Starting my PhD in Learning Experience Design and Technology (LXDT) at the University of Oklahoma has already been eye-opening. In this first week, I’ve been introduced to the foundations of the field — from the systematic processes of Instructional Design to the interdisciplinary reach of the Learning Sciences.
I learned that Instructional Design isn’t just a recipe to follow but a systematic and iterative way of solving real learning problems. Models like ADDIE provide structure, but in practice design is flexible, messy, and always shaped by context. I also came across Merrill’s First Principles of Instruction, which emphasize learning through real tasks, activation of prior knowledge, demonstration, application, and integration — a cycle that feels central to how I want to design learning experiences.
At the same time, the Learning Sciences reminded me that learning is never just about content delivery. It’s a community of practice that brings together psychology, computer science, education, design, and more, to study learning in real-world contexts. Concepts like scaffolding, distributed intelligence, and design-based research (DBR) highlight how theory and practice can work hand in hand.
To capture all of this, I’ve put together these companion pieces:
🎥 Video Overview – a short introduction to everything I’ve learned this week, from ADDIE to Learning Sciences.
If you want to learn more, listen to this audio podcast. It dives deeper into the readings.
Mahbub Amin 