1. Learning type: Acquisition
Learning through acquisition is what learners are doing when they are listening to a lecture or podcast, reading from books or websites,
and watching demos or videos
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2. Learning type: Collaboration
Learning through collaboration embraces mainly discussion, practice, and production.
Building on investigations and acquisition it is about taking part in the process of knowledge building itself
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3. Learning type: Acquisition
Reading books, papers;
Delivered - presented with information
article reading digital documents, websites and resources
watching video/animation
listening to podcast, webcast
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

4. Learning type: Collaboration
Reading books, papers;
Networked - interact with networks of peers ‘like’ comments and ‘follow’ other learners
building a joint digital output
small group projects using online forums, wikis, chat rooms, etc. for discussing others’ outputs
Conversational - converse with others, comments linked with each step
Collaborative - construct shared understanding. Discussion step to explore learners’ perspectives and experiences
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

5. Learning type: Discussion
Learning through discussion requires the learner to articulate their ideas and questions,
and to challenge and respond to the ideas and questions from the teacher,
and/or from their peers
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6. Learning type: Investigation
Learning through investigation
guides the learner to explore, compare and critique the texts, documents and resources that reflect the concepts and ideas being taught
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7. Learning type: Discussion
Reading books, papers;
Reflective - reflect on activities. Discussion to review previous steps
sharing experience, applying concepts to experience or examples, interacting with others
synchronous and asynchronous
seminars
discussion forums and groups
web-conferencing tools
online tutorials
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

8. Learning type: Investigation
in Browsing - seek and collate informationand resources;
Using conventional methods to collect
Comparing texts, searching and evaluating information and ideas.
Browsing - seek and collate information
using online advice and guidance
Inquiry-driven - investigate authentic situations
comparing and analysing the ideas and information in a range of digital resources
Problem-solving - solve problems or answer big questions
using digital tools to collect and analyse data and searching and evaluating information and ideas
Case-based - investigate individual cases
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

9. Learning type: Practice
Learning through practice enables the learner to adapt their actions to the task goal, and use the feedback to improve their next action.
Feedback may come from self-reflection, from peers, from the teacher, or from the activity itself, if it shows them how to improve the result of their action in relation to the goal
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10. Learning type: Production
Learning through production is the way the teacher motivates the learner to consolidate what they have learned by articulating their current conceptual understanding and how they used it in practice
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11. Learning type: Practice
Reading books, papers;
Simulation - interact with a simulated world
Cross-context - learn across physical or social settings
Game-based - engage with game environments
using models
simulations
virtual labs and field trips
online role play activities
quiz
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

12. Learning type: Production
Reading books, papers;
Construction - design and make artefacts
Performative - present for an audience
Reflective - reflect on activities Discussion to review previous steps
Assessing - learn by receiving constructive feedback (Peer review step)
producing and storing digital documents, resources, photos, videos, animations, blogs, e-portfolios
representations of designs
performances, artefacts
models
Reading
Description
Post step discussion point
Learning time

13. ABC curriculum design
The ABC Learning Design is built on curriculum design research from the JISC* (Viewpoints) and work of Prof Diana Laurillard, UCL IoE ** (learning types) and is adapted for design of programmes, modules, short courses and MOOCs at UCL
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UCL Digital Education
              This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
Please let us know if you are using the ABC resources and/or would like to be part of ABC community
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* Viewpoints project ( ),
**Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science: Building Pedagogical Patterns for Learning and Technology. New York and London: Routledge.