Introducing our learning experience design model

Over the last few months, we have been reflecting on and started to describe our learning experience design model we developed in our work with academics at CPUT. We have adapted the design thinking process to include learning design elements, such as Gilly Salmon's storyboarding exercise and the six ways of learning concept by Diana Laurillard. However, we have been struggling to find a learning design model that represents the iterative nature of learning design and also that emphasises the centrality of the learner, the persona with are developing with and for.

Most learning design models are still using a linear presentation, although they talk about iterative steps. One of the most well-known models is the d.school thinking process:

Figure 1: d.school design thinking process

Others, do try and represent as the design thinking process as a cycle, such as Sarah Gibbon's design thinking process:

Figure 2: Sarah Gibbon's Design Thinking process

However, none of these represented our own learning design process - a  learning design process that follows an iterative pattern, and can therefore not be represented by a linear or even a circular diagram and which also puts the learner at the centre of all design considerations. So we met last week and in a short brainstorming session came up with our own model, which we think is quite neat.

Figure 3: learning experience design model

 

The start of the learning experience design process is marked with a black dot and the line that runs clockwise in loops (sequence numbered 1 - 5), always returning to Empathy at the centre, before moving to the next design stage, representing an iterative and ongoing process. The continuous line ends in an arrow to show that the process is iterative and ongoing. Not only does the process start with Empathy, but every stage of the process, namely Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test and Implement, is brought back to ‘Empathy’ through checking decisions against the Persona that represents the student’s learning environment, goals, values and beliefs, knowledge, skills and experiences (Seitzinger, 2016). This approach foregrounds the active consideration for, and engagement with the learner, through placing Empathy at the centre of the learning design process.

We have included this model in two upcoming publications:

Gachago, D., Van Zyl, I. & Waghid, F. 2020. More than Delivery: Designing Blended Learning Spaces with and for Academic Staff. In L Sosibo & E. Ivala (Eds) Transforming Learning Spaces. Wilmington: Vernon Press.

Gachago, D., Morkel, J, Van Zyl, I.,& Ivala, E. (under review). From design thinking to design doing: experiences from an academic staff development programme for blended course design. In: Maarten de Laat et al (Eds). Conceptualizing and innovating education and work with networked learning. Networked Learning Research Series Springer Book.  (publication 2021)