An e.learning Design Framework

Having read a little around Bloom's Taxonomy and Learning Engagement Theory, it's now up to me to design my own Learning Design Framework to "support excellent e.learning". So, here goes...

Bloom's Taxonomy (actually, Bloom's Revised Taxonomy) appeals to me because it is logical and systematic. It defines a process of learning, and the progression from one type of thinking skills to the next  is intuitive and makes sense. The concept that each stage is an integral step, and perhaps even a prerequisite, for progressing to thinking skills in subsequent stages also provides a practical model for structuring learning experiences. The interdependent nature of the different categories of thinking skills can be summarised like this:

• Before we can understand a concept, we have to remember it;
• Before we can apply the concept we must understand it;
• Before we can analyse it we must be able to apply it;
• Before we can evaluate its' impact we must have analysed it;
• Before we can create we must have remembered, understood, applied, analysed and evaluated.

While Bloom's Taxonomy is useful in providing a framework for thinking about learning (as well as for me, ultimately, teaching), it might not be the whole picture. Another theory relevant to contemporary teaching and learning is Learning Engagement Theory. This model is sold as noe for leanring in technology based environments, and the major premise is that learners must be engaged in order for effective learning to occur. To be engaging, learning experiences should emphasise collaborative efforts, be project-based, and have an outside, non-acdemic focus. The role of technology in this theory is to facilitate all aspects of engagement, to ultimately help make learning creative, meaningful and authentic.

I appreciate the applicability of this model to learning and teaching in the 21st century. It is easy to see the parallels between this and constructivism. However, I am left feeling that this model may be a little ambitious for some clasroom activities. For example, activities that require rote memorisation such as times-tables. It is a nice idea that all classroom activities could be project-based and link to a bigger task with real-world application. But I think the reality is that not everything will align with a larger, culminating task.

I have attempted to integrate Bloom's Taxonomy and Learning Engagement Theory to come up with a potential framework to "support excellent e.learning". It's essentially just a mash of the two models. Hopefully, you can access it here.