| Unit name | Designing Technologies for Learning |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM0044 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Oldfield |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit focuses on how research (educational and non-educational) can inform the design of effective learning technologies and how the design process can inform our understanding of learning. It reviews relevant learning concepts from a range of diverse perspectives and how these may be creatively interrelated in the design of learning approaches that exploit new and emerging sociotechnical developments. This might encompass exploring new challenges such as those arising in cloud computing, mobile platforms, data-driven learning and assessment, creator culture, agile approaches to change and open content and through a fuller understanding of the educational potential of developments such as in the social and semantic web, and in augmented reality and immersive environments. Concepts spanning education and the sciences of mind and brain will be brought together in this unit to enable students to develop insight into learning with and designing new technologies.
Unit Aims
Through successful completion of this unit, students will be able to
A variety of teaching strategies will be used to deliver this unit, which may include whole group lectures, case studies, practical demonstration and hands-on practical tasks, critical analysis of key readings, group discussions and student presentations. ELearning approaches will augment face-to-face teaching to facilitate individualised study and support within the broad parameters of the unit and the pathway. These may include: on-line discussion, online supervision and peer mentoring/feedback.
Contact hours:
20 hours
Summative assessment for this unit consists of two parts. Both parts relate to the process of designing a technology to support learning, which will be developed and supported throughout the unit sessions. Both assessment parts are also to be submitted at the end of the unit.
Part 1 (25%): Portfolio of the design process (1,000 word equivalent) – As part of the unit, each student will create and maintain a portfolio of their design idea and process. This portfolio will record and describe the development of the design idea and critically reflect on the design activities and ideas that are developed both in and outside of class. The portfolio can be in a form or medium of the students’ choosing. A scrapbook or an e-portfolio are equally acceptable and students are encouraged to be creative in their portfolio development, as long as they systematically record the ideas and decision-making processes that contribute to the developing design idea. Tutors will provide formative feedback on the portfolios at least once during the term.
The use of the portfolio supports the iterative, reflective nature of the design process and the various factors that contribute to it. The in-depth documentation and recording of this design process will also help in the completion of the second part of the assessment. (ILO 1, 2, 3)
Part 2 (75%): Written essay (3,000 words) – This piece of written work should critically reflect on the design process of a learning technology. The essay will both analyse design-related activities conducted during the unit and draw on concepts from theoretical and academic literature relevant to the design process. The essay is not a report on the actual technology that students design but is instead focused on an understanding of the design process. As such, the content of the paper should demonstrate a critical analysis of design processes and the multiple influencing factors. Students’ demonstration of understanding this design process should draw upon:
(ILO 1, 2, 3)
To help gain understanding into the design process, students will spend considerable time during this unit trialling and discussing different parts of the design process and receiving feedback on their own idea for a technology for learning. These sessions will help develop and be incorporated into the final assessment.
Formative assessment
To support this summative assessment, formative feedback will be provided through classroom discussion and activities, peer group work and individual feedback on design processes.
