Online Learning Design

So, you want to translate your classroom program to online or blended learning but are not sure how to go about it. Well, Connect Thinking has the experience to help.

Connect Thinking® supports organisations to interpret learning outcomes, content and assessments for online learning and blended learning delivery. Over the years we have developed tools and templates to approach course translation methodically and with purpose. The process typically includes:

• Team upskilling
• Analysis
• High level design
• Content design and development
• Learning activity design and development
• Evaluation design
• Testing
• Implementation

…and the associated project management of this process.

Since 2002, Director and Principal Consultant Alison Bickford has worked with government, tertiary education and industry to design one-off courses and professional development programs.

We apply four broad principles to online learning:

• Less is more: We strive for learning designs that are simple for busy people to assimilate. Use graphics to reduce text burden.
• All meaning is contextual: We ensure content and activities are meaningful and memorable, by relating them to real-life, work-based situations. We incorporate problem-based and adaptive learning.
• Keep learning proximal to workflow: We live in a world where we must learn, unlearn and relearn quickly. Social networks and bite-size media can enable business transformation.
• Test assumptions: It’s not important what we think is good learning design or experience. It’s about what learners and their managers think is useful and practical. Begin with a minimal viable product, test assumptions and be prepared to iterate.