Learning design and transdisciplinary pedagogical templates (TPTs)

This chapter provides a rationale for the use of LD in transforming teaching and learning practices in an online environment. It includes the introduction of LD principles, outlining some initial ways in which higher-education institutions are supporting educators in the implementation of LD across disciplinary boundaries. It begins by introducing the new field of Learning Design and then discusses the creation of LD templates for deep learning. We refer to them as TPTs (transdisciplinary pedagogical templates), which are designed to enable more interactive learning experiences that promote deep thinking and knowledge creation. The chapter continues with a discussion of practitioner experiences with TPTs, which were constructed using LD principles. Specifically, the use of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS), developed by Macquarie University (Dalziel, 2003), is discussed in detail, as its use is one method of capturing and transferring TPTs is an online environment. We argue that LAMS lends itself particularly well to transferring TPTs to new subject areas and across disciplinary boundaries. Finally, some obstacles and challenges to the use of TPTs are noted and the need for further research is emphasised.