with many projects with small
variations in training requirements