Definition of Learning/Instructional Design and Technology

Learning Design is meant to be a process in which a master crafter creates a structure or module that not only engages the learner, but also teaches them a skill or an idea in a way that suits their needs. The goal is to make sure the student has the ability to eventually work independently or master the skill on their own. Learning Design is meant to be a constructive and informative path for someone to follow that houses all the knowledge they could need to be successful in the real world. A few key phrases to remember are; learning should be engaging and accessible. 

In order to meet the growing demand for online learning, technology is essential when designing almost any learning in a post pandemic world. Learning Design in the past might have included little to no technology or in some fields it’s claimed to require fully in person. The pandemic has shown us that almost any field or craft can integrate technology either fully or partially into a learning program. Bringing technology into Learning Design will make it more accessible for learners to seek knowledge on their own terms. There is less of a need for students of any age to postpone their education because of physical or financial restrictions.  

For my own personal thoughts on the essential elements, I’ve taken my opinions directly from my own educational experiences. When I was younger school was often marked as my lowest priority, as food insecurity and an abusive home life were at the forefront. I noticed that when I did attend school, I often did not relate to the content or enjoy how it was presented. There wasn’t much opportunity to work from home on days I could not attend class and subsequently I fell behind easily. I really didn’t see a change in my circumstances until an online high school called Primavera was available my final two years of high school. It was through that online program I had the opportunity to choose classes that interested me and work from home as needed. 

When thinking back to the readings from this week in my LDT 501 course, what stuck out to me was “Empathy in Design” and “Recognizing Learner's Needs”. In the story above, I mentioned that I was disengaged and there were no flexible options for schooling for most of my young life as a student. What I didn’t mention was how difficult school or learning was when faced with extreme amounts of childhood trauma I encountered, some of which was frequent in my daily life. School and the way it was designed back in the 90’s was not empathetic to those suffering from mental health issues. I think it’s essential to embed into our designs a way to be empathetic to those with mental or physical disabilities. It ties into the need to also recognize where the learner is at and design based on that as well. Something that resonated with me as I read, but sadly wasn’t something I could recognize was done for me when I was young. 

Above is a photo of my favorite class in High School, World History. When I say engaging and accessibility are essential in Learning Design, this is the classroom and environment that embodied that. The photo above is of my friend and I working at the teacher's desk for a project. She often rotated groups, shifted to independent work and designed the lessons based on the actual climate of the class. She'd reference things that were trending for our age group and when she could see we needed socialization, then she could change a solo activity to a group one at the drop of the hat. She provided food to those of us that were hungry and if you couldn't complete the assignment in class, she had a variety of ways to make up work. I never had to worry about how my home life would affect her class. She always met all of us where we were at and she was always empathetic. I use this photo because it's one of the few times at that age that I really felt I "learned'' something or I "belonged" in a class. I wanted to be a learner when I walked through her door and she always made me feel that I could be one.