OLDS MOOC

The abundance of free, high-quality learning resources challenge the role of educators as conveyors of knowledge, while the breath-taking speed of technology development, and human knowledge in general, accentuates the role of educators as designers of experiences which enable effective learning - educators as learning designers.  This shift in the perception of educational practice raises some difficult questions regarding the ways by which quality learning designs are created, validated, and shared.

These questions will be explored by the first Open Learning Design Studio Massive Open Online Course (OLDS MOOC) "Learning Design for a 21st Century Curriculum" (www.olds.ac.uk), a free and open nine week course led by the Open University’s Institute of Educational Technology, in partnership with Goldsmiths University, University of Greenwich, Heriot-Watt University, University of Leicester, University of London (Centre for Distance Education and London Knowledge Lab at the Institute of Education) and the University of Oxford.

The structure of the MOOC reflects a proposed process for a design inquiry project. In such a process, designers identify a (learning/curriculum) design challenge, explore it to gain an understanding of its context and driving forces, generate possible solutions, implement a solution and reflect on the process as a whole and its outputs.