D291 Learning Experience Design Foundations I - WGU questions and answers 2026-2027

Purpose of instructional design

Build upon learners' existing knowledge through planned, ordered steps

3 phases of human-centered design

inspiration, ideation, implementation

What is human-centered design?

Approach that starts with the people you are designing for and ends with solutions that are designed to suit their needs

Instructional Design

The development of well-structured instructional materials using learning objectives, focused teaching strategies, and feedback and evaluation - based on what the audience needs to learn

Learning Experience Design

Making learning experiences relevant and meaningful through human-centered approaches

User Experience Design

The process of enhancing user satisfaction by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the user and the product

How is Learning Experience Design different from traditional Instruction Design?

LxD focuses on visual appeal of materials, ID focuses on creating content for learning

Human-centered design: Inspiration Phase

Get to know the audience and define the problem

Human-centered design: Ideation Phase

Brainstorm ways to solve the problem

Human-centered design: Implementation Phase

Prototype and test ideas

Which design method includes empathizing with the target audience as an essential step in the process?

Learning Experience Design

Which design method includes analyzing analytical, methodical, and scientific skills to design and develop e-learning experiences?

Instructional Design

What is ADDIE?

ADDIE is a Instructional design method, more particularly a Instructional systems design model

Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation

What is Analysis in ADDIE?

Looking at data, asking questions. Thinking about the audience, content, delivery. What the learning needs are, the topic, and what will motivate the learners.

What is Design in ADDIE?

Blue-printing of instructional materials. Structure information, develop the learning strategies, determine how to assess the results. Write clear and concise learning objectives.

What is Development in ADDIE?

Building the product. Determine how to build out the plans. What the delivery devices and learner activities will be. Testing the final product.

What is Implementation in ADDIE?

Testing materials with learners. Preparing learners before the launch, monitoring the launch, and collecting the data.

What is Evaluation in ADDIE?

Reviewing the results. Determining how to define success. Evaluate efficiency, the experience, and the outcomes.

What is SAM?

Successive Approximation Model

What is Preparation in SAM?

Gather background information. Initiate design process. Determine what outcomes are.

What is Iterative Design in SAM?

Project planning and additional design period. When begin to get user feedback

What is Iterative Development in SAM?

Come up with design proofs. Construction of the design.

In what way is SAM an iterative process?

Gain user feedback in design process, can more quickly and efficiently modify

What is Understanding by Design?

A planning process and structure to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction that focuses on teaching, and assessing for understanding and learning transfer. (backward design)

What are the 3 stages of Understanding by Design?

1. Identify Desired Results

2. Determine Assessment Evidence

3. Plan Learning Experiences

A learning designer is planning for a prototype for an e-learning course. What phase of ADDIE?

Development

How does Understanding by Design benefit learners?

Putting the focus on the goal and learner success in demonstrating understanding.

What is design thinking?

a human-centered approach to solving problems

What are the 6 steps of the Design Thinking Process?

Empathize, Define the Problem, Ideation of Solutions, Prototype, Testing Ideas, Implement the Idea

Design Thinking Process: Empathize

Better understand learners, their needs

Design Thinking Process: Define the Problem

Create a problem statement. Information from empathize phase is clarified into a problem statement. (user) needs to (user's need) because (insight).

Design Thinking Process: Ideate Solutions

Generate lots of ideas, brainstorming.

Design Thinking Process: Create Prototypes

Start building design. Determine how users will interact with a product.

Design Thinking Process: Testing Ideas

Have real users check the product and gain feedback on its effectiveness. Ask follow-up questions.

Match Design Thinking Process phase to the step in ADDIE: Design

Ideate

Match Design Thinking Process phase to the step in ADDIE: Analysis

Empathize and Define

Match Design Thinking Process phase to the step in ADDIE: Development & Implementation

Prototype

Match Design Thinking Process phase to the step in ADDIE: Evaluation

Test

What is a key difference between SAM approach and ADDIE?

SAM is more agile and emphasizes iterative feedback during design and devlopment

Behaviorist Approach

Proper response is demonstrated following the stimulus

Cognitivist Approach

Promoting mental processing.

Uses feedback to guide and support mental connections

Build on prior skills.

Constructivist Approach

Problem-solving

Thinking and reflecting on new information

Learning is social process

Gain knowledge through discovery

Connectivist approach

Learners combine thoughts, information, technology

Learning is a process of connecting

What is Competency-Based Education?

Mastery learning approach, where learners can progress at their own pace

Andragogy

Study of how adults learn.

What is the Andragogical approach to learning?

Learnings build on prior experiences.

What is transformative learning?

Learning that challenges the way a learner thinks and helps them grow from new perspectives.

What is pedagogy?

Teaching children. More teacher-instructed.

Bloom's Taxonomy

remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, creating

Bloom's Taxonomy: Remember

Recall facts and basic concepts: define, duplicate, list, memorize, repeat, state

Bloom's Taxonomy: Understand

Explain Ideas or Concepts: classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report, select, translate

Bloom's Taxonomy: Apply

Use information in new situations: execute, implement, solve, use, demonstrate, interpret, operate, schedule, sketch

Bloom's Taxonomy: Analyze

Draw connections among ideas: differentiate, organize, relate, compare, contrast, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test

Bloom's Taxonomy: Evaluate

Justify a Stand or Decision: appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, critique, weigh

Bloom's Taxonomy: Create

Produce New or Original work: Design, Assemble, Construct, Conjecture, develop, formulate, author, investigate

Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Application, Integration, Human Dimension, Caring, Learning How to Learn

Fink's Taxonomy: Application

Students engage in some new kind of action, develop certain skills

Fink's Taxonomy: Integration

When students can see and understand connections between different things

Fink's Taxonomy: Human Dimension

Learners discover personal and/or social implications of what they have learned

Fink's Taxonomy: Caring

Instructor's interest in the learner's feelings and perspective on the value of the instruction

Fink's Taxonomy: Learning How to Learn

Allows learners to continue learning in the future effectively

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

1. Gain attention. 2. Inform learners of objectives. 3. Stimulate recall of prior learning. 4. Present the stimulus material. 5. Provide "learning guidance." 6. Elicit performance or practice. 7. Provide feedback about performance correctness. 8. Assess performance. 9. Enhance retention and transfer.

Merrill's First Principles of Instruction

Activation, Demonstration, Application, Integration, Problem-Centered

Learners are engaged in real-world scenarios. Matches which of Merrill's principles?

Problem-Centered

Learners share and reflect on what they know and combine new knowledge with those they have obtained. Matches which of Merrill's principles?

Integration

A student's existing knowledge is used as a foundation of the new knowledge that they obtain. Matches which of Merrill's principles?

Activation

Students are provided with applicable examples of the course content being taught. Matches which of Merrill's principles?

Demonstration

Provide learners with opportunities to practice new skill. Matches which of Merrill's principles?

Application

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

an approach to developing curriculum materials and lessons to make access and interaction with the materials accessible, motivating, and engaging for all learners

In UDL, what are multiple means of Engagement?

Provide menu of resources and activities that students can use to build background knowledge of a subject

In UDL, what are multiple means of Representation?

Provide more than one way to learn something - like definitions, images, and modeling

In UDL, what are multiple means of Action and Expression?

Providing a checklist and timeline to guide in the implementation of a project.