Transforming Programs and Courses

Abstract

In Parts I and II, the Design Alchemy architecture has been analysed in terms of its origins, its place in the design community and the three components that constitute its practice: pedagogy, practice and assets. In this chapter, four examples are provided to illustrate the efficiency and results of that process, as well as the thinking behind the practice. In each case the selected programs or courses have been targeted for revitalisation through conversion from traditional face-to-face to online delivery, and the teaching staff assigned had limited experience in either design or online teaching and learning. Applying Design Alchemy practice to redesign a course, including activities and assessments, is both practical and efficient. The essential design specifications for each of these courses were completed in a matter of hours, highlighting the efficiency and practicality of the transformational process. Following specification of these essential course components, the specifics of learning activities, assessment tasks and online implementation required additional, but not extensive, effort. Design Alchemy is able to achieve its efficiency through focusing the design effort on five critical and interrelated course elements: knowledge application, learning outcomes, assessment, learning activities and learning resources.