Edited by
H. Beetham and R. Sharpe (2013)
Completely
reworked edition. The first edition which was a seminal and ‘must-read’ for any
educational developer, has been completely updated with brand new chapters. A
few chapters are ‘updates’ but they contain new ideas, more pertinent to the
present educational context. As with the previous edition, the authors are
mainly based in Australia or the UK.
After forewords
(to the second and first editions) by Diana Laurillard and the introduction,
the chapters in the book are organised into two parts with part three offering
resources in the appendices.
Introduction
The editors
lay out the overall premises of the book with regards to defining pedagogy, the
influences of the ‘digital age’ on teaching and learning and a rationale for
the importance of undertaking effective design for learning. The chapters in
the book are very briefly overviewed.
Part 1 –
principles and practices of designing
1)
Technology-enhanced
learning (TEL): the role of theory (T. Mayes & S. de Freitas)
The rationale for requiring ‘theory’ is put forward. Then the three main
contemporary perspectives on learning are summarised. These are the
associationist, cognitivist and situative (Community of practice / group
levels) perspectives and how they may be applied into TEL are discussed.
Appendix 1 summarises the perspectives.
2)
Designing
for active learning in technology-rich contexts (H. Beetham)
The different theories applying to learning are reviewed in the context
of TEL. These different approaches to understanding how people learn include:
authenticity of activity, structure of learning, the application of learning
towards retention/reproduction or reflection/internalization, roles and
significance of others and the locus of control. Learning activities are
defined as the nexus between learning environment, learning objectives, the
learner and others. The need to design learning to meet learning outcomes and
learners’ contexts and needs are summarised. The role of TEL in helping to
provide learning activities that may assist learning with others, discovery
learning, developing and sharing ideas, collecting, gathering, recording or
editing (content, learning) and solving problems and developing techniques.
3)
The
analysis of complex learning environments (P. Goodyear & L. Carvalho)
Important not to put focus on devices but the ‘ecologies and networks’ where
learning will take place. Suggest Actor Network Theory as one approach to
understand complex learning environments. Recommends importance of designing
learning which is based around the design of good learning tasks which are
cognisant of the social and physical settings the learning task is to be
undertaken in and that the learning needs to work fluently across macro, meso
and micro levels of learnin
4)
The
challenge of teachers’ design practice (L. Masterman)
This chapter recommends the importance of ensuring teachers, and
especially the study of teachers’ design practice, are part of the design
process. One reason is to ensure learning design is applicable. The other is to
inform the development of digital tools, heuristics or computer assisted
process, for the purposes of learning design.
5)
Tools
and resources to guide practice (G. Conole)
I have attended a few presentations on the some of the tools proposed in
this chapter. The ‘tools’ are however, quite complex and do require a ‘learning
by doing’ approach before the potentialities can become useful. The main
attribute of these tools, is that they allow the visualisation of courses /
programmes which may be complex, opening up options for better understanding the
underlying structures of the learning design and their corresponding influences
on students’ learning. As with all tools, it is important to understand
conceptualisations. Otherwise, it is just a tool that produces lots of pretty
flowcharts! This chapter provides overviews on each the most used tools along
with discussion on pros and cons.
6)
Describing
ICT-based learning designs that promote quality learning outcomes (R. Oliver,
B. Harper, S. Wills, S. Agostino & J.G. Hedberg)
Provides a series of examples of to allow learning designs to be
visualised and shared. Especially useful when learning designers work with
subject-matter experts collaboratively on laying out the framework for the
learning design of a programme. 4 types of design are discussed, rule based,
incident based, strategy based and role based learning design with examples
provided.
7)
Learning
designs as a stimulus and support for teachers’ design practices (S. Agostino,
S. Bennett, L. Lockyer, J. Jones and B. Harper)
Follows on from the previous chapter of ‘what could happen next’ with
the various learning designs developed. Proposes learning designs evolution can
be supported by shared understandings from initial work and collaborative work
to clarify and innovative beyond the initial design foundations.
8)
Representing
practitioner experiences through learning designs and patterns (P. McAndrew
& P. Goodyear)
Offers alternative to the learning designs and ideas presented in
previous two chapters. A short chapter discussing challenges – how to better
describe learning tools, how to circumvent difficulties in creating designs
etc. Proposes the use of ‘learning patterns’ as a means.
9)
The
influence of open resources on design practice (C. Pegler)
Defines OER – open educational resources – and their contribution to
learning design. Provides details on the 6 Creative Commons open licences for
OER and examples of courses developed with OER resources.
Part 2 –
designing for learning in context – provides 8 chapters to provides examples of
how to apply the principles in Part 1.
Part 3 – there are 9 appendices.
Overall, the book is pitched at learning
designers, rather than teachers. Core understanding of learning design
principles before reading the book will produce dividends. The book is also an
example of how quickly the TEL field moves. Although underpinned by current
understandings of learning, the discussions on TEL in the book show how there
are many different ways to approach TEL. Contextualisation is one key to ensuring TEL meets learning needs of students and discipline specific needs of teachers. Using learning design templates provides for a means to not have to continually 'reinvent the wheel'.
