Traditional ID, which often emphasizes efficiency and tidiness—values that stem from its origins in military and corporate settings—falls short when applied to the design of learning experiences, because learning is a messy, amorphous process that differs from person to person. As we consider an approach to design that moves beyond traditional ID approaches and is pedagogically-powered, it becomes crucial to explore diverse sources of inspiration. This module provides an opportunity to consider a broader landscape of design frameworks and practices that can inform an approach to design that honors messiness, emergence, student autonomy, mistake-making, and collaboration.
A significant area of inspiration is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a process-based framework for accessible and inclusive pedagogy that fundamentally believes the barrier resides in the environment, not the learner. Similarly, Design Thinking offers a human-centered framework, characterized by its bias toward action and its iterative five-stage process: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. This approach encourages solving problems with empathy, and embracing failure as a crucial step forward.
Beyond specific learning design frameworks, we can also look at Project Management (PM) strategies for inspiration. While sometimes sharing traditional ID’s focus on efficiency, PM strategies can be valuable for operationalizing academic labor, protecting an educator’s energy, and providing scaffolding for students tackling open-ended work. In this area, Systems Thinking, Emergent Strategy, and Oblique Strategies offer mindsets, principles, and tools that might help educators shape their individualized approach to design. In many of these PM strategies, an expectation for emergence is baked in; many project managers operate knowing that a predetermined destination is not always realistic and recognize that pivoting is an expectation, not an inconvenience, and can reveal unexpected opportunities for growth. Finally, we can look to horizontal decision-making structures and principles from mutual aid efforts where all members are involved and intrinsic motivation is valued over external incentives.
In this module, we have a new category of resource called “Potential Design Inspiration.” We encourage you to explore this menu to find design strategies, principles, and mindsets that directly engage with and complement their personal pedagogical values. Also important for this module will be the “Design Bites” portfolio post. Design Bites are for practical design ideas that you’ve tried or are planning to try. As DF participants add more Bites, we will assemble a library of these that will be searchable by type, tags, and modules. To add a bite, just look for the apple icon next to the “Your Portfolio” button.