Activities, resources and assessments - your flexible friends

I'm currently working with a client that is looking to assemble a curriculum of learning modules for thousands of NGO personnel working in developing countries across the world. These modules are just one element in a wider learning architecture that looks to develop a range of core competences through a variety of means - experiential, on-demand, non-formal and formal. The problem I have been set is to help them develop formal learning modules that can be used in a wide variety of contexts:

• Cohort-based, working to a timetable OR self-directed, with timing to suit the learner
• On an online basis OR face-to-face (particularly where bandwidth is scarce) OR some mixture
• With an emphasis on improving competency and confidence rather than on abstract knowledge
• Grounded in real-world experience and practice
• In three languages to start with
• With scope for local customisation

The client does not have the time to develop a whole range of alternative course designs in parallel, so we need to make sure the same basic ingredients will work with relatively minor adaptation in each context. Thankfully, the core educational philosophy and approach does not need to vary, just the mechanics.

My response is to design each module as a series of activities, resources and assessments, each of which can work on a self-directed or cohort basis, whether online or face-to-face:

• Discussions and other collaborative activities: These are easy to visualise for cohort-based courses, whether asynchronous (using forums and social media) or synchronous (in physical or virtual classrooms). It would be easy to just miss out this element for self-directed learners, but this would be second best. The trick here, I believe, is to have learners engage with their work colleagues (and perhaps even their family and friends) to ensure that have the opportunity to externalise their views and benefit from other perspectives. Another solution is to develop online interactions that allow learners to compare their responses with previous learners who have also taken the course on a self-directed basis (see New directions in self-study e-learning: social interactions).
• Interactive scenarios: These can be designed for self-study use or to be moderated by a facilitator in a group environment.
• Practical assignments: These can work perfectly well for self-directed learners, with work colleagues, line managers or online tutors engaged to check the results. With cohort-basedf courses, there is the additional option of peer-based review.
• Videos: Can be easily distributed online or offline, for individual or group use.
• Slide shows: These can be formatted for live presentation by a facilitator or with narration for individual use.
• Formal documents: Can be distributed as PDFs both for online use and for print-on-demand.
• Assessments: Because the emphasis here is on competence building and not knowledge-building, assessment is going to require more than quizzes, so we're probably talking an evidence-based approach based on real-work performance or, at very least, special assignments. Self-directed or cohort-based, the issues are the same.

So what about localisation? Well, one thing to avoid is lots of printed materials, for obvious reasons. And all of the resources need to be created using commonly-available and easy to use tools. Videos are a complication but they are also an increasingly important element, so there probably will have to be some re-voicing or sub-titling. Most importantly, the course structures will not be hard-wired - each territory can choose to employ the various ingredients in the format that works best for them, supplemented with their own materials as necessary. 

So is it possible to design for all contexts, without compromising on quality? I'll let you know how I get on, but in the meantime I'd also appreciate your tips.

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