Applying Learning Design to Supported Open Learning

Abstract

17.5 Conclusion LD is an exciting concept that enables us to engage with ways to describe educational design and material in a new way. The consequences of a full LD implementation could mean entirely new ways of working with separation of design, content and presentation with benefits for sharing and reuse. What the initial study at The Open University has shown is that even before such implementations are available the approach advocated by LD is allowing a fresh look at the structures and designs in use across the University and giving a practical way to implement reviews in a way that can support staff and potentially improve the student experience. LD can produce good descriptions of activities and in doing so reveal aspects that are unclear. It may be possible to break down courses informally into tasks and roles without using the full IMS specification, however, the formal approach taken by LD means that technical validation of materials can automate some of the checking and management of the designs. Forward plans to adopt LD can build on the significant community activity now taking place, both within the Valkenburg Group, supported by the UNFOLD project, and outside any formal support system. We expect that progress will be made on integrated players, the design of tools that can support specialised design aspects, sharing of designs, and research into pedagogic validation. The work of The Open University in the UK is to make initial contributions to these developments and to look for ways to apply the tools as they are developed.