I have tried this out a couple times now, and it seems to work well for those new to designing adult learning. Here is the general idea: a “learning design sprint” based on steps fromGoogle’s design sprint process, facilitated largely with Liberating Structures activities.
As it evolves, I imagine adding options and layers to weave in other important considerations beyond basic learning design. And more Liberating Structures. But for many, this is enough, and a good place to start. Here are the steps:
- Before Step 1
- make sure all participants come with a 2-4 hour chunk of teaching to work on. A whole course is too big for one sprint. One class or content chunk seems to work.
- Begin with a short “theory burst” or “mini-lecture” (I called it, Learning Design: The Least You Need to Know). This offers key points, self-assessments, and short activities about UDL, writing good Learning Outcomes, and the importance of alignment between Learning Outcomes-Assessment-Activities).
- Provide handout that includes essential companion resources like a list of Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs, key points about UDL, self-assessment (“How UDL is your current learning design?”), and so on. This takes about 40 min
- Step 1 Understand
- Time: 10-20 min
- Goal of this step: a useable Learning Outcome
- Liberating Structure: 1-2-4-All
- Briefly…this step is about getting a strong start with a well-written Learning Outcome. If participants are really new to writing learning outcomes, build in time to check each one to make sure they aren’t building on a weak LO foundation.
- Step 2: Diverge
- Time: 30-40 min
- Goal of this step: generate a bunch of ideas for Learning Activities and Assessment strategies that align with the Learning Outcome identified in Step 1.
- Liberating Structure: Troika Consulting
- Step 3: Decide
- Time: 10-15 min
- Goal of this step: choose from among the options generated
- Liberating Structure: 1-2-4-All (modified – we did 1-2 and the “All” came at the end, where select participants volunteered to share their design story, and whetehr it was a “tweak” or an “extreme makeover”)
- Note: new groups if possible to ensure “max mix” and exposure to the most learning design ideas.
- Step 4: Lesson Plan It
- Time: 10-15 min
- Goal of this step: create a “final product”/lesson plan with notes about required resources, space considerations, room layout, materials, etc.
- Liberating Structure: n/a
- Note: this step seems especially helpful for new instructors who don’t already have a “go-to” method of writing lesson plans. In our workshop, samples of various layouts were provided and participants were free to choose among them or make their own.
- Step 5: Validate (not done during sprint)
- Time: unknown
- Goal of this step: put the learning design into practice and see how it goes. Could be done individually or with others. Where possible having a community of practice or “critical friend” will enrich this step.
- Liberating Structure: many possibilities for discussing and debriefing as a group, depending on size (e.g., What x 3, Shift & Share, Wise Crowds…)