Co-authored by Shaun Bell, Matisse Strong, Sophie Abrahams and Gustav Tannfors
Have you ever tried a new experience and been completely baffled about what you have to do, when and why? The first time I visited a Subway sandwich shop as a hungry 12-year-old, I was overwhelmed with choice. I was also perplexed by the unknown protocols and procedures required to transform my sandwich dreams into a lunch-time reality.
Is it a stretch to think of experiencing a new learning environment (like a classroom, Canvas site or seminar group) in the same way? Can we help improve outcomes for our learners by focusing in on the process and procedure of ‘how’ to learn, not just ‘what’ to learn?
Below, we outline some of the design concepts we’ve been exploring in the Education Portfolio‘s Learning Design and Technology Unit for subjects in FASS and Law. We were guided in this work by LD Quality Framework standards such as signposting and consistent navigation. We were also informed and inspired by transformations in UI/UX design. Online services such as banking or ordering online are becoming an increasingly smooth experience – online learning should be similarly clear and easy for the user.
Press play: visual elements as a guide
We recently co-designed UTSOnline’s Master of Strategic Communication with Dr Andrew McCowan and Jacqueline Polson. In these Canvas sites we included course-wide signposting to highlight a subject’s key ‘features’.
Our intent is to have a number of ‘tool-tip’–style signposts or callouts across the four introductory-level subjects in the course carousel, introducing students to ‘subject site features’. They include page elements such as timing pills and timing boxes, in-page signposting related to graduate attributes and industry and professional content links, and support resources and activities related to academic skills and scholarly practices.
Many designers and academics may consider these design elements or ideas commonplace. Students, however, will be grappling with learning not only new content, but elements of procedure related to online learning, use of digital tools and technologies, and scholarly practice.
Say it with prompt placements
This example shows the first time learners in this subject come across significant scholarly reading. We include a subject site feature prompt on this page to re-introduce and reinforce available supports such as reading, note-taking, referencing and utilising the library.
We draw on the same strong resourcing that we design in our Getting Started modules. We also explicitly and ‘loudly’ reinforce this across the subject with these ‘just-in-time’ prompts, that might include a ‘breaking the fourth wall‘ explanation of what is occurring on the page.
The prompt aims to remind students of the potential challenges in engaging in scholarly reading in an open and honest way, while directed them to the supporting resources in other areas. The prompts are more impactful if they’re seen only where relative, but also framed and presented in such a way as to be an optional (but encouraged) resource. We’re also mindful that some students may undertake their first four subjects in the carousel in different sequences.
Step by step
Another example comes from a recent refresh of the Master of Education (Learning and Leadership) subject Learning in the digital age.
A simple Canvas page provides an ‘at a glance’ overview of the intersections between assessment and other aspects of learning. This is further supported by an interactive that provides consistent signposting across the subject.
The MEd(LL) program has a range of innovative design and teaching supports, as explored in a series of fantastic blogs by the MEdLL teaching team and students and recently in ‘Swimming ‘between the flags and lane ropes’ in online learning.
What’s your design solution?
It can be challenging to arrive at a design solution in your own context, and we hope these examples have inspired you. When faced with similar challenges, consider the following:
- Deliberately explore the existing learning by taking on the persona of a tired, time-poor and first-time learner. Even better, ask for feedback from the students!
- List all of the navigation and support guidance a student will need att the same time you are building the learning content. After this, sequence it appropriately.
- If the design is beyond your capabilities, there is expert support available. Learn about student-centred design approaches in the Learning Design Quality Framework or log an LX lab ticket so you can be connected to a learning designer.
I’ve found iconography really impactful in introductory accounting (happy to share the icons I developed to some sort of repository if it would be useful to others!)