This course explores the evolution of learning theories from traditional behavior-based understandings of how we learn to emerging theories of how social engagement can support the learning process. Access to emerging technologies and increased opportunities for global communications and collaboration have altered how we learn. Today’s learners gravitate toward digital content and media, available anytime, anywhere, coupled with social connections to learn.  It’s crucial for instructional designers to understand different theories of learning and how they intermix to create engaging learning experiences.   

This course is designed to place you in the role of learner as you apply concepts from learning theories to your own personal experiences.  During this course you will share learning experiences you had--some that were terrific, and some that were not so terrific. You will explore theories of learning and scientific research and practice applying those to the kinds of problems you actually want to solve. Finally, you will practice the skills instructional designers use to study instructional problems: situations where someone needs to learn something.

In short, you’ll learn how learning works and how to use agreed-upon and well-researched principles so you can take the sometimes messy and unfocused problems people face in life and work and develop a clear and testable idea of how you might organize that problem so it can be solved by learning.  Welcome to the first step on your way to understanding the instructional design process!

Dr. Randy Hansen

Dr. Randy Hansen is an educator with more than two decades of experience teaching and leading educational initiatives. He began his career teaching English for speakers of other languages to K-6 students. His previous experience includes roles as a district technology coordinator, faculty of the Maryland Technology Academy, teaching at Johns Hopkins University and Discovery Education. In 2007, Randy became assistant professor and program director at National Louis University.

Dr. Hansen is acting Vice Dean, Department of Education, University of Maryland Global Campus, leading the Department of Education’s academic programs and faculty.   In 2015 Dr. Hansen was selected as a Top 30 Technologists, Transformers and Trailblazers. In 2016, the International Society for Technology in Education awarded him a 2016 Making IT Happen award. In 2018, Dr. Hansen received a UMGC Presidential Award in recognition of extraordinary accomplishments to the university. Currently, Dr. Hansen serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). 

Danica Justsen, M.Ed. Instructional Technology. Ms. Justsen is a freelance instructional technology specialist, designer, and an English teacher in Prince Georges County Public Schools, MD, USA.

There are no prerequisites for this course. The course is designed to allow participation by all interested students. All course materials are presented in English.

Schedule
The course will open on 8 October, 2019 and run for 8 weeks.  Weeks will run from Tuesday through Monday. All work is designed to be completed each week.  All work must be completed and submitted properly by the end of the course.  No late work can be accepted after the course officially ends.

Weekly knowledge checks and discussions will be released along with course content. The course ends 4 December, 2019, EST USA. You will have until that day to complete all learning activities. Verification Upgrade Deadline is one month after the course begins – November 5, 2019.

Students should plan to spend between 4-6 hours each week to fully complete each module.

• Week 1: Your Learning Environment
• Week 2: Learning Theory: Behaviorism
• Week 3: Learning Theory: Constructivism
• Week 4: Learning Theory: Cognitivism & Connectivism 
• Week 5: Learning Theory: Andragogy
• Week 6: Learning Approach Models: Authentic Assessment, Experiential Learning & Project Based Learning
•  Week 7:  Microlearning
• Week 8: Your Learning Theory Approach to Design

 

• Explore learning theories and their impact on the design of learning experiences
• Technology’s role in the teaching and learning process
• Analyzing learning experiences and instructional materials
• Investigating and defining a problem that can be solved with instruction

• Week 1: Your Learning Environment
  Introduction to the connected, digital edX learning environment, student introductions, reflection on previous learning experiences as a foundation for exploring learning theory.
• Week 2: Learning Theory: Behaviourism
  This week we will start by exploring an early learning theory: behaviorism, classical conditioning and response to stimuli -- including positive or negative consequences.
•  Week 3: Learning Theory: Constructivism
  Week 3 reviews a widely used and discussed learning theory, constructivism.  Constructivism is a learning theory that asserts that each student constructs his own learning and knowledge.
•  Week 4: Learning Theory: Cognitivism & Connectivism  
  Extending beyond Behaviorism, cognitivism assumes that humans are not merely animals who respond to stimuli.  This week explores ideas of Cognitivism, which emphasize the significance of the thought processes during learning.
• Week 5: Learning Theory: Andragogy
  Week 5 explores how adult learners and their approach to the learning process differ from younger learners.
• Week 6: Learning Approach Models: Experiential Learning & Project Based Learning
  Explore active learning via authentic assessments and complex learning theories: Experiential Learning & Project Based Learning.  Student’s support each other in finishing an online portfolio of learning analysis projects. Portfolios are due by the final day of Week 7
•  Week 7:  Microlearning
  Microlearning and microcredentialing are popular trends in teaching and learning.  We’ll explore these topics, experience a microlearning activity and discuss how learning theory can influence design and effectiveness.
•  Week 8: Your Learning Theory Approach to Design
  Explore and discuss your microlearning experience and how which learning theories impacted your learning and why.

 

Grading:
Each week, new content will be released. You will be able to view all material and take any knowledge checks at any time after the content is released. In order to be awarded a certificate you will need to have completed all learning activities by 4 December, 2019 when the course closes.

Certification:
If you have not selected the course certification option, the verification upgrade deadline is one month after the course begins – 5 November 2019.   Verified students must meet the 80% cut-off to earn a certificate. Grades are calculated as explained below.

 

During the course you will design and develop projects to demonstrate understanding of course content.  Many of the projects are developed weekly allowing for feedback and updates to improve content acquisition. Your weekly projects will be included in your final portfolio.

Portfolio (60%)
During the course you will create a personal portfolio demonstrating your knowledge and skill in applying course content to the design of learning experiences.  As you progress through the four courses in this program you will continue to add content and artifacts to your portfolio, demonstrating your abilities as an instructional designer.  Completion of the portfolio is required for all candidates enrolled in the MicroMasters certificate program.

Discussions
Some of the weekly modules have discussion questions or discussion postings associated with the weekly activity.  Discussion responses will not be graded, but active participation in discussions provides us with an incredible resource of viewpoints, and we want to take full advantage of this diversity in our discussions. Course facilitators and the course TA will not reply to every discussion post. They will monitor the discussions, highlighting important posts and clarifying concepts as needed. The instructors will be following the same schedule for due dates of discussions, as follows:

• If there is a discussion post for the week, your initial posting should be completed by 11:59PM EST USA the Friday of the week.  
•  Follow-up discussions and postings, if required, should be completed by 11:59 PM EST USA the Monday of the week.  

• Active participation is critical.  We are all learning together and you will get out of the discussions what you put into them.
• Assume the best intentions from your classmates.  If in doubt please contact your course facilitator or course instructor about specific concerns.
• Posts should be written in your own words. If you include a quote or reference, when possible also provide a citation (book, URL, etc).
• Before posting, search the discussion for similar questions or comments.
• Use evidence instead of personal attacks when you respond to a post with which you disagree.  You can choose to support good posts and ideas if you click on the green plus button to upvote a post.

•  Please limit your posts/responses to a maximum of 400 words (by request of edX).
•  A blue star on a post means a member of the course staff has endorsed it.
•   If you see an inappropriate post, flag it instead of adding your own commentary.

If you are new to APA guidelines, Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) has a wonderful overview of how to use APA guidelines to cite resources:  http://owl.english.purdue.edu.  Attribute: The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL).

Certificates
For those of you working to obtain MicroMasters certificate, you need to complete all activities and discussions for the 8 weeks of the course and complete all required colleague follow postings. Additionally, you will need to design, develop, and publish your personal portfolio and post it to the course by the end of week 7.  Reminder, that there is one required discussion post and follow up requirement during week 8 for verified students.

Online students who have upgraded to verified and achieved a passing grade in Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories will earn a Verified Certificate. These verified certificates indicate that you have successfully completed the course but will include a specific grade. Many students add their certificates to resumes, CVs, or LinkedIn profiles to demonstrate mastery of a given subject area to potential employers.  Certificates are issued by edX under the name of UMGC and are delivered through your dashboard on edx.org.

The Verified Certificate costs $199 to administer and requires you to complete the ID Verification process. That means that you must verify your identify with a webcam and a government-issued photo ID.  Click Upgrade to Verified under the course name on your edX dashboard to complete this process.

If you are interested in earning a UMGC MicroMasters Credential in Instructional Design and Technology, you must successfully pass and receive a Verified Certificate in each of the 4 courses in the Instructional Design and Technology program:

•  IDT100x Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories
•  IDT200x Instructional Design Models
•  IDT300x Instructional Design: Digital Media, New Tools and Technology
•  IDT400x Instructional Design Course Evaluation and Capstone project

We urge you to consider the Verified Certificate option.  You have limited time to become a Verified Certificate student.  See the edX FAQ for more details on certificates.

Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories is part of the UMGC Instructional Design and Technology MicroMasters program. The UMGC Instructional Design and Technology MicroMasters Program is a graduate level series of courses designed to provide you with the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to be an instructional designer.  This online sequence is a semester’s worth of work from UMGC's Learning Design and Technology program and consists of 4 courses for a total cost of $796.

By earning the MicroMasters credential you will develop the knowledge and skills identified in the “what you’ll learn” bullets on the program landing page and within each course. Build on your MicroMasters Credential by applying to the Learning Design and Technology program at UMGC.

Take Your Credential To The Next Level
Learners who successfully earn the MicroMasters Credential are eligible to apply only to UMGC's Learning Design and Technology program for graduate level credential options. The MicroMasters Credential will count for 12 credits toward LDT 610 (6 credits) and LDT 620 (6 credits) in the degree program.

For more information and to enroll in other courses in the UMGC Instructional Design and Technology MicroMasters programs, visit link to edx.org.