Contributions to my Learning: Instructional Online Design & Synthesis Capstone

The final semester in the Applied Digital Learning and Leadership program, we embarked on a journey that put theory to “clicks”. We delved into the exciting world of online course development.  This was not about learning how to use online tools but truly designing a learning experience through an online course, and continuing building our skillsets as future leaders in the dynamic digital learning landscape.  Simultaneously we were asked to reflect on our learning process as a whole, reflecting specifically on COVA, our Innovation Project, and our learner's experience. The learning experience was greatly enhanced through active participation in live class sessions, office hours, discussion boards, completing required readings and video lectures, and seeking feedforward from my collaboration group. As I finished up the final projects, I pushed myself to continue learning enhanced ways to manipulate items on digital platforms to provide a seamless end-user experience. The summaries below are my self-reflected grading and what I learned along the way.

From Theory's Blueprint to Learning's Symphony: A Collaborative Masterpiece in Digital Learning (5318) 98/100

Harmonizing Design with Learning Objectives

Our adventure began with the implementation design outline, guided by the foundational principles outlined in Tony Bates' "Teaching in a Digital Age" (2022).  We didn't just throw content together; Bates' emphasis combined with Fink’s 3 Column Table, helped us focus on clear learning objectives that became our musical score. We carefully mapped out each piece of the course, ensuring each element from the content to the navigation, seamlessly contributed to the overall learning experience for our target audience. Here, collaboration truly shone. We could easily identify knowledge gaps and fine-tune the course for maximum learner engagement by sharing a video overview of implementation outline with our core collaboration group and our larger learning community discussion boards. 

Crafting an Interactive Learning Symphony

Transitioning to implementation, we donned our instructional design hats and meticulously crafted the course structure. We prioritized learner engagement by incorporating a variety of multimedia elements and activities. Remember Bates' (2022) principles of interactivity and learner control? We embraced them wholeheartedly, designing opportunities for learners to actively participate, ask questions, and personalize their learning journeys. There was purposeful planning in interaction: learner to learner, learner to content, and instructor to learner. 

As my video presentation shares,  I chose to use Canvas as my Learning Management System due to the large amount of options available as an instructional designer. Canvas has many built-in features that make creating an online learning pathway easy to navigate and interactive as it “plays nicely” with other digital tools that easily embed for a clean aesthetic, allowing to keep focus on the content itself without the learner needing to search for it.  

Ensuring User Success Through Usability Testing

This course development didn't end with construction. As Bates (2022) emphasizes, usability testing is crucial. We gathered stakeholder feedback by enrolling them as students in our course to see our work in action. Afterward, the stakeholders participated in a feedback survey going through design, content, and overall user experience.  This feedback proved invaluable, helping identify what the course excelled in and areas to refine the course for a smooth and user-friendly learning experience for our intended participants. We shared this process, the results, and reflection through a video presentation. 

Continuous Improvement: The Ongoing Chorus

Evaluation remained a constant focus throughout the process. Regular group discussions facilitated by "look fors" – specific course aspects targeted for review – and revisions fostered a collaborative environment for continuous improvement.  It was essential to post and respond on time because each portion of the project’s development was dependent on the feedback.  That being said, each project took a longer time to look through and give feedback on.  So while there may not have been as many replies in number, it made up for that through in-depth responses.  Feedback was also not just given on discussion boards, but through attending office hours, email, video calls, and collaborative online documents.

The entire online course development journey has been a journey of playing with theory and creating actionable items. By following best practices, we've designed an online course that is learner-centered, engaging, and collaborative. We gained confidence as course designers through this iterative process- implementation design, creation, and feedback-empowering learners to achieve deep learning goals in a dynamic, interactive, learner-centered, collaborative online environment.

Beyond the Course: A Collaborative Learning Ecosystem (5320) 98/100

Synthesizing the Journey as a Whole

The Applied Digital Learning and Leadership program in and of itself was a transformative experience - where each element played its part in creating a powerful and lasting impact. The COVA learning theory served as our foundational framework, guiding us to understand how Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authenticity fuel deeper learning (Harapnuik & Thibadeau, 2023). This framework became the lens through which we viewed both our own practices and innovative initiatives we undertook.

Our independent innovation projects were like personal concertos within the program, each focusing on a specific aspect of digital learning and fostering innovation and individual growth. But these weren't solo performances! The collaborative group functioned as an essential support system, facilitating the exchange of ideas, shared challenges and successes, and providing a network of encouragement and expertise. (The Collaborative Group deserved it's own special post-hey were so essential, I co-wrote a poem with Gemini AI about it.)

The program itself served as the conductor, masterfully weaving theoretical concepts, practical applications, and opportunities for individual growth. It acknowledged our existing professional careers, ensuring the learning complemented, not disrupted, our daily work.

While the program provided opportunities for independent exploration, the collaborative discussion boards served as well-placed bridges for knowledge exchange. Here, we shared insights, offered feedback, and collectively navigated the program's complexities. These discussions served as a powerful reminder that our individual journeys were part of a larger, shared learning experience.  Again, participation was timely, but this time it was more about reading others' journeys deeply and responding in a variety of ways through discussion boards, text, phone calls, etc. 

In conclusion, this program wasn't simply about acquiring new skills or knowledge. It was about participating in a powerful learning experience, where collaboration, innovation, and a focus on the learner played their parts to create a truly transformative journey as we learned how to create that same experience for others.  As we move forward, this experience will continue to resonate within us, shaping the way we approach teaching and leadership in the digital age.

Image by K. Beauchene, 2024

References

Bates, A. W. (2022). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (3rd ed.). Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://www.tonybates.ca/teaching-in-a-digital-age/

Harapnuik, D. W., & Thibadeau, T. (2023). COVA: Inspire learning through choice, ownership, voice, and authentic experiences (2nd ed.). Learner's Mindset Publishing. [Kindle Edition]