Table of Contents

Preface - origins of and rationale for the book

Setting the scene

Ch 1Introduction

a.  Overview

b.  The context of modern education

c.  The nature of educational technology

d.  Today's learners

e.  The need for a new learning design methodology

f.   Audience and structure of the book

g.  The process of writing the book

Ch 2 Design languages.

a.  Introduction

b.  The challenges of designing for learning

c.  Design languages

d.  Design notation in music, architecture and chemistry

i.   Musical notation

ii.  Architectural notation

iii. Chemical notation

e.  Learning design

i.   Defining learning design

ii.  The origins of learning design

iii. A spectrum of learning design languages

f.   Origins of the Open Learning Design methodology

i.   The OU Learning Design Initiative

ii.  Design-Based Research

iii. The OULDI learning design methodology

Ch 3: Related research fields

a.  Introduction

b.  Instructional Design

c.  Learning Sciences

d.  Learning objects and Open Educational Practices

e.  Pedagogical Patterns

f.   Professional networks and support centres

g.  Conclusion

Ch 4: Open, social and participatory media

a.  Introduction

b.  The changing digital landscape of education

c.  A review of new technologies

i.   The characteristics of new technologies

ii.  The impact of Web 2.0 technologies

iii. The use of Web 2.0 technologies in education

iv. The impact on practice

d.  A review of Web 2.0 tools and practice

e.  Conclusion

Theoretical perspectives

Ch 5 Theory and methodology in learning design research

a.  Introduction

b.  Definitions

c.  Researchers' home disciplines

d.  The nature of theory

e.  Theoretical perspectives

i.    Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT)

ii.  Communities of Practice

iii. Actor Network Theory

iv. Cybernetics and systems thinking

a.  Methodological approaches

i.    Content analysis

ii.  Ethnography

iii. Case studies

iv. Action research

v.  Evaluation

vi. Choosing an appropriate methodology

b.  Influences, beliefs and theoretical perspectives

c.  Conclusion

Ch 6 The role of Mediating Artifacts in learning design

b.  The origins of the concept of Mediating Artifacts

c.  Capturing and representing practice

d.  Examples of Mediating Artifacts

e.  Understanding learning activities through Mediating Artifacts

f.   Meta-Mediating Artifacts

g.  An illustrative example of the application of this approach

i.    Teacher A: The design phase

ii.  Learner A: Use Scenario 1 - beginner's route

iii. Learner B: Use Scenario 2 - advanced route

iv. Teacher B: Use Scenario 3 - repurposing

h.  Conclusion

a.  Introduction

b.  Definitions of the term

c.  ICT affordances

i.   Collaboration

ii.  Reflection

iii. Interaction

iv. Dialogue

v.  Creativity

vi. Organization

vii.             Inquiry

viii.            Authenticity

ix. Negative affordances - constraints

a.  Conclusion

Design representations and tools

Ch 8 Design representations

a.  Introduction

b.  Types of representation

c.  Examples of different types of representations

i.    Textual

ii.  Content map

iii. The course map view

iv. The pedagogy profile

v.  The task swimlane representation

vi. Learning outcomes map

vii.   The course dimensions view

viii.  Principles/pedagogy matrix

d.  Evaluation of the views

e.  An example of application of the representations

i.    Course view

ii.  Pedagogical profile

iii. Course dimensions

iv. Learning outcomes

v.  Task swimlane

f.   Conclusion

Ch 9 Case study: tools for visualizing designs

a.  Introduction

b.  Practitioners' approaches to design

c.  Repurposing an Open Educational Resource

d.  The development of Compendium LD

e.  Evaluation of the use of Compendium LD

f.   Use by practitioners

g.  Use by students

h.  Other visualization tools

i.    Conclusion

Ch 10 Pedagogical planners

a.  Introduction

b.  The need for pedagogical planners

c.  Examples of pedagogical planners

i.   The DialogPlus toolkit

ii.  Phoebe

iii. The London Pedagogical Planner (LPP)

iv. The Learning Design Support Environment (LDSE)

d.  Conclusion

Openness

a.  Introduction

b.  Facets of openness

i.    Open design

ii.  Open delivery

iii. Open evaluation

iv. Open research

c.  Principles

d.  Defining openness

e.  Characteristics of openness

f.   The OU's Supported Open Learning (SOL) model

g.  Applying openness

i.    Open design

ii.  Open delivery

iii. Open evaluation

iv. Open research

h.  Conclusion

Ch 12 Open Educational Resources

a.  Introduction

b.  The Open Educational Resource movement

c.  A review of OER initiatives

d.  Case study 1: Openlearn

e.  Case study 2: Wikiwijs

f.   Case study 3: LeMill

g.  Case study 4: Podcampus

h.  Conclusion

i.    Appendix: The broader OER landscape

Ch 13 Case study: Realising the vision of Open Educational Resources

a.  Introduction

b.  The Olnet initiative

c.  The OPAL initiative

i.    Strategies and policies

ii.  Quality assurance models

iii. Collaborative and partnership modles

iv. Tools and tool practices

v.  Innovations

vi. Skills development and support

vii.   Business models and sustainability strategies

viii.  Barriers and enablers

d.  Enhancing the quality and innovation of OER

e.  Conclusion

Social and participatory media

Ch 14: Online communities and interactions

a.  Introduction

b.  The co-evolution of tools and practice

c.  Modes of interaction

d.  The changing nature of online communities

e.  The pedagogies of e-learning

f.   Sfard's metaphors of learning

g.  Frameworks for supporting online communities

h.  The Community Indicators Framework

i.    Conclusion

Ch 15 Case study: Cloudworks

a.  Introduction

b.  Cloudworks

c.  Theoretical underpinnings

d.  Evaluation of the OU Learning and Teaching Cloudscape

e.  Using Cloudworks to support learning

Conclusion

Ch 16 Conclusion, implications and reflections

Postscript - reflections on adopting an open approach to the writing of the book

The Internet and associated technologies have been around for almost twenty years. Networked access and computer ownership are now the norm. There is a plethora of technologies that can be used to support learning, offering different ways in which learners can communicate with each other and their tutors, and providing them with access to interactive, multimedia content. However, these generic skills don't necessarily translate seamlessly to an academic learning context. Appropriation of these technologies for academic purposes requires specific skills, which means that the way in which we design and support learning opportunities needs to provide appropriate support to harness the potential of technologies. More than ever before learners need supportive 'learning pathways' to enable them to blend formal educational offerings, with free resources and services. This requires a rethinking of the design process, to enable teachers to take account of a blended learning context.