Abstract:

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced educators to adjust learning modes from traditional face-to-face classroom activities to online environments. Teachers, lecturers, students, and even parents have played their roles in this situation and have been frequently reported. However, the role of the learning designer in this transformation appears to be largely invisible. This study reflects on learning designers' practices in ensuring a smooth transition to an online environment. A triangulation method was used in the research, involving a desk analysis and participative observations, followed by semi-structured interviews with the stakeholders. The study conducted during an internship program allowed the capture of learning designer actions during peak times of transformation. While the learning designers adopted the ADDIE approach in design, they also undertook additional roles to support the change. The result highlighted the importance of the learning designer's role in supporting the transformation of teaching and learning, especially in making decisions during the shift of learning objectives into online educational programs, including choosing the platform, teaching methods and assessments. Therefore, a little understanding of the course content was also essential for learning designers. Additionally, there was an urge to develop the learning designer's people skills to support their ability to complete their tasks effectively, including to 'sell and trade' their products to the course coordinators.

Keywords:

Learning designer, online learning, COVID-19.