Forum Discussion
Less Is More Is Not Just About Content, but About Learning Experience
Thanks for sharing this, JoanneChen! I definitely feel this way in my own work. Sometimes there are so many creative possibilities, but I think one of the hardest decisions is knowing when to scale back.
I wonder if this could make for an interesting Weekly Challenge topic in the future, DavidAnderson? Maybe members could redesign an existing course using fewer elements while trying to improve the learning outcome. Or everyone could work within the same design constraints and see the different solutions people come up with. I think it could spark some interesting conversations about intentional design.
Thanks, Katie-Jordan! My own approach is usually to go back to the learning objectives and ask what learners need in order to achieve them, while staying motivated throughout the learning experience. Once that's clear, the design decisions tend to become much easier.
I also like to think about what is the minimum effort required for learners to successfully achieve the learning outcome. If an interaction or activity doesn't meaningfully contribute to that goal, I'm usually comfortable leaving it out.
I love your idea of working within the same design constraints. @DavidAnderson I think it would be fascinating to see how different instructional designers solve the same learning problem. I suspect we'd end up with very different designs, and that's exactly what makes instructional design so interesting.