What Does it Mean to Design for Scale?

It’s no secret that enrollment numbers are increasing, whether due to a global pandemic or more run-of-the-mill economic changes, workforce needs and demands, or personal and professional enrichment goals. Scaling increases access to high-quality education for a wide swath of learners who may never have even considered it an option, regardless of their socioeconomic status (a hallmark of ASU’s charter).

Designing, developing, and delivering courses at scale often necessitates reimagining teaching and learning of a particular topic. This series of articles from ASU’s Teach Online introduces various aspects of scalable design by focusing on reducing/eliminating costs; accessibility and inclusivity; how learners achieve and demonstrate subject-matter mastery; and a team-oriented approach to see things through from conception to completion.

The links below will help you get started:

• What Does it Mean to Design for Scale?
• A “No-cost Course” Means New Solutions for Accessible, High-quality Material
• So Many Submissions, So Little Time: Scalable Assessments, Feedback Models, and Fostering Community
• Don’t Scale it Alone: Why Your Instructional Designer (ID) is Your Partner in Crime

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Post-Author:

Jill Roter, M.A., is a senior instructional designer with EdPlus @ ASU, where she focuses on scalable initiatives for worldwide learner audiences.