The Online Learning Minute: What is Backwards Design?

 

Welcome back to the Online Learning Minute with Brian Runo at Marketscale. Today we’re going to explore the Backwards Design.

Personally, I use backwards design in the majority of my developments because I want to be absolutely sure that the learning objectives are assessed correctly and content is more oriented toward the big picture. Instead of building out a course in a linear fashion, you’ll want to first start with identifying the desired results, or setting up your learning objectives.

Next, you’ll begin working on the assessments and determining what evidence would demonstrate that the learner has acquired the necessary knowledge.

Last, you’ll build out the content to support those assessments. Any videos, written pieces, graphics would begin production after the assessments to ensure that the learning activities will make the desired results happen. I personally prefer this over a typical development where we have broad concepts of content to be taught and then design a test around those content pieces.

In businesses, we have a specific set of goals that we want to accomplish through online learning, and backwards design can help to achieve those goals and remain within budget.

That was your Online Learning Minute with Brian Runo!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

metacognitive teaching strategies
Just Thinking: How Metacognitive Teaching Strategies Build Critical Thinking and Transfer Knowledge
August 15, 2025

In today’s rapidly changing world, effective leadership in education is about more than managing schools—it’s about inspiring a culture of thinking that empowers both teachers and students. As classrooms adapt to new technologies, diverse learning needs, and shifting societal demands, leaders have the responsibility to guide not just the acquisition of knowledge but the…

Read More
fleet lifecycle management
Fleet Lifecycle Management: Data, Safety Tech, and Timely Refreshes Cut Costs and Maintain Competitiveness
August 14, 2025

Volatile tariffs, inflationary pressures, and advances in fleet lifecycle management are forcing trucking executives to make strategic choices under uncertainty. The decision to replace or upgrade Class 8 trucks is no longer just about cost-per-month—it’s about lifecycle value, operational safety, compliance readiness, and long-term competitiveness. As the EV credit deadline approaches and OEMs release…

Read More
immersive audio technology
From Kansas to Vegas: Immersive Audio Technology at The Sphere to Bring New Life to The Wizard of Oz for a New Generation
August 14, 2025

Audiences worldwide have cherished The Wizard of Oz for over eight decades, but The Wizard of Oz at Sphere is reimagining the classic for today’s technology-driven entertainment world. Las Vegas’ cutting-edge Sphere venue will host an immersive revival, pairing groundbreaking visuals with immersive audio technology that brings the Academy Award-winning score to life in ways…

Read More
Applied Digital AI Data Center
Applied Digital AI Data Center July 2025 Update
August 14, 2025

In the heart of Ellendale, North Dakota, the Applied Digital AI Data Center known as Polaris Forge 1 (Previously ELN02) is steadily emerging as one of the largest purpose-built AI data centers in the United States. This July 2025 site update highlights remarkable progress at the Applied Digital project, designed to set new standards…

Read More