Realising the Potential of Design Patterns in Professional Learning

Abstract

In the field of teaching and learning, education or learning design is currently receiving considerable attention in the literature and in discussions amongst academics and practitioners. Different methods for capturing and sharing designs that incorporate pedagogically sound practices have been researched and promoted, including design patterns. Despite the numerous documented benefits of using design patterns in education, they have failed to become widely established within the teaching and learning community. In this paper the authors discuss the genesis of design patterns in education and outline the action research journey which resulted in the selection of design patterns as their preferred method to document and share effective learning design practice. They also review the barriers to design pattern usage and consider the question of whether design patterns are still relevant in the current discipline of teaching and learning. Finally, they present a way forward for design patterns and their integration into the world of professional learning.