D3.2.6

=Learning objectives are defined prior to e-learning design and (re)development. =

Evidence
Rust (2002) describes Biggs (1999) ‘constructive alignment’. This is the process whereby teachers identify learning outcomes, then design appropriate assessment to assess if the outcomes are met, and finally, design learning opportunities so that students are ready to face the assessments. This ensures that learning objectives are linked explicitly to learning activities.

Pedagogical approach, content, and learning outcomes are complexly interrelated and interdependent. Although there is no single ‘correct’ way to undertake design and development, there are guiding principles and practices (Ragan, 1999). Ragan identifies three educational components: learning objectives and content presentation; interactions; and assessment; and he articulates principles for each category. Learning objectives are the foundation for an educational event that forms a contract between teacher and learner and helps to ensure the selection of instructional strategies for content presentation that successfully delivers defined outcomes. Interactions are the ways teachers and learners engage with each other as geographically distant members of a learning community. Assessment also serves both teachers and learners purposes by monitoring progress that enables the teacher to feedback formative information to the learner, and, the learner to provide feedback on the course design to the teacher.

The distance and time constraints of e-learning require pedagogical practices and technology selection be pre-planned as there is less flexibility for teaching staff to make spontaneous changes to e-learning activities (Herrington et al., 2005).