Background

As more and more schools adopt online learning technologies and implement new strategies in their classrooms, those of us in leadership positions need to be aware of how and—maybe even more importantly—why the are being used. Online learning can be a way for us to bridge gaps created by access, distance, or scheduling, but we should be careful that we are not just substituting pixels for paper. It's important that we aim to provide the same level of authentic learning opportunities for our learners in cyberspace as we do for those in our brick and mortar classrooms. In my opinion, online learning is a fantastic way to address the digital skills gap that many of our learners face—especially in our socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved areas. 
[C]ontent and skills are tightly related and as much attention needs to be given to skills development as to content acquisition to ensure that learners graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills for a digital age (Bates 2015).​
Technology is not only changing the way we teach but its also changing the ways students are able to learn. From fully online courses to blended or hybrid classrooms to open educational resources (OER) and beyond, now is the best time in history to be a learner! 

Instructional Design

Earlier this year, in the beginning of this series, I wrote about Course Planning in Online Learning. Using various resources, including the video linked below (left), I reconfirmed my position firmly as a Constructivist—a title I had discovered for myself in some earlier writing in which I explored my Learning Philosophy. Building out a new online course outline with this in mind can be very helpful in helping to connect all of the dots that have been collected over the years. Finding out where the learners are at when they enter the class will allow teachers to help them build on that previous knowledge by linking to new information and then contextualizing. Building out a course with a pre-assessment to gather this information is one way to do that. Discussion, self-assessment, and self-reflection are other tools that educators can use to measure progress and adjust instruction. Authentic, real-world lessons and projects can take that contextualization and construct a new reality for the learner where their knowledge is active and growing. 
(L) “Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism & Learning and Instructional Theory.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 June 2010, youtu.be/0YOqgXjynd0.
​(R) ​Wiggins, G. (2012, February 10). What is UbD? Grant Wiggins Answers, with Video Cases. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsDgfC3Sjh

Authentic Learning Opportunities

Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe 1999)​ played an integral role in the development and implementation of my course design. The foundation was really built last year while researching Learning Outcomes and Understanding by Design with Dr. Harapnuik. For reference, the video above (right) dives into what UbD is and should look like—an invaluable resource for anyone looking at exploring this approach. The collateral below illustrates in-depth development of a course using Fink's 3-column table design (left) and then the UbD perspective (right). These two design theories work well together, in my opinion, because as much as they are similar (backward design) they work best in conjunction. Fink's works best as a course overview with a course-level goal; UbD shines as a detailed unit-level breakdown. Both of these would prove incredibly helpful when looking to design an online course. 
Fink's 3-column table design
Understanding by Design
Looking more closely at the UbD document (above right), the acceptable evidence of learning are spelled out in detail. This is important because it gives the author the opportunity to create an inventory of performance tasks, quizzes, academic prompts, and other activities that when cross-referenced with the course's desired results should produce strong, authentic learning opportunities. Each of the activities included in the outline was also included in the online course. Having the template completed in advance made the transition very simple. In fact, once the design is completed in this fashion, translating into any delivery method—in-person or online—is seamless. The design, in my opinion, doesn't decide what works best but it does guide and direct. 

Importance of Online Learning

While it's no secret to anybody involved in the field of education—teachers and students alike—that online learning is a growing trend, the real story is the power behind it. Mr. Bates says in his book Teaching in a Digital Age, "what we do when we move teaching online is to change the learning environment." This is important because now that we know that there are multiple environments in which to teach, teaching methods are no longer the focus—we now live in a world where instructional design models are king. 
We need design models for teaching and learning that lead to the development of the skills needed in a digital age (Bates 2015).
Again, we come back to preparing our learners that are entering a world where digital skills are not only required but are increasing in demand every year. Online learning is one way we can help them achieve success in that area. Tying the content and activities to authentic, real world applications (as discussed above) can not only improve their workplace skills helping them become more competitive but is also vital to their digital literacy at home and in the community. 

Application and Future Practice

Reflecting on various learning theories, my initial designs using the 3-column table and UbD template, and the importance of online learning has given me a new perspective on not only the practitioner's challenge but also how I might guide others as a digital leader. It's important for educators to understand that there is no "one way" to teach—many methods exist and we should instead design for our environment (or the environment we want to create). With that being said, we cannot ignore or understate the value that online learning offers our learners and our communities. According to a recent study by Project Tomorrow,
Three-quarters of principals attribute increased student engagement in learning to the effective use of digital content in their blended learning classrooms.
At the end of the day, isn't student engagement really the goal we're trying to achieve? Let's take advantage of the tools and resources that are out there and extend them to our learners. Both our schools and the students we serve will be better off because of our willingness to innovate and facilitate. 
Picture
Design by Jerry Yamashita

References

Bates, T. (2015). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. SFU Document Solutions, Simon Fraser University.
Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism & Learning and Instructional Theory. (2010, June 17). Retrieved from https://youtu.be/0YOqgXjynd0
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. John Wiley & Sons.
Learning philosophies & theories - TechnologyToolboxForEducators. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/technologytoolboxforeducators/about-learning/learning
​Project Tomorrow. (n.d.). Trends in Digital Learning: Empowering Innovative Classroom Models for Learning. Retrieved from http://images.email.blackboard.com/Web/BlackboardInc/{3a7a75c7-1802-4824-b419-7ff739bcb8f8}_Bb_DigitalTrendReport_2015_Final.pdf?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&utm_content=K12_2015_Project Tomorrow Download Thank You_06252015
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2000). Understanding by design study guide. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
​Wiggins, G. (2012, February 10). What is UbD? Grant Wiggins Answers, with Video Cases. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsDgfC3SjhM
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