Learning Design Futures: mapping the Australasian Learning Design landscape

Description

Learning designers play an increasingly important role in the design, development, and enhancement of learning experiences across various educational contexts. Positioned at the intersection of pedagogy, technology, and curriculum design, they play a central role in supporting digital learning, curriculum innovation, assessment design, staff development, and institutional transformation. Despite the growing significance of learning design work, the profession remains difficult to define.

Learning Design Futures is a cross-institutional collaborative project, involving HEDI researchers, researchers from University of Wollongong and the University of Tasmania. The project seeks to better understand the evolving role of learning designers across diverse educational and training contexts. In particular, the project is currently exploring the work practices, skills, knowledge and values of learning designers across sectors, as well as the challenges faced by learning designers.

The project brings together perspectives from learning designers working in formal education settings, including K–12 schools, higher education and vocational education and training institutions, as well as corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations. Through this cross-sector approach, the project seeks to generate insights that can inform professional development, workforce planning, and strategies to better support learning designers in their increasingly complex and influential roles.

The project is currently underway. In partnership with the Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) survey data has been collected from 268 learning designers across Australia and NewZealand, providing an evidence base for understanding the landscape of learning design practice across sectors in Australasia.