Passionate origins
My passion for supporting and developing early-career learning technologists stems back from my own first learning technologist role. However, between July 2014 and December 2016, in my role as a Learning Support Technologist at a further education college. My role evolved with additional duties in managing and developing the learning company Elephant Learning Designs as well as the apprenticeship framework and quality assurance tasks. Acting both employer and provider in the apprenticeship. I recruited and line managed apprentices for the Level 3 and 4 Diploma in Digital Learning Design programmes, via Ascentis (awarding body), to create interactive eLearning materials. Qualifications new to the market, developed by a curriculum agency called Coralesce and a sub-organisation, Design eLearn, that primarily produced supporting resources. Coralesce created an official career pathways and workforce for eLearning designers and learning technologists - laying the foundations for future pathways. We were one of the first colleges to deliver this as part of a national pilot. Subsequently I was a named lead for these programmes, which attracted many visitors from the sector and resulted in internal and external awards, such as me becoming the winner of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Learning Technologist of the Year Awards 2016 (individual category). My efforts with this supported my award submission, which was one of the critical factors that recognised me as a winner. It's also worth me stating that the ALT community was also crucial to me during this time as I reached out on a number of occasions to shape my thinking and practice. I also regularly advocated the CMALT scheme to younger people to encourage their reflection and achievements. To later lead the early development of the Associate CMALT pathway for early career professionals or those for whom learning technology is a smaller part of their role. My blog post 'Digital Learning Design - from apprenticeship to permanent job' contains more information about the digital learning design qualifications I used to offer. I remain a national contact for my advice and practice on their set up and delivery. As well as a lead for discussing the role of a learning technologist and supporting people creating new roles and associated job descriptions in their organisations, and being on interview panels.
In 2020, Ascentis were due to withdraw the Digital Learning Design qualifications. So I took it upon myself to lobby the idea of redeveloping them (I'm passionate of their value), which led onto me developing a new Level 3 qualification; 'Level 3 Certificate and Diploma in Technology Enhanced Learning'. Which was timely given the pandemic which had just happened. This time though I reshaped the qualification around a typical learning technologist role rather than the previous instructional design-based ones (Digital Learning Design) - which has been well-received and has been approved for ESFA funding. So centres can now deliver this. Again, one of a kind qualification as there is nothing like this for young people to develop into this type of role. And to quote myself;
We need to think about replacing the great learning technologists of today. I'd love for this qualification to mainstreamed into colleges and work-based learning providers to attract a younger workforce into this role. More so as an apprenticeship as that it supports the organisation and teachers too. All of my apprentices passed their qualifications and I know some that have remained in this type of role and progressed into higher jobs - so the apprenticeship and pathway has worked!
Learning designer and learning technologist
Firstly, a learning technologist and learning designer is a multi-disciplinary role, consisting of subject specialisms in education and training, computing/IT and multimedia production.
This is my brief industry experience perspective and from what I hear from active learning designers and seniors. Firstly, there is no need to pit them against each other, this is not a war of which is the better role out of the two, it is purely interdisciplinary working. As I said in a previous blog post when reflecting on my future direction, which led to my current role - "I don't believe these are the same role, there's a clear difference, but learning design is a knowledge and skillset in a learning technologist role, and vice versa. Learning conversations have to be a part of the roles, given it's the first word in title, otherwise I'd be very concerned! Multimedia design and production is not my main interest area, but I often direct others in developing such things, and produce pieces myself. Although some learning designer roles are not as narrow as that but embrace true instructional design methodologies. Though learning designers appear to be on a higher grade due to them being allegedly more focused on pedagogy, facilitation and multimedia build. But in my experience a learning technologist can equally have focused pedagogy and facilitation-led duties. I know I do in my role, explicitly in pre-technology application conversations and in design sprints. However I do prefer a learning technologist role for the variety, freedom and development and management of learning technology. As a learning designer is often restricted to the content production and project management lifecycle."
Therefore, if a role is a learning designer expect to work in more of a content production cycle and often in a strict project management methodology, possibly balancing multiple projects and different clients. If a learning technologist role expect to have elements of the above when producing content but you will also work in the teaching, learning and assessment and overall academic year cycle. Broadly evaluating, developing and supporting the use of learning technologies. A bit of both skillsets in each role, but whatever the focus is on the overarching purpose of the role, shaped by the hiring manager.
Learning design in my context is centered on the conversational piece to determine the why, what and how, injecting my digital pedagogy and teacher education expertise. To then move onto defining a specification and subsequent actions. The multimedia aspects are best done by more rounded experts with those skills. But I can do some of those aspects, but maybe not as polished.
Early-career learning technologists group
For those reading this that are new to this role and are thinking of pursuing such career route, the following LinkedIn group will be beneficial in joining; ‘Early-career learning technologists’. There's also a dedicated Jisc web page, placed in the learning and teaching communities section. More information on the background of this group and how I created it can be found in my blog post 'Early-career learning technologists group'.
Level 5 Digital Learning Designer Occupational Apprenticeship Standard and EPA Plan
During the early years of the level 3 and 4 digital learning design qualifications, those that were delivering them long talked about the idea and need for a level 5 version and beyond for it. I'm so glad we have finally arrived with it. From June 2022 to April 2023. Following sign-off to develop the Level 5 Digital Learning Designer occupational apprenticeship standard. Having taught, assessed, quality assured and developed the legacy Level 3 and 4 Diplomas in Digital Learning Design qualifications, which this standard complements. I was invited (conversation below) to join the development group as an external consultant. To review, advise and contribute to the developing occupational apprenticeship standard and end-point assessment (EPA) plan.
The apprenticeship/standard is appropriate for any early-career or seasoned professional that is seeking to or works in, has an interest or has transferable skills in the field of learning design or learning technology. Whether they are employed or seeking employment in further/higher education or private sectors. More information about the standard and it's availability can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education web page: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/digital-learning-designer. I've ideas on how I can make use of this standard in my Digital Curriculum Team, and excited to see how it could be implemented.
ALT are endorsing this and have put together a comprehensive web page which provides base starting information: https://www.alt.ac.uk/DigitalLearningDesigner.
In Autumn 2021, in response to Katrina Crowshaw's question; "Do you feel there should be an official course/route to get onto the online learning/learning technology career path, and if so, what should it be?"
Donna Westwood - "Daniel Scott the apprenticeship has not been approved :( so we are fighting to find out why and how to proceed..."
Donna Westwood - "Daniel Scott I'll send you an invite - thank you!"
Additionally, on 3 September 2021 Donna Westwood published this LinkedIn article 'Developing an Apprenticeship Standard in Digital Learning Design UK'.
Interestingly in September 2022 a fellow learning technologist posted the following question on LinkedIn, showing demand:
EDIT: August 2023:
LDN Apprenticeships:
Launching a new apprenticeship standard for Digital Learning Design
Simon Bozzoli, CEO of LDN Apprenticeships went onto sharing:
"After more than 3 years in development, the Level 5 Digital Learning Designer Apprenticeship is here! 🚀
I talked a bit on the section of 'who' the apprenticeship is for. I made some key points based on my words above, and there was a question I responded to when asked is it based on learning design or learning technologist roles. Again I made reference to what I talk about above. Also just before the panel discussion, Simon invited me to be a guest speaker to talk to their cohorts on the role of a learning technologists and all the facets it entails, as well as career pathways.
