Learning Design

Learning Designers facilitate the exploration, design, and development of blended and online learning opportunities, including the use of MyUni and related learning technologies.

We have expertise in designing effective and innovative student learning experiences.

We deliver this through direct consultation, structured co-design workshops, presentations, and informal adhoc conversations. We take a collaborative approach, and act as connectors between academic staff in faculties and LEI services and initiatives. Together, we create consistent, quality and relevant learning experiences for University of Adelaide students.

We can assist with:

Constructive alignment
Course design/redesign
Learning activity design
Assessment design
Course design evaluation

Our major projects that demonstrate our processes and best design practices:

Teaching and Learning quality improvement plan

A notebook, a pen and glasses on a table

Haide College

Featured stories from Learning Design

Echo360 videos for assignment submissions

Integrating video assignments into learning can increase students’ engagement. It introduces a new type of assessment that enhances students’ creativity and digital capabilities. Videos also help turning assignments into reflective practice, improving the way students think when transforming the knowledge into audio-visual materials.

A video call, one person is in the room, three on the screen

Effective Communication and Enhanced Student Engagement

Teachers’ communication strategies in online and blended environments are a significant determinant of students’ performance and learning outcomes.

Mixed Cohort Learning

Technology is now very much a part of the teaching and learning landscape, but most would agree that it should not be the driving force in designing a sequence of learning. Pedagogy always comes first, and indeed, often we aspire to use technology in a way where it becomes invisible in enhancing the learning environment. But what about mixed cohort learning? Surely the technology is driving this a lot more than the pedagogy?

Connection between curriculum & assessment design and academic integrity

Quite often university courses are comprised of lectures and tutorials. To determine if course learning outcomes have been achieved, assessment may include quizzes, a mid-semester test and a final exam. The number of quizzes and tasks weighting may vary but what stays the same is the fact that all course assessments are summative - they count toward the final grade and are supposed to provide academics with an overview of a student’s overall learning/ achievements. In this blog we will explore why sometimes, despite our best intentions, such an assessment design can lead to a number of academic integrity issues.

Apr

Extending Canvas/H5P to support adaptive learning in large programming courses

Following a successful application for a Learning Enhancement and Innovation (LEI) Grant in 2020, Dr Cheryl Pope, School of Computer Science, shares the new Parsons Puzzles H5P learning activity built collaboratively with students as partners.

Apr

Supporting Peer and Group Learning with FeedbackFruits

Collaboration is a highly desirable graduate attribute, and peer and group learning are both effective means to achieve it.

Mar

Group Learning in a Remote Teaching and Learning Setting

Previously in the Learning Cog blog we’ve looked at benefits that students derive from working together in groups. An investigation into group work in MyUni and final grades in semester 1, 2019 found that students who were active group members achieved an average course mark that was over 3% higher than their peers who either weren’t group members or weren’t active within those groups. Furthermore, those extra few percent resulted in a higher grade in a third of cases.

Feb

Why is it Important to Publish Courses On Time?

To scaffold student performance and improve their experience in courses, course coordinators are asked to take an intentional, thoughtful approach to instructional design, development, and on time publishing in MyUni. This will provide the students with the early opportunity to learn about course syllabus, course materials, learning outcomes, learning activities, and more importantly, engage more effectively with their instructors and peers.

Nov

Top 10 Tips for setting up your course for success

Continuing student enrolments commence from 1 December. At the same time courses will be released in MyUni, ready to be set up for teaching.
So, why wait? Make the most of this time to set up some basic items ahead of the study period.

Oct

What is an Online Short Course?

The University of Adelaide is investing in a range of learning products to meet a variety of contemporary needs. One of these learning products is Online Short Courses or OSCs.

more...