• Instructors and trainers
• Instructional designers
• Learning and talent development leaders

After completing this course participants will be able to: 

• Describe five major shifts to transition from older instructional design practices to the new learner and task-centered approach for designing learning experiences. 
• Demonstrate and share LXD practices with colleagues to boost learner satisfaction and performance outcomes. 
• Apply cutting edge design thinking strategies beginning at the project startup phase to better understand multiple stakeholder perspectives and desired results. 
• Adopt a participatory and agile approach to learning design incorporating multiple perspectives and feedback from colleagues, managers and prospective learners as part of an iterative design process.   
• Demonstrate design thinking ideation techniques to creatively combine new digital learning strategies with the capabilities of available learning platforms and software tools to develop innovative and cost-effective learning solutions.   
• Apply LXD strategies including learner personas, experience maps, iterative design, rapid prototyping and feedforward-feedback techniques to ensure learning designs are aligned with learner needs and performance goals.  
• Develop instructional content that integrates cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social aspects of learning using techniques such as contextualization to anchor learning to specific job situations.  
• Refine and implement a prototype design plan created during the course for a work-related project. 

• Week 1:  Introduction and Application of the LXD Approach
  • Core elements of online learning experiences (structure and psychodynamics)
  • Making the shift from conventional instructional design to LXD
  • Applying design thinking to the LXD process
  • An integrated LXD framework for designing online learning
  • Factors that influence engagement and deep learning in online environments
  • Designing learner and task-centered interfaces, content structures and motivational elements
  • Exploring affordances of new technology tools for designing hybridized content interactions
  • Individual/team project work

Week 2:  Designing Impactful Online Learning Activities and Social Interactions 

• • Designing online activities to promote active and deep learning
  • Engagement strategies including contextualization and scenario-based learning
  • Designing online social interactions that support knowledge and skill development
  • Feedback strategies for enhancing learner agency and motivation
  • Evaluating and assessing learning outcomes, impact and ROI
  • Challenges and strategies for implementing LXD in various work contexts
  • Personal project reviews and debriefings

This fully online two-week course consists of:

• Introductory prework (1 hr.)
• Live virtual classes (four 2-hour sessions, 8 hrs.)
• Online self-study modules with mini-projects (4 hrs.)
• Online discussion forum participation (optional 1 hr.)
• Mini prototype project work (4 hrs.)

Estimated total: 16-18 hours

This course requires completing assignments prior to each of the four live virtual class sessions.