Planning and Designing (A)

IO2: Digital Competency Framework

This section concerns planning and designing effective digital and mixed learning experiences at the level of programmes, sessions or interventions. It applies to varied learning situations, including for instance programmed courses, supporting learners at work, and supporting individual study. It includes considering the needs and contexts of potential learners and building in relevant levels of accessibility.

A1. Set out what is to be achieved by a programme, intervention or session.

  • Defining the objectives and wider aims to be covered, where relevant relating them to any formal programme requirements

  • Identifying the context/s in which the programme, intervention or session will operate

  • Identifying where possible characteristics, learning and access needs of actual or potential learners, and assessing the implications for design.

  • Identifying the resources available for the programme, intervention or session and any implications for what can be achieved.

A2. Plan the activities involved in a programme, intervention or session.
    • Taking account of the context/s of the programme, intervention or session and the characteristics, contexts, needs and abilities of intended learners
    • Using feedback from learners and where relevant other stakeholders to improve the design of activities
    • Defining the learning objectives to be covered by each activity or stage
    • Setting out what learners, and where relevant teachers, trainers or facilitators, need to do at each stage
    • Identifying where flexibility is needed to respond to different needs, contexts and rates of progress
    • Designing in appropriate levels of structure, scaffolding and where appropriate intervention to

      support learning at each stage

    • Ensuring that the balance between learner-directed, software-directed and facilitator-directed activity is appropriate to learners’ needs and abilities

    • Creating a balance between different types of activity and resource that: Supports the achievement of learning objectives; maintains motivation and flow; supports the needs, abilities and preferences of learners; and responds to different learning contexts.

A3. Integrate digital and non-digital activities

  • Identifying where digital methods and resources create new learning opportunities, add value or increase effectiveness

  • Incorporating digital approaches that will support and complement activities outside of the digital environment (such as face-to-face learning, workplace learning and independent study or investigation)

  • Providing digital and non-digital access to the same content or support.

A4. Integrate digital and non-digital activities

  • Ensuring that digital content and media maximise access and usability for learners with disabilities, different ways of perceiving, different ways of expressing themselves, different learning preferences and different levels of subject and technical competence

  • Ensuring that digital content is as far as possible accessible across diverse communities, for instance avoiding making assumptions about the social and cultural backgrounds of learners

  • Ensuring that digital content and media are as far as possible accessible using different hardware and software platforms

  • Ensuring that digital content and media are compatible with assistive technologies

  • Taking into account contextual barriers such as device ownership, the environment from which material is being accessed and the availability and speed of connections.

A5. Maximise accessibility.

  • Ensuring that digital content and media maximise access and usability for learners with disabilities, different ways of perceiving, different ways of expressing themselves, different learning preferences and different levels of subject and technical competence

  • Ensuring that digital content is as far as possible accessible across diverse communities, for instance avoiding making assumptions about the social and cultural backgrounds of learners

  • Ensuring that digital content and media are as far as possible accessible using different hardware and software platforms

  • Ensuring that digital content and media are compatible with assistive technologies

  • Taking into account contextual barriers such as device ownership, the environment from which material is being accessed and the availability and speed of connections.

A6. Build in review, assessment and evaluation.

  • Building in or enabling review and assessment activities as part of the learning design, where appropriate making use of relevant technology

  • Designing review and assessment so that they add value in terms of learning

  • Ensuring that assessment methods and strategies are accessible and do not require skills that are not part of what is being assessed

  • Building in opportunities for data collection, learner (and where applicable employer or placement provider) feedback and evaluation.

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