Title: Week 1: Analyse your course (Step 1)
Course: Blended learning and distance education skills > Section: Course Content

Every educational design process starts whit a thorough analysis of the existing and desired status of your course.  The focus is on the two main aspects that need to be clear: the starting situation and the content domain.

After this week you are able to:

- Use the provided insights and tools to create a complete overview of the starting situation, including the learner, context and learning outcomes.

- Provide a clear overview of the subject matter domain in the form of a concept map including the aspects are crucial for making design choices: the overall structure, types of knowledge, pre-knowledge and content sequencing.

Step 1: Analysis, the existing and desired status

Every educational design process starts with a thorough analysis of the existing and desired status of your course.  The focus is on the two main aspects that need to be clear: the starting situation (A) and the content domain (B).

After this step you are able to:

- Use the provided insights and tools to create a complete overview of the starting situation, including the learner, context and learning outcomes.

- Provide a clear overview of the subject matter domain in the form of a concept map including the aspects are crucial for making design choices: the overall structure, types of knowledge, pre-knowledge and content sequencing.

The following documents and templates guide you in analyzing the starting situation and content domain.

A. Starting situation

What are the characteristics of your course concerning:

- the learners: What level do they have regarding the course content, independent learning, technology use?
- the context: Which facilities are available for developing blended learning in your institute, what are the possibilities to do activities online or at home by the students?
- the learning outcomes: Which part of the course learning outcomes can be addressed with online learning, which learning outcomes need teacher presence?

Activity 1.1: Analyse your learners

To analyze your learners in a structured and organized way and don't miss out on important aspects so-called personas (also see: wikipedia) can be used. Personas help you to identify and recognize different types of learners. Sources for information for defining these personas are (experienced) colleagues and your own experience.  Use the following template to create at least three different personas: Personas_for_educational_design_template.docx

After defining your personas ask feedback from your teacher team or peers.

Activity 1.2: Analyse your teaching context

The bigger context in which your course should be implemented influences the choices you need to make during different phases in the design process. To start with a complete as possible picture of the context prevents you from unexpected surprises in a later phase. Use the following template to identify the context: Your_context_template.docx. This document can be updated during the design process with new or changing views or information.

Activity 1.3: Analyse the learning outcomes

The learning outcomes are the foundation of every educational design. Clear and well-formulated learning outcomes guide all decisions you need to make regarding the teaching and learning activities and assessment in your course (see also: Constructive alignment). Also, they help you communicate and share your ideas with your peers, check the alignment with the final qualifications of the programme, and keep you focused on the learning instead of the content. For defining the level of learning outcomes 'Bloom's taxonomy' is a useful starting point.  Use the following template give a complete overview of the learning outcomes: Learning_outcomes_template.docx

B. Content domain analysis through concept mapping

To conduct an analysis of the content domain we advise using the technique of concept mapping. Concept mapping is a technique used to structure complex areas. For more information on concept mapping, watch this video.

Tip: Try to analyze the content domain free of any learning structure or sequencing.

Tip: Analyse your domain from a different perspective:

- Is it a structured domain (for example physics) or unstructured domain (for example educational design)?
- mark the nodes in the concept map defining the type of knowledge. For example:

- facts, concepts, principles, theories, procedures.
- knowledge, skills, attitudes
- relations between the entities
- relation with the domain-specific contextual aspects
- relation with pre-knowledge

Making a complete concept map of the domain has several purposes:

- making the knowledge in your head concrete and visible, there is always to much content and to less time to teach and learn.
- a way to communicate and discuss the knowledge domain with peers.
- identify the connection between pre-knowledge and new knowledge, helps to sequence and chunk your lesson design, and assignments
- identify 'difficult' parts, where you need to focus on during your design.

Activity 1.4: Concept map

For creating a concept map different tools can be used based on your own competence and preference. The following PowerPoint template can be used to make the first start: Domain_analysis_template.pptx

Activity 1.5: Complete the analysis step

Activities 1.1. - 1.4 form the bases for step 1. However it also good to have a look at the blended learning toolbox for more inspiration.

Use the following template to finalize the analysis phase (you can add the different documents you created in the activities as appendices).

Step1_Analysis_summary_template.docx

Tip: Rename this document, add your name, version number, and course title.

Post your analysis on the Course Forum so you can get feedback from the instructors and fellow participants. Feel free to start a new discussion in the forum if needed.