Introduction & Welcome
Welcome to the Introduction to Critical Instructional Design module of Design Forward. This program is designed for faculty who would like an opportunity to think more carefully about the design of education, particularly when it is informed by critical pedagogy.
Module Structure
The module is grouped around four basic “nodes” for interaction.
Topics for Consideration
Where we share some overarching ideas and themes and invite you to respond and add to them.
Questions for Discussion
Where we post some large questions for the group to wrestle with and respond to.
Activities for Exploration
Where we suggest some exercises to further consider the ideas of this module.
Resources for Study
Where we share readings and media that can help you expand your understanding of our work.
Daily Disptaches
In addition, during each weekday that the module is running, facilitators will share a daily dispatch which points to new content, highlights interesting conversations, and suggests activities or resources worth reviewing. Participants can find those on this site and will also receive a link to them each day by email.
Always feel free to modify, rethink, or even ignore any work that doesn't help advance your own thinking and learning
Flexibility and Individual Experience
All Design Forward programs are meant to be responsive to the specific needs of participants and the contexts in which they are living and teaching. To that end, you should always feel free to suggest other topics, questions, activities, or resources — and you should always feel free to modify, rethink, or even ignore anything we offer that doesn’t help advance your own thinking and learning.
Throughout the work of the module, we will be suggesting ways for you to mark your path through it and share your takeaways with the group. This will be primarily by posting responses on this site, joining in on discussions related to postings, and annotating resources we are sharing. If these practices aren’t comfortable for you, you may choose another way to record your progress through private journaling, posting on your own site or blog, sharing reflections/ideas on Twitter, etc. If you choose a method that allows other participants to view and/or engage with your progress, we encourage you to at least write a post on the site pointing us to where you will be reflecting. We will suggest #hashtags throughout the module experience that you may use if you decide to make your reflection public on social media
Goals and Takeaways
Most importantly, you are the center of Design Forward. DF is not about developing (or “certifying”) courses, activities, assignments, or assessments (although all of those things are covered in various ways throughout the DF curriculum). Rather, this program is about helping people–teachers–to develop into more confident, agile, and adaptive designers of teaching and learning experiences.
Each participant’s experience will be unique, and only you can know what it is you need to advance your development. You will have an opportunity to set goals for yourself for this module; you may refine or revisit those at any time. Feel free to reach out to your facilitator at any point if you need guidance or assistance as you define your goals and begin your exploration.
