Presentation given at OLC Innovate (April 2016, New Orleans). Johnson, L., Kolodziej, M. & Shean, A. (2016). Design lab! Developing and sustaining capacity to design effective online courses and programs [Presentation file]. Online Learning Consortium - Innovate Conference. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

1. DESIGN LAB!
DEVELOPING &
SUSTAINING
CAPACITY
TO
DESIGN
EFFECTIVE
ONLINE
COURSES &
PROGRAMS
Lisa Johnson, PhD
Assistant Professor
Instructional Design & Technology
Ashford University
858.776.0284
Lisa.Johnson@Ashford.Edu
Mike Kolodziej
AVP, Curriculum & Instructional Design
Bridgepoint Education
858.722.1337
Michael.Kolodziej@bpiedi.com
Andrew Shean, EdD
Chief Academic Learning Officer
Bridgepoint Education
858.776.9758
Andrew.Shean@Ashford.Edu
April 2016 – New Orleans

2. COMBINING LEARNING, INNOVATION AND PRACTICE IN
CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS
LEARNING OUTCOME ASSESSMENT & DATA DRIVEN IMPROVEMENT
THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
Curriculum design for distance learning programs
has become increasingly more complicated in
recent years (Oblinger, 2006) which has
challenged faculty course designers. Improving
the professional practice of curriculum
development, poses several unique and complex
challenges pertaining to the interrelated aspects of
working, learning, and innovating within the
practice of curriculum development, including the
following:
• Embedded cognitivist epistemology
• Requisite shift of faculty role/identity
• 100% mediation of teaching and learning with
technology
• Low levels of support staff
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge
(TPACK) framework proposed by Mishra and Koehler
(2006) represents the ideal combination of domain
knowledge required to teach effectively in technology-
mediated environments. There are two ways in which the
TPACK framework will be used in relation to the Design
Lab; first as professional development framework, and
second as a design framework for learning with
technology.
Brown & Duguid (1991) encourage the intentional combination of workplace practice
and creative innovation by suggesting that “…working, learning, and innovating to
thrive collectively, depends on linking these three in theory and in practice, more
closely, more realistically, and more reflectively than is generally the case at present”
(pg. 55).
INTRODUCTION
Design-Based Research
Design-Based Research (Barab & Squire, 2009) provides
a simple and yet effective conduit for the iterative, data-
driven development and improvement of curriculum.
Leveraging the research expertise of doctorally-prepared
faculty provides a familiar paradigm for the evolving role of
faculty in curriculum design.
The design and facilitation of the Design Lab have been
considered in terms of both psychological and social
constructivism (Richardson, 2003). On a macro-level, the
initiative focuses on helping to facilitate the creation of
socially-relevant, meaningful knowledge within
interdisciplinary groups. On a micro-level, the individual
participants will construct knowledge into their schema as
they participate in the practice of creating artifacts of
personal and social relevance, for sharing, discussion and
reflection individually and often collectively.
OVERVIEW
The Design Lab has been created to harness the expertise of Faculty, Staff, Student Data and
Research in The Learning Sciences, in a new way toward the collective pursuit of
improvement and innovation in the practice of curriculum development. Leveraging ideas in
Constructivist Pedagogy, through participation in intentionally planned collaborative,
knowledge-building activities, centered on the creation of instructional objects and artifacts,
the Design Lab will help facilitate knowledge construction and sharing of expertise. Within
cohorts and semi-structured workgroups, faculty will work with curriculum support staff to build
assessments, assignments, and other tools and resources for learning.
Design Lab Collaborative Knowledge Space
Data Dashboards – Wiki-spaces – Calendars
Development Resources - Request Forms
Blogs - Social Media – Discussion Forums
Student submits
assignments for
grading
Faculty assess student
work with rubric-based
LOA tool
Learning outcome
performance is
analyzed
Cross-functional teams
design instructional
assets
Learning Services
team produces
instructional assets
(video pictured)
Instructional assets
are delivered to
students
Reproduced with permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org

3. SharePoint – Course Development Documents