What is Learning Design? (Podcast episode 1)
In the inaugural episode of our new podcast series Adventures in Learning Design, Tim and Laurie explore what we actually mean by that term.
Learning design
The power of positive framing in learning design
Research tells us that learning best occurs when we’re in a positive emotional state. ‘Framing’ is a powerful device from the field of positive psychology to keep a positive mindset in adverse situations. Read about one tool borrowed from design thinking that could help learners apply a positive frame throughout their learning journey, resulting in … Read more
Learning and Time
Day 55 in isolation, or is it day 5… I, like many others, have lost track of time spent in lockdown conditions, finding that without the normal spatial cues of a commute or regular social engagements, time somehow has less meaning. Time is immensely fluid – we know that it can fly by when you’re … Read more
#Remote Together – Learning Design Checklists
At the moment, we’re really focused on helping our clients move their face-to-face and print-based courses online as quickly as possible. That can be deceptively simple to do if the goal is just to get some materials online, and you have a platform available already. But doing this without a considered approach to learning design … Read more
#Remote Together – Week 3: Online Teaching
In these uncertain times, we want to contribute by sharing our digital learning knowledge and experience – and encouraging everyone to do the same. We’re creating a video series under the hashtag #RemoteTogether to bring us all together, brainstorm, discuss and share how we as learning professionals can respond to the challenges we’re facing. Week … Read more
#RemoteTogether – Week 2: Remote Workshops
In these uncertain times, we want to contribute by sharing our digital learning knowledge and experience – and encouraging everyone to do the same. We’re creating a video series under the hashtag #RemoteTogether to bring us all together, brainstorm, discuss and share how we as learning professionals can respond to the challenges we’re facing. Every week we’re … Read more
#RemoteTogether
In these uncertain times, we want to contribute by sharing our digital learning knowledge and experience – and encouraging everyone to do the same. We’re creating a video series under the hashtag #RemoteTogether to bring us all together, brainstorm, discuss and share how we as learning professionals can respond to the challenges we’re facing. Every … Read more
LX Berlin Begins: A new event for learner experience designers
Berlin is perhaps best known for its blend of creativity, culture and art. It’s this innovative outlook that’s made it one of Europe’s most dynamic business scenes. In fact, a new startup is founded every 20 minutes, according to the German Times. And if you work in education, you’ll soon find yourself amongst a growing … Read more
LXD in action: running a design sprint at IATEFL 2019
At ELTjam we’ve developed a practical, learner-centred approach to product design that we call Learner Experience Design. We work with organisations to apply this process to learner and teacher problems and come up with solutions; whether that’s an app, a full online course, or a lesson plan or syllabus. To show this approach in action , Katy and Berta ran an IATEFL workshop to showcase a process we use, the ‘Learner Experience Design Sprint’.
Inclusivity: Another look at Special Educational Needs with Martin Bloomfield
In follow up to our article Talking about dyslexia: making ELT more inclusive, we spoke with York Associates trainer Martin Bloomfield about dyslexia, SEN and the challenges for publishers and teachers.
Three ways to understand your learners more deeply
“The better we understand learners and their problems, the better our solutions will be.” Nick Robinson, LearnJam co-founder “It’s not the learner’s job to figure out what they want or need.” LearnJam For us, it’s all about getting a clear understanding of our learners’ emotions and taking time to observe their natural behaviour in terms … Read more
Online tutoring: disruption, risks and opportunities
The accessibility, individuality and flexibility of online tutoring is pulling more and more language learners away from face-to-face modes of learning. But what does this shift away from the classroom mean for teachers, learners and the ELT industry?
Learning, design and sustainable development
“For an activity to be engaging, it needs to be meaningful; for that meaning to endure, it needs to be memorable.”
Zahra Davidson and her work with Enrol Yourself is challenging our vision of lifelong learning. This award-winning social enterprise has been exploring the potential of peer groups to maximise individual and collective progress. Zahra shared her thoughts on the future of learning and assessment at the IATEFL event ELTjam co-organised with Cambridge Assessment English.
What is Learning Experience Design?
We introduced the concept of Learner Experience Design (LXD) within ELT back in 2016. Since then, we’ve continued to develop it, and it now forms the bedrock of most of the work we do with our clients in the design and development of learning products. At our recent InnovateEdTech conference in London, we took the opportunity to ask some of the delegates and speakers what Learner Experience Design means to them. Here, we share some of their fascinating responses – both from within ELT and beyond.
5 things we’ve learned from running the LXD Meetup
Over the last six months we have partnered with Enrol Yourself to run three LXD Meetups in different places in London. In organising these events, we’ve realised how much more there is to know about LXD and how helpful it is to share experiences and ideas with others in the group. This post looks at five of the key things we’ve learned already and invites you to join us for the next one.
Changing Perspective: LXD with ELTjam
ELT editor and materials writer Katy Asbury gives us her take on ELTjam’s Learner Experience Design training and the impact it had on her perspective on teaching.
One facet of product design is knowing your audience inside out through User Personas, a clear set of personas setting out goals and needs of different Users, which guides your design. How could we use this approach to help our different learners? I decided to create my own set of Learner Personas and apply these to my digital product to consider how and where improvements could be made.
LX isn’t just UX with an L thrown in!
Zahra Davidson discusses Learner Experience Design (LXD) from her perspective as a designer working in the learning ‘space’. What are the benefits of viewing our work within the specialism of LXD, what are the concerns when direct parallels are drawn between UX and LX practice and what is lost when we assume that LX relates only to digitally delivered learning?
Learner Experience Design in practice
Nick Robinson gives an overview of our training workshops ELT in the Digital Age and Learner Experience Design in Practice. What do the courses cover, and what did attendees think of them?
Why ELT publishers need to know about Design Thinking
We take a look at the design thinking mindset, how it helps you to unlock invaluable insights about your learners and what you can do to start applying it in your teams right away.
ELTjam LXD Session: Lindsay Clandfield and the game changers
ELT EdTech, if we use a video game metaphor, is like Pong. (Lindsay Clandfield)
Possibly the best quote on the state of ELT digital products ever. Lindsay was one of the four speakers that addressed the topic of Learner Experience Design (LXD) at our ELTjam Session on the 13th April. His 10-minute spot covered the growing influence of video games and the surprise survival of the fitness industry. Find out how Lindsay tied it all together…
