Unveiling Learning Design: Insights from Emily Tannert Patterson

My name is Emily Tannert Patterson and I have been an Associate Learning Designer at Cambridge University Press since February 2020. I’m originally from Austin, Texas in the USA.

1. How did you get into Learning Design?

I have a background in classroom education – secondary level music – and had left the classroom shortly before my move to the UK. I have long felt that technology is the solution to the issues classroom teachers and learners face with individual mastery and pacing, and so I was looking for an opportunity to get into EdTech/learning design once settled in Cambridge. Cambridge University Press was looking to train someone with a teaching background into learning design – so it was an instance of ‘right place, right time.

2. Are you working on any CAO courses at the moment?

I’ve just finished our Tutor Training course, which is an internal training course for our course tutors, to ensure they are ready to be fabulous guides for our Cambridge Advance Online participants. I’m also supporting Nanobiotechnology from Theory to Practice and getting ready to start on the next course cycle.

3. Do you have a specific topic or aspect of learning design that you feel particularly passionate about?

I’m passionate about pedagogy as a positive solution to learning problems. What I mean by that is, whether you’re live in the classroom, fully asynchronous at home, or somewhere in between, the method being used to teach has to fit the needs of the material and the needs of the learners. Flashy tech is great fun for all of us, but if it doesn’t suit the learner’s needs, then it’s as useless as a really dry lecture or a really boring textbook.

1. What advice would you give to someone who is considering online learning for the first time?

To remember that studying and learning online is still studying and learning – you have to take notes, pay attention, take breaks, review material independently, and schedule time to work on the course just as you would an in-person class. It’s very easy to default to Netflix-on-the-couch mode and realise you’re not paying close attention and haven’t really absorbed the last 5 course pages you clicked through.

2. Has there been a standout project that you are really proud of?

Yes, there is a lot of scenario-based learning in the Tutor Training course that I’m proud of. I think the training will be really beneficial to our Cambridge Advance Online course tutors, and in turn to the learning experience for our participants!

3. How do you see learning design developing in the next 1-2 years?

That’s really hard to say as we’re still coping with the after-effects of the pandemic and the massive shift to online learning. The good news is that many have embraced online learning as a realistic possibility to bring wider access to educational resources. The bad news is that some people were subjected to really bad online learning practices and are ready to throw the concept away entirely. Hopefully what will come out of all of this is that the profession will evolve in a positive away, toward best practices and high quality design, to create high quality experiences – like what we do at Cambridge Advance Online – and that will raise the standard throughout the profession and industry.

Explore our range of online courses led by University of Cambridge academics, and learn from thought leaders at the forefront of academic research. Visit our website for more information: advanceonline.cam.ac.uk(Opens in a new window).