Designing for Online, Self-paced, Competency-based Learning

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Designing for Online, Self-paced,
Competency-based Learning

• An Overview

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Characteristics of Self-paced, Competency-based
Learning

• Learners work at their own pace while being
  actively involved in performing specific learning
  tasks
• Students work through selected parts of the
  curriculum at their own pace, in their own way,
  when and where they want to work
• Features include learner responsibility, pacing,
  successful learning based on specific learning
  competencies and outcomes, and a variety of
  learning activities with accompanying resources

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Characteristics of Self-paced, Competency-based
Learning

• Learners are provided with more than one
  opportunity to study, self-test, test, and then
  retest until the mastery level is attained
• When the learner successfully meets the criteria
  set (or learning competencies) the concept of
  mastery learning is realized this is the goal of
  this learning approach
• Participants knowledge and skills are assessed
  as they enter the program and those with
  satisfactory knowledge and skills may bypass
  training or competencies already attained

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Instructional Design Goals

• The main goal is student usability this
  includes
• Clear and measureable learning competencies and
  outcomes
• Use measureable terminology such as state,
  define, select, solve, locate, construct,
  generate, choose, etc.
• Avoid terms like know and understand as these are
  difficult to measure
• Communicate competencies and outcomes to students
  up front
• Logical sequencing
• Concepts should be arranged and delivered in an
  order that makes sense
• Think about pre-requisite skills or knowledge

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Instructional Design Goals

• Readability
• Use consistent language and voice
• Triple check spelling and grammar
• Avoid using small and/or unusual fonts
• Offer alternatives for reading materials online
  provide print options like .pdf or .doc
• Materials should be ADA compliant
• Easy Navigation
• Make sure it is very clear where a button or
  hyperlink will take the user
• Use the Blackboard template provided for VLI
  courses
• Consistency
• This includes fonts, colors, buttons, language,
  etc.

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Instructional Design Goals

• A secondary goal is easy maintenance by course
  developers and facilitators
• While student usability is the most important
  goal, also keep in mind course upkeep as you
  build the course
• Keep files organized and up-to-date
• Use specified file naming conventions
• Set goals and timelines for maintaining/updating
  the course

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Design Best Practices

• Make the intended learning competencies and
  outcomes clear
• Competency general statement detailing the
  desired knowledge and skills of the learner upon
  completion of the course/module
• Outcome very specific statement that describes
  exactly what a learner will be able to do in some
  measurable way (a competency may have several
  specific learning outcomes)

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Design Best Practices

• Learning activities and resources are carefully
  designed or selected to address specific learning
  competencies and outcomes
• Three Domains of educational activities
• Cognitive mental skills (Knowledge)
• Affective growth in feelings or emotional areas
  (Attitude)
• Psychomotor manual or physical skills (Skills)
• Organize content into comparatively small,
  discrete steps, each one treating a single
  concept or segment of content
• The size of the steps can vary, but it is
  essential that they are carefully sequenced

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Design Best Practices

• Supporting theory is integrated with skills
  practice
• Give the learners plenty of opportunity to
  practice the skills they have learned and to
  receive feedback
• Learner's mastery of each step is checked before
  proceeding to the next step (formative
  assessment)
• Mastery learning is the goal
• This also encourages students and allows them to
  proceed with confidence

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Design Best Practices

• Use flexible instructional approaches and a
  variety of support materials
• Instructional approaches large group, small
  group activities, individual study
• Support materials printed or online readings,
  presentations, web sites, audio and video files,
  chat rooms, discussion boards, email,
  simulations, etc.
• Use content delivery methods that make the most
  sense for the module topic and type of
  information being presented
• Be sure that students have all the necessary
  instructions, materials, equipment, and supplies
  to complete the module without difficulty

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Design Best Practices

• Be sure to include
• Frequent opportunities for learners to
  self-assess and self-correct
• Consistent Blackboard buttons, table of contents,
  searchable index, site or content map, section
  summaries, headings, search capabilities, and a
  glossary
• Print features for learners to make paper copies
  of some or all of the module
• Numerous and relevant examples
• Reflection questions to help learners create
  personal relevancy
• Definitions for all acronyms and technical
  terminology

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Planning for Learning The Storyboard

• What is a storyboard?
• A visual outline of your instruction
• A plan for teaching and learning activities
• Can include outlines and visual sketches (i.e.
  flowcharts or diagrams) that map out the contents
  or sequence of ideas
• Storyboard for VLI modules Module Development
  Template Instruction Guide

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Planning for Learning The Storyboard

• Why use a storyboard?
• Helps you plan for instruction because you draw
  out all the different elements in detail
• Helps you to communicate your ideas with others
• Helps you think ahead about what instruction is
  going to look like when it is completed including
  what the students need to do to learn and what
  the facilitator will do
• Helps create direction- the structure and
  sequence of the instruction

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Planning for Learning The Storyboard

• Questions to address while storyboarding
• What do you want the students to learn by the end
  of instruction?
• What do the students already know?
• What is the content you must include in the
  instruction?
• What are the learning activities that will help
  the students learn?
• What is the best sequence of learning activities?

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Helpful Resources

• VLI Module Development Guide
• VLI Module Development Template Instruction
  Guide
• VLI Sample Module Development Template
• (all located in DocuShare at http//unity.kctcs.e
  du/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-12630)
• VLI Quality Assurance Rubric
• (located in DocuShare at http//unity.kctcs.edu/d
  ocushare/dsweb/View/Collection-12021)