This course is one of the building blocks that lays the foundation for the entire programme of study. As a first year course, it sets the tone for requisite knowledge for future courses to come and continuous learning opportunities. The course starts off with an immersive look into the brain so that learners could develop their understanding of how the brain works, debunk any misconceptions and consequently appreciate its complex nature. With this in mind, budding instructional designers are likely to make associations to environmental factors and its influence on brain development and the need for theories to facilitate learning. Subsequently, much of the theoretical ideas in the field of instructional design are revealed to learners such as models, theories, principles etc. Whilst many of these concepts may appear abstract initially, the course readings, use of multimedia, cooperative and collaborative activities and assignments have a way of making nebulous understandings more concrete as the course progresses. By the end of the course, learners should possess a more concrete idea of instructional design. Course participants are also likely to go through cognitive dissonance on technology’s role in instructional design as well as develop linkages among instructional design, distance learning and instructional technology. Select the box that follows to explore an artefact of my knowledge for this course.

Active participation in this course is likely to stimulate further research in the field. Personally, one of the areas that caused contradiction for me as I advanced through the programmed is accepting the stages of brain development. I hypothesise that exposing young learners to elements of andragogy, problem-solving environments and self-reflection can advance neural activity and thinking skills irrespective of their biological age. In my professional environment, I am interested in conducting action research on this topic in the future.

Peruse the first artefact in order to explore a website which contains several other materials and resources completed during this course of study. The second artefact fashions a framework of a hypothesis.