Learning Theory/ID Models & Opening Presentation

Reflection on Learning Theory

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• Which learning theory (or theories) did you find most influential in shaping the design and objectives of your minicourse, and how did it guide your decisions regarding content, activities, and assessments? Update your IDD as necessary to reflect any shifts in your thinking and application of learning theory. 

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• Reflecting on the development of your minicourse, how did integrating principles from a specific learning theory enhance the learning experience for your target audience? Can you provide examples of how this theory influenced the instructional strategies or technologies you chose to use?

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For my pottery minicourse, the most influential theories have been Constructivism, Experiential Learning, and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), reinforced by andragogy and Mayer’s Multimedia Learning and behaviorist principles. Pottery is inherently experiential: learners work with clay, reflect on results, conceptualize improvements, and try again, following Kolb’s cycle. This guided my design of practice-reflect-practice activities, such as glazing documentation paired with written or audio reflection.

Constructivism shaped my choice to include peer discussions and troubleshooting forums, where learners co-construct knowledge by sharing glaze firing issues, comparing solutions, and learning from diverse experiences. SDT was equally influential, as giving learners choices (e.g., glazing methods) supports autonomy, while rubrics build competence and discussion boards create relatedness.

Another very influential theory overall has been andragogy, since my target audience is adult beginners. I wanted to give learners choice and ownership, recognizing their prior experiences and focusing on practical, relevant applications. This guided my decision to use open-ended reflection prompts and flexible microlearning activities (e.g., photo documentation of glazing experiments), helping learners connect course content to their own studio contexts.

Finally, behaviorist principles informed the design of knowledge checks and rubrics. By providing immediate feedback and clear performance criteria, learners are motivated to refine techniques before progressing.

Integrating these theories enhanced the experience by balancing structure and autonomy. Padlet boards provide social collaboration (constructivism), while rubrics and structured tasks maintain clarity of expectations (behaviorism). This combination fosters an engaging, supportive learning environment that respects adult learners while building confidence in pottery skills.

Other frameworks such as microlearning, ARCS, and Gagné’s Nine Events also supported the design in more targeted ways: microlearning guided the use of bite-sized tutorials, ARCS helped keep motivation in focus, and Gagné’s Events offered structure for introducing and sequencing pottery techniques.

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Reflection on Instructional Design Models

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• Which instructional design model did you primarily follow in the development of your minicourse, and how did its specific phases or components influence the structure, content, and delivery methods of your course? Update your IDD as necessary to reflect any shifts in your thinking and application of instructional design models. 

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• Considering the instructional design model you applied, what were the most significant challenges and benefits you encountered in aligning your course design with this model? How did this model facilitate or hinder your ability to meet your learning objectives and address the needs of your learners?

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The primary model guiding my minicourse design has been the Successive Approximation Model (SAM), supported by Rapid Instructional Design (RID), with supplementary elements from ADDIE and Understanding by Design (UbD). Pottery is a hands-on subject where learners encounter unique challenges, so SAM’s iterative approach helped me prototype activities with peers, gather informal feedback, and refine elements such as glazing reflections or troubleshooting forums. RID complemented this by enabling the efficient production of microlearning pieces, keeping the course agile and adaptable to learner needs.

At the same time, I needed to balance speed with structure. Here, UbD provided the backward design lens to anchor all activities and assessments to the course learning outcomes (CLOs). For example, the assignment requiring before-and-after glazing documentation was directly mapped to CLOs on applying techniques and reflecting on outcomes. Similarly, ADDIE’s Evaluation phase has been essential for planning how to measure success post-delivery, using rubrics and learner feedback to guide future iterations.

The biggest challenge was weaving these models together without making the design feel fragmented. SAM and RID sometimes felt too open-ended on their own, but UbD and ADDIE grounded the course by keeping outcomes and evaluation in focus. This hybrid approach provided flexibility for creative, learner-driven activities while maintaining accountability to clear goals and performance standards. Ultimately, the models worked in harmony to ensure my pottery minicourse is both practical and responsive while remaining aligned with its intended learning objectives.

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Opening Presentation Screencast

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• Create a 2 - 3 minute opening presentation screencast for one of the modules/units/lessons in your minicourse. We recommend you use the screencast you create in your actual minicourse to maximize your time and efficiency.

• In your screencast, include 1 - 2 examples of course content that connect the learner to the upcoming work. Examples include showing where they'll review a video and then need to answer questions based on the video. 

• Highlight engagement strategies in your content that will help ensure your learners are eager to go through the content.

• Include closed captioning or a transcription file to be inclusive of all learners.

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​​Glazing and Firing Basis - Module Overview

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Purpose: Set the stage, outline objectives, highlight why it matters, and give learners a roadmap.

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Text in platform:

Welcome to the Glazing & Firing Basics module!

In this part of the course, you’ll move beyond shaping clay and dive into the steps that give pottery its final character: glazing and firing.

This stage is where your creativity and technical skills come together. Glaze not only adds color and texture but also protects your piece and makes it functional. While glazing and firing can feel intimidating at first, mastering the basics is essential. Too much glaze may cause bubbling, too little can leave your piece looking unfinished, and firing mistakes can lead to cracks. This module will guide you through these challenges and help you troubleshoot with confidence.

As you progress, keep a bisque-fired piece nearby. You’ll use it to test a glazing method of your choice and reflect on how the results compare to your expectations. Think of it as your own mini-experiment!

​Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• LO3: Apply glazing techniques to a bisque-fired piece.

• LO4: Describe the firing process and identify common issues that may occur.

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Cross-cutting objectives supported in this module:

• LO5: Analyze common challenges in pottery (e.g., cracking, warping, glaze defects) and apply troubleshooting techniques.

• LO6: Evaluate peers' pottery work and provide constructive critiques.

• LO7: Reflect on your pottery-making experience and identify areas for improvement.

• LO8 : Present your pottery projects, explaining the process, challenges, and techniques used.

What You’ll Do 

• Watch & Learn: Interactive lesson with short video tutorials on glazing methods and firing procedures.

• Practice: Apply one glazing method to a piece of your own.

• Discuss: Join the troubleshooting forum to share common glaze firing issues and how to solve them.

• Reflect & Submit: Upload before-and-after photos of your glazed piece with a short reflection.

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Screencast Script Outline (2–3 min)

Slide 1 – Title: Glazing & Firing Basics
“Welcome to the Glazing & Firing Basics module! In this part of the course, we’ll explore how glaze transforms your pottery — taking a simple clay piece and turning it into something vibrant, durable, and functional.”

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Slide 2 & 3 – Learning Objectives

“By the end of this module, you’ll be able to apply glazing techniques to a bisque-fired piece and describe the firing process, including common issues that may occur. You’ll also build broader skills — like troubleshooting pottery challenges, giving and receiving peer feedback, reflecting on your own progress, and presenting your finished work. These cross-cutting objectives support your growth not just as a maker, but as part of a learning community”

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Slide 3 – Why It Matters
“This stage is often the most exciting — but also the most unpredictable. Too much glaze, and it may bubble or run. Too little, and it looks unfinished. Understanding how glazing and firing work will help you anticipate results and troubleshoot more confidently.”

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Slide 4 – What You’ll Do (talking over the LMS page)
“In this module, you’ll start with an interactive lecture on glazing and firing basics. You’ll move through short video tutorials, process cards, and quick reflection questions or quizzes to check your understanding.

Next, you’ll complete a featured assignment where you apply one glazing method to a bisque-fired piece and showcase your results. Clear instructions and a rubric will guide you, and you’ll submit your work using the upload feature.

You’ll also join two discussion forums — one for troubleshooting glaze and firing issues, and another for sharing and giving feedback on each other’s safety and glazing habits using our interactive board.

Finally, you’ll complete a short assessment to test your knowledge and confirm you’re ready to move on to the next stage of the course.”

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Slide 5 – Encouragement
“Remember, every firing is a learning opportunity. Even unexpected results teach you something new about the process. So approach this module as both practice and experimentation — and have fun with it. Let’s dive in!”

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Power point file: here

SRT file: here

​Video file: https://youtu.be/BpK6FYv_H50 

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Access

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• Location : Directly on TalentLMS 

• Please log in using the following info: 

  • Site:  https://darosan.talentlms.com/plus/login 

  • Generic student login info:

    • Username: potteryfundamentalscourse@gmail.com

    • Password: UMGCmicromasters2025!

Look for the unit label as "Introduction - Module Overview"​

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