Evaluation and research in learning design and technology

Learning designers need to be able to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of a learning design, as well as the usefulness and efficiency of the design process and project delivery. Throughout the design cycle, experienced designers constantly evaluate the quality of their design, as well as considering whether the design method they have adopted is the most suitable, whether the design itself needs to be modified, and whether the project is running to plan.

In this unit, you will learn about evaluation models and methods that you can implement in your own work. You will explore case studies and have hands-on experience in designing and analysing qualitative and quantitative evaluation tools. This includes options such as student and educator feedback surveys through to the complexity of learning analytics. You will revisit a number of design methods and explore how they can support the evaluation of the design process, both during and after the completion of the project.

Evaluation should lead to improvement. In this unit you will explore methods to generate alternative solutions and processes, including design thinking, stakeholder co-design and rapid prototyping. You will also further develop your skills in identifying and interpreting empirical research in the field which can inform future designs.