Presentation for faculty convocation on August 21 2013 at San Antonio College/ Alamo Colleges. Four topics: (1) Principles and practices for designing course experiences (2) Strategies for customizing learning for engaging learners (Tip 74); (3) A Syllabus to Jumpstart Learning (Tip 94) and (4) Building connections between learners to integrate a feeling dimension to your course (Tip 92)

1. August 21 2013 1
Principles and Practices that Work:
Focusing Learning, Framing Content
and Working Collaboratively
Judith V. Boettcher, Ph.D.
Designing for Learning
University of Florida
judith@designingforlearning.org
San Antonio College/Alamo Colleges
Fall Convocation – August 21 2013
A Bit of
Theory
Practice
Passion

2. August 21 2013 2
Social Presence…
Sharing who we
are

3. 3
A Quick Story…Changes in
Learning
August 21 2013
MOOC
s
Flipping the classroom
―My Teacher is an App‖
Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Randy Buckner, Ph.D and the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging
www.humanconnectomeproject.org
Omniscient
SIRI by
SaGaDesign

4. 4August 21 2013
―I just asked SIRI…‖
What is our role as teachers?
What skills, what expertise do
our students need and want?

5. FREQUENTLY-ASKED
QUESTIONS – IS YOURS
HERE?
What is different about preparing for an online course?
But wait, without lecturing, how will I share, convey my expertise?
How do I give tests, gather evidence of learning?
How do I know if they understand?
How do I get to know my students if I never see them?
Are there any secrets or shortcuts for being a great online teacher?
How can I get my students to do the coursework, to read, to
participate in the discussion forums?
Do I really need to be on my course site every day?
What if my students aren’t ready for learning online?
5August 21 2013

6. 6
Focus - Enthusiastic & Sociable Beginnings
August 21 2013
Principles and practices for designing your
course experiences
Creating a syllabus that helps students learn
Build connections between learners to
integrate a dimension to your course
Strategies for customizing learning for
engaging learners

7. Inspirations for Ten Learning
Principles
7
Zone of
Proximal
Development
Lev Vygotsky
Experiential
personalized
learning
John Dewey
Jerome Bruner Daniel Schacter
Memory
John Seely Brown
Cognitive
apprenticeship
Constructivism
and active
learning
www.innovateonline.info/pdf/vol3_issue3/Ten_Core_Principles_for_Designing_Effective_
Learning_Environments-__Insights_from_Brain_Research_and_Pedagogical_Theory.pdf
August 21 2013

8. Ten Core Learning
Principles (p. 20)
8August 21 2013

9. Concept Area 1
Principles and
Practices for Designing
Your Course
Experiences
August 21 2013 9
Learning Experiences
Framework
Do..
Experience…

10. EVERY STRUCTURED LEARNING
EXPERIENCE HAS FOUR
ELEMENTS WITH THE LEARNER
AT THE CENTER
Core Learning Principle 1
August 21 2013 10
LEFramework stage
Simplifying a complex process….
only four elements of design

11. Learning
Experiences
Framework
• Learner
• Mentor-Director
• Knowledge-Content-
Problem
• Environment-Context
Inspired by Lev Vygotsky…
All the world’s a stage…
and learning happens on it.
August 21 2013 11

12. GOING DEEPER: LEARNER,
MENTOR, KNOWLEDGE AND
ENVIRONMENT
Core Learning Principles Two through Five (2-5)
August 21 2013 12CLP Learner

13. LEARNERS BRING THEIR OWN
PERSONALIZED MENTAL MODELS,
SKILLS AND ATTITUDES TO
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
- ALSO OWN INTERESTS AND GOALS
Core Learning Principle 2
August 21 2013 13
What are your learners’ baselines?
Where are they coming from? Where
do they want to go?

14. VERY IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION
In course design, we design for the probable, expected learner; in
course delivery, we flex the design to the specific, particular
learners within a course.
August 21 2013 14
Customize… Customize...
Customize…
―I didn’t know that anyone
cared.‖

15. FACULTY ARE THE DIRECTORS OF
THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND
MENTORS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
LEARNERS
Core Learning Principle 3
August 21 2013 15Faculty functions

16. Roles and Responsibilities
of Mentors/Faculty
• Designing and structuring the course
experiences
• Ensure congruence of learning outcomes with
evidence gathering assignments with activities
• Directing and supporting learners through
the instructional activities and experiences
• Absolutely!
• Assessing student learning outcomes
• Use robots (automated systems) and rubrics to
organize evidence
• Integrate and leverage peer and expert reviews
16August 21 2013
Learning outcomes
Assignments Activities
―Sets of Evidence‖

17. ALL LEARNERS DO NOT NEED TO
LEARN ALL COURSE CONTENT
/KNOWLEDGE; ALL LEARNERS DO
NEED TO LEARN THE CORE
CONCEPTS
Core Learning Principle 4
August 21 2013 17
What are the
core concepts
of your course?

18. Core Concepts
and Principles
Core Concepts
and Principles
Applying Core Concepts
Problem Analysis and Solving
Four Layers of Content
Customized and Personalized
18August 21 2013

19. EVERY LEARNING EXPERIENCE
OCCURS WITHIN A CONTEXT OR AN
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE
LEARNER INTERACTS WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE, CONTENT OR
PROBLEM
Core Learning Principle 5
August 21 2013 19
Context Examples

20. Core Learning Principle 5 -
Environment
• Design for the when, where, with whom and
with what resources…
• All of these elements make up the
environment within which learning occurs
August 21 2013 20

21. August 21 2013 21
A Bit of
Theory
Passion

22. August 21 2013 22
Where did the Best Practices Come
From?
Community of Inquiry model
Social, Teaching and Cognitive
Presence
Garrison, Anderson,
Archer, Swan, others
Community of
learners
Idea of a
University
John Henry Newman
Research on
dialogue and
communication
Discussion as a
way of teaching
Brookfield and
Preskill
Instructional design
and learning theory
How People Learn
reports
Bransford, Brown and
Cocking
Maryellen Weimer
Learner-centered
Teaching…
www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tenbest.html

23. Ten Best Practices
(p. 37)
23August 21 2013

24. Concept Area 2
Strategies for Customizing
for Engaging Learners
August 21 2013 24
Purposeful Beginnings – Ask
learners — ―How do you
want to be different?‖

25. Tip 73 – Developing Explicit
and Personal Learning Goals
August 21 2013 25
―When I finish this course, this is
how I want to be different…This is
how I want my time and effort to
make a difference in my life. ―
www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tips/tip73.html

26. Getting to Know Learners’
ZPDs – Two Discussion
Forums – Week 1
August 21 2013 26
• Discussion Forum #1- Social Presence
 For getting acquainted as people…
introductions, pictures
• Discussion Forum #2 – Cognitive
Presence
 For setting goals, purposes, customizing
at least one or two learning outcomes.
This sets the stage for customizing
activities and assignments.
Each brain is its
own world…
(Adapted Mexican Proverb)

27. Three Customizing Design Practices
27
1. Design for core,
structured choice and
optional learning
experiences
2. Design in flexibility
and choice — in roles,
collaborations,
―evidences‖ of learning
3. Design in sharing
choice activities to
develop a body of
experience and
expertise in the
community
August 21 2013

28. Developing Explicit and
Personal Learning Goals
• Setting a purpose begins to prepare the head, the brain, tap
into your learners’ existing knowledge structures
• A quick way to get a sense of your students’ readiness for the
content, their zones of proximal development, ala Vygotsky
and zone of proximal development
• Begins to build connections, relationships with what learners
already know
• Helps learners get ready to answer the question, ―What is
my next step?‖ (David Allen, getting things done (GTD),
stress-free productivity)
• Provides an intro to what might might be an overwhelming
new topic for learners, makes it ―do-able‖
August 21 2013 28
Why this makes sense for learning…

29. Getting to Know Your
Learners’ ZPDs?
• Listen to what they think
• Get them talking and writing about what they know, think
they know, might know
• What evidence or data supports that "knowing?‖
• Ask questions
• Find their point of knowledge, find their weeds, plants,
nodes on which to grow, extend their knowing…
• Have them ―do‖ things — evaluate and create
• Work through processes to find solutions
• Adopt different perspectives
• Integrate activities for developing metacognitive skills
• Ask them to plan their next steps on making the
knowledge useful to themAugust 21 2013 29
Bloopers
When
learners are
ready they
want to ‖do it
themselves‖

30. Concept Area 3
Creating a syllabus that
helps students learn
August 21 2013 30
Create a course framework into
which the content topics and
activities and assignments
logically fit

31. Tip 94 – Goals of a Great Syllabus
August 21 2013 31
• Launch the series of learning experiences
• Make your syllabus an exciting entry point
into your course.
• Think movie trailer
• Think a brochure of coming events…
• Give a birds-eye view of the course
• Answer the questions
• ―What is the course all about?‖ ―What
will I learn how to do?‖
― Where is all the information on our
assignments? Our readings? Oh, in
the syllabus, where is that again? ―

32. US History - Tona Hangen (1)
August 21 2013 32
http://www.tonahangen.com/wsc/us2/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/112.Spr11.pdf

33. US History Syllabus Tona Hangen (2)
August 21 2013
33
http://www.tonahangen.com/wsc/us2/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/112.Spr11.pdf

34. US History Syllabus Tona Hangen (3)
August 21 2013
34
http://www.tonahangen.com/wsc/us2/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/112.Spr11.pdf
―It is entirely possible to do well in the class
without being transformed by your newfound
historical knowledge, but it would be a darn
shame.‖
Tona Hangen 2011

35. August 21 2013 35

36. Tools for Creating Syllabi
that Jumpstart Learning…
August 21 2013 36
Strategy #1 – Create a graphic that ―frames‖ the
course content, sets boundaries, provides ―birds-eye
view‖
Strategy #2 – Use pictures, use people, suggest, hint at
stories and cases, unanswered questions
Strategy #3 – ―Talk‖ to your students as if you were
right there with them… get them excited, share your
enthusiasm with your expertise
www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tips/tip94.html

37. Creating a Syllabus That
Jumpstarts Learning
• Well, yes… it is, but it is worth it
• Similar to writing out a lecture, creating a script, preparing a
presentation
• Creating a concept map /graphic overview requires deep
processing of your course content
• A concept map helps them create lasting ―worlds of content‖ in
their knowledge structures
• Ask yourself, ―How can I create/share a sense of purpose, clarity,
excitement? ―
• One great benefit of concept maps – you make patterns,
relationships explicit that help to chunk content and develop skill in
the discipline
• How would I do this? Start small… 37
This looks like a lot of work…
What might a first step for you be?
August 21 2013

38. Discussion – Refreshing Your
Syllabus
• What one change might you make in
your next term?
August 21 2013 38
• Do you need help? Time? A
friend? A tool? A camera?

39. Concept Area 4
Build connections between
learners to integrate a
dimension to your
course
August 21 2013 39
Emotion sharpens memories

40. All Learners …
• Are most engaged when their learning
experiences enable them to experience
feelings of autonomy, competence, and
relatedness (Hayles, 2008)
• Enjoy being a part of the generation and
analysis of shared, spontaneous content.
August 21 2013 40
Learners instinctively embrace learning
experiences that challenge & stimulate

41. Tip 92 Collaborating with
Groups of Two, Three or More
August 21 2013 41
―I really liked working with Jacob. When I had to
explain my idea out loud, it finally became clear
to me.―
Example: Design an activity in the first two weeks for a group
of two.
• Simple group work, sharing, explaining, brainstorming
• Independent work as the primary assessment point
―What do you think of my idea, project?‖
www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/ecoach/tips/tip92.html

42. ―I don’t know what I think
until I write it down.‖
Attributed to Norman Mailer and also to
Novelist and essayist Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking
August 21 2013 42

43. More Simple Collaboration
Strategies
August 21 2013 43
Strategy #2 – Use ―casual grouping‖ (Fink, 2004)
This means informal chats, sharing, and simply
gathering to process and talk about the course
ideas, events, questions, cases, problems
Strategy #3 — Think buddy system, coffee mtgs,
study groups. Purpose is to have students use their
voices, fingers, hands…
Strategy #4 — Peer review for writing tasks to
broaden audience: before, during, final; collaborative
work on a wiki or blog.

44. August 21 2013 44
• Discovering and developing colleagues
• Building a life-long network and support system
• Hearing your own voice and the voices of
others…and the perspectives shared with
those voices adds an often missing dimension
• Clarify your own thinking; process and think
through course content ideas and questions,
to explain to others what you think..
• Adds feelings and emotion to the thinking…
Why is collaborating in small
groups good for learning?
Do you have a success story?

45. Designing Learning for
the ―SIRI‖ Generation
We probably want to design learning
experiences where learners are ―apprenticed‖
to experts and can engage in "doing" within a
cognitively rich and stimulating environment
matched to their zone of proximal
development.
August 21 2013 45
It may be that simple and that difficult.
What are the future skills that we all need?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57388877-1/what-does-siri-
look-like-see-for-yourself/SIRI Contest Winners:
Omniscient SIRI by SaGaDesign; Siri bust by Edrice: Siri by Eddie
Adolf – Upper right; Lower left, by SIRI herself.

46. Wrapping up
46
In course design, we design for the
probable, expected learner; in course
delivery, we flex, we customize to the
specific, particular learners within a
course.
―I really enjoyed the
project and how my
teacher supported me
in doing what was
important for me
personally.‖
August 21 2013

47. ACTIONS
47
1. Take a fresh look at your course
design and your syllabus…
2. Use the checklists on principles
and practices
3. Choose one activity to do more
 Customizing
 Sharing
 Content framing
4. Email me if you have a question…
August 21 2013

48. Thanks, Thoughts,
Questions
August 21 2013
48
Judith V. Boettcher, Ph.D.
Author, Consultant, Faculty Coach
Designing for Learning
judith@designingforlearning.org
jboettcher@comcast.net
www.designingforlearning.info

49. Judith V Boettcher
Author, Consultant, Speaker
Designing for Learning
University of Florida
judith@designingforlearning.org
jboettcher@comcast.net
www.designingforlearning.info
The Online Teaching Survival
Guide: Simple and Practical
Pedagogical Tips
August 21 2013 49
by Judith V. Boettcher
and Rita-Marie Conrad