Going forward with backward design

Abstract

The establishment of the ‘Centre for Educational Design and Development’ heralds a new approach to programme and course design at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. The immediate task for our team now designated ‘Educational Designers’ is to engage faculty in a design process that starts with context rather than content, and is informed by current and emerging models of learning centred practice. It must also meet broader institutional goals for developing high quality, flexible and inclusive learning experiences and enhancing the teaching performance of staff, as well as accounting for the challenge of using technology to transform teaching and learning and improve the quality of the learning experience (Laurillard 2010) in a ‘supercomplex world’ (Barnett 2000).Ideally this is an evolving and emerging philosophy but while we work to become a team, the institute requires us to meet deadlines, thereby propelling us into making decisions about who we are and how we work, and about our processes and practices.