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A decision in every course’s design is: What version of Content should I use? Brightspace...
A decision in every course’s design is: What version of Content should I use? Brightspace offers multiple different content experiences (classic content, new content, and new learner view), but how do you decide what’s best for you, your course, and your learners? It’s not always an easy decision, so two D2L IDs put their…
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Using Video Notes for Sharing Personal Anecdotes When I was in grade seven, my favourite...
Using Video Notes for Sharing Personal Anecdotes When I was in grade seven, my favourite subject was math. It was not my favourite subject before or after grade seven, but Mr. Luelo knew how to teach math: through stories or, perhaps more accurately in his case, through dad jokes. Nearly thirty years later, I can still…
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Calling the Instructional Design Hive Mind! I was asked a great question today about best...
Calling the Instructional Design Hive Mind! I was asked a great question today about best practices to help an Educator stay on top of marking-mountain! In particular, they're looking for tips to help them autograde aspects of an assignment. What tips or strategies do you recommend for keeping that marking moving?
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Good Morning,I want to create a workshop(s) on how you can use the D2L tools pedagogically. Can...
Good Morning, I want to create a workshop(s) on how you can use the D2L tools pedagogically. Can anyone point out some good articles already in the community for this? Any ideas or suggestions on how you all have used the D2L tool pedagogically is welcome too. I enjoy this group very much! There is wonderful information…
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HTML Templates to Reduce Cognitive Load Are you using the HTML Template Version 3.0? This...
HTML Templates to Reduce Cognitive Load Are you using the HTML Template Version 3.0? This [Archived Content] HTML Template article in Brightspace Community outlines how you can create responsive, accessible and interactive pages with them. They are a game-changer in my books. You can take a disjointed-looking course and…
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Creating a Reflective Journal to Assess Acquired Skills One of the reasons why I am passionate...
Creating a Reflective Journal to Assess Acquired Skills One of the reasons why I am passionate about instructional design is the process improvement and reengineering that it involves. In many cases, the solutions I see on client course shells work but aren’t ideal, and with some improvement to the process flow, an ID can…
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Theoretical Considerations: Threshold ConceptsThreshold Concepts and Transformational Learning:...
Theoretical Considerations: Threshold Concepts Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning: Jan H. F. Meyer, R. Land, C. Baillie (full text) Threshold Concepts in Practice (Article) Threshold concepts are ideas in student learning that, after grasping it, is transformational for the learner. Characteristics of…
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Gamification and D2L. I been studying Gamification and Game Based Learning lately. Can folks,...
Gamification and D2L. I been studying Gamification and Game Based Learning lately. Can folks, please share how they are using Gamification or GBL in Brightspace? When I refer to Gamification or GBL in Brightspace I am NOT talking about the D2L Game Based Learning tool! We do not have that and will probably not get it.…
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When thinking about online learning or remote delivery, so much of the focus centres around...
When thinking about online learning or remote delivery, so much of the focus centres around making the course accessible, engaging, or even available online. Other aspects of learning, such as relationship building in the classroom, sometimes drop down on the priority list because of so many components that need to be…
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The rule of thirds The rule of thirds is a photography concept that suggests that images can be...
The rule of thirds The rule of thirds is a photography concept that suggests that images can be divided into nine smaller squares, with four possible focal points on the image, at the intersections of these squares. The eye is naturally drawn to these lines, so often hands or eyes fall close to or on a line in a portrait…
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Hey everyone! One of our colleagues from the D2L Learning Solutions team would love your...
Hey everyone! One of our colleagues from the D2L Learning Solutions team would love your feedback to help guide something that they're working on.When adding a practice activity or formative assessment to a module, where would you like to include it?
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Instructional Design Writer’s Block Hello, my fellow designers! I have a question for you! Have...
Instructional Design Writer’s Block Hello, my fellow designers! I have a question for you! Have you ever been faced with a course where you did not know where to start? Have you stared at your screen and lacked inspiration? How do you cope with instructional design “writer’s block”? What are some strategies that you have…
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Take a moment to imagine what your course would ideally look like in Brightspace: would it be...
Take a moment to imagine what your course would ideally look like in Brightspace: would it be interactive? Accessible? Responsive? Would each page maintain a consistent look and feel across the entirety of the course? Brightspace offers a simple way to tick off all those boxes without having to write code (a huge relief…
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How do you write GOOD alt text? How much explanation is enough? What details should you...
How do you write GOOD alt text? How much explanation is enough? What details should you highlight or leave out? I'm always on the lookout for articles that inspire and help me to better coach instructors on answering these questions for the demonstrative images they use in their courses. Recently in my readings, I came…
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Viewing Survey Results by Section Finding a solution to a learning problem is one of the...
Viewing Survey Results by Section Finding a solution to a learning problem is one of the greatest satisfactions I get as an ID. In fact, I enjoy the whole process, from analyzing the problem, thinking of a solution, asking others for ideas, and testing options (or in many cases looking for a workaround!). I’m always amazed…
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Back to School! A new school year is upon us! I hope everyone (students, parents, teachers,...
Back to School! A new school year is upon us! I hope everyone (students, parents, teachers, educators, and instructional designers) has had a chance to recharge over the summer and is ready for a new academic year. The past year was certainly challenging for many, and while I hope this year is much better, there is still…
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Transitioning from Higher Ed to Instructional Design During a Pandemic With Labour Day fast...
Transitioning from Higher Ed to Instructional Design During a Pandemic With Labour Day fast approaching, and the debates about what a return to in-person college and university classes might look like, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my journey over the past year and a half. I had been interested in instructional…
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Have you overloaded your learners with content? This is a problem that I have come across as an...
Have you overloaded your learners with content? This is a problem that I have come across as an instructional designer. When I’m reviewing content in Brigthspace, many of the courses I've reviewed have overloaded their learners with information. As an instructor, I also had this urge to give my students all the information…
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One of my favourite widgets to deploy in my courses is the Welcome Widget! For some learners, it...
One of my favourite widgets to deploy in my courses is the Welcome Widget! For some learners, it isn't always obvious what they should first be doing when they enter a course for the first time. The welcome widget pops up for learners when they first enter a course and it takes them through important information about the…
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When thinking about course design, one of my favourite topics is making learning fun and...
When thinking about course design, one of my favourite topics is making learning fun and engaging by gamifying the experience. Whether I’m working on a course with a few gamified elements (such as a badging strategy) or going for a full game-based experience complete with some storytelling, I’m keeping in mind pedagogical…
