Instructional Design Principles
for Remote Teaching and Learning
Instructional Design Principles
for Remote Teaching and Learning
The Instructional Design Principles for Remote Teaching and Learning have been developed to provide guidance for remote student learning. As school districts identify the instructional delivery scenarios that best fit the needs of their communities, students and staff should feel connected to a safe and welcoming school environment that supports their well-being, engagement, and success. These instructional design principles are overarching and intended to apply to a range of learning environments and contexts. The six design principles are not intended to work in isolation, but when employed together, can foster empowering, engaging, and equitable instruction for all students.
Addressing social and emotional learning (SEL) effectively is proven to support the whole child and increase achievement, and this is never more important than during a crisis. As schools, districts, and teachers work to provide continuity of learning for their students, SEL should be at the forefront of structures and learning opportunities.
Connection to Families & Students
Schools are often the hub of our communities and play a significant role in their students’ and families’ lives, including and beyond academics. In transitioning to remote learning, having regular and predictable opportunities for families and students to connect with their teachers and schools is key.
Student Engagement Aligned to Standards
Designing learning opportunities aligned to standards that engage students is critical to support students’ academic and social and emotional growth. Educators will have to adapt these learning experiences to a remote setting with and/or without access to devices and the internet. Educators should provide a recommended schedule with flexible options and assume that students will have minimal supervision or guidance.
Flexibility & Choice for Diverse Needs
All students are diverse learners and have a rich variety of strengths, interests, and needs. Instructional design for the remote learning needs of all students must account for this diversity while preventing students from becoming overwhelmed, disinterested, and/or frustrated. It is important for educators to incorporate choice and flexibility, especially when considering student populations that typically have additional support while in school (e.g., English Learners, students with disabilities, students who are gifted, etc.).
Feedback on Student Work
Feedback has the potential to have a powerful impact on student learning and motivation, and educators will need means to assess (even if not through graded tests) how students are progressing in their learning. Regular and timely feedback will play an important role in guiding students in their instruction.
Collaboration Among Students
Students need social interaction, and collaborating with one another is an effective strategy for learning that also supports the whole child. The key is trying to ensure that students are collaborating and connecting with each other multiple times each week through thoughtful, yet simple lessons.
The Instructional Design Principles for Remote Teaching and Learning framework was created in collaboration with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University. The specific principles were informed by multiple listening sessions hosted in July 2020 that were attended by educators and school leaders from 34 school districts and 5 intermediate units in Western Pennsylvania.
