Reflection on Learning Theory in Course Design

The design of this online nutrition course is primarily grounded in cognitivism and constructivism, with additional influences from andragogy, behaviorism, and connectivism. Cognitivism informed the course structure, ensuring content is presented logically and progressively, allowing learners to build upon prior knowledge through organized instruction, guided activities, and assessments that reinforce comprehension. Constructivism played a crucial role in shaping how students navigate the course, promoting active engagement with concepts and progressive skill development, ultimately enabling them to achieve the course objectives and learning outcomes.

Given the adult learner audience, andragogy was instrumental in fostering self-directed learning, problem-solving, and real-world application. The course accommodates varied learning preferences through its self-paced structure, while optional synchronous discussions and collaborative activities provide opportunities for deeper engagement.

During the development phase, behaviorism and connectivism emerged as critical influences in shaping an interactive, student-centered experience. Behaviorism is integrated into activities and assessments by reinforcing knowledge acquisition through quizzes and performance-based assignments, ensuring learners retain and apply key concepts. Connectivism supports the course’s hybrid approach, utilizing digital tools, online whiteboards, and collaborative discussions to facilitate engagement and knowledge sharing.

By integrating these diverse learning theories, the course provides an engaging, flexible, and learner-centered experience that empowers students to construct meaningful knowledge and develop practical, applicable skills for healthier living. This blended approach ensures the course remains inclusive, adaptive, and relevant to the diverse needs of adult learners.

Reflection on Instructional Design Models

The ADDIE Model served as the primary framework for designing my minicourse, guiding the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of content. Analysis helped define learner needs, ensuring the course addressed diverse backgrounds and varying prior knowledge of nutrition. The design phase shaped course structure, incorporating principles of the learning theories used, while balancing synchronous and asynchronous components for flexibility. During development, interactive tools such as discussion boards and whiteboards were integrated to enhance engagement and knowledge application. The implementation phase prioritized accessibility, ensuring materials were self-paced yet interactive. Finally, the evaluation phase incorporated formative and summative assessments to measure learning effectiveness and inform future refinements.

To enhance engagement in an online learning environment, I applied Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction where feasible. Gaining attention was achieved through real-world scenarios, and stimulating recall of prior knowledge helped learners build on existing nutrition concepts. However, adapting certain elements—such as providing guided practice and feedback—was challenging in a self-paced setting, requiring strategic integration of discussion-based activities and peer interaction.

The ADDIE model provided a structured and iterative approach, ensuring alignment with learning objectives while allowing flexibility in content delivery. While the linear nature of ADDIE sometimes required adjustments, its systematic approach facilitated a clear content flow and assessment strategy. The biggest challenge was balancing learner autonomy with structured guidance, but the combination of ADDIE and Gagné’s approach ultimately helped create a learner-centered, engaging, and practical course.

Opening Presentation Screencast

Link to YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/cf-309mKBJk

Link to course in staging/review - Module 2, Lesson 2: Mastering Basic Human Nutrition | Review 360