Implementing distance learning design approaches: lessons from six impact narratives

Abstract

Higher education institutions are increasingly looking to implement online and distance learning (ODL) options for students. Professional development for the design of ODL is needed to support these strategies. This study explores how, in what ways, and to what extent, design for ODL approaches from a series of Learning Design & Course Creation (LDCC) Workshops were implemented. The LDCC Workshop is a mature and substantial professional development activity which adopts a constructivist and student-focused pedagogy and is based on design for ODL approaches embedded at the Open University (UK). Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with participating staff from five Chinese Open Universities. Data was analysed using the Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) approach. As a result, six “LDCC impact narratives” were identified and are discussed in terms of learning design being implemented in three orientations: product, practice, and process. The findings illustrate that design for ODL approaches were implemented in all three orientations, but the extent to which they were implemented was dependent on certain institutional enablers being present and/or staff being given opportunities to put into practice what they learnt.