Our story began with the question of how to make our work more effective. As we delved into research and reading, we expanded our questions and asked how we could apply this new concept of learning design to e-learning. Our sole aim was to enhance the effectiveness of learning in online education. We conducted workshops for months, reevaluating everything from scratch.

Now, we aim to explain this new concept that will transform our approach to e-learning design.

Do you think the first step in producing quality online education is the quality design of the content? Until now, we approached learning design by choosing the most suitable methodologies for teaching the content. In other words, we focused more on how the content would be taught than on what would be taught.

However, UbD (Understanding By Design), created by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, suggests that this approach is flawed: "Education is a means to achieve a specific result. Having a clear goal helps educators direct their planning towards the desired outcomes."

First and foremost, education must have a clear goal. But how do we achieve this goal? UbD provides fantastic tools to systematize this process.

UbD does not dictate what or how educators should teach. The ultimate aim is to think backward and focus on the big picture.

The model’s fundamental purpose is embedded in its name: "Understanding by Design." The core of the model is deep and enduring understanding. Additionally, while planning and designing, we always stick to a "big idea." Systematically, we anticipate participants' gains by the end of the training and structure the content accordingly. The result?

• A collaborative, continuously developing, and learning company culture
• Enhanced professional development of employees
• Lasting understanding and performance-focused outcomes for employees
• More effective use of time
• Educationally appropriate, effective, and timely use of technology

To make the concept clearer, here are the basic principles of UbD summarized:

• Thinking about the end results during content design and planning increases learning success.
• Content and training are created to develop and deepen employees' long-term learning transfer.
• Lasting learning occurs when employees can independently make sense of and transfer what they have learned.
• Effective training content is planned backward from desired long-term results through a three-stage design process.

What are these stages?

1. Identifying Desired Results
2. Determining Acceptable Evidence