Supporting student success in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning Design Perspective

During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities around the world were forced to transition to online learning, with students and lecturers undertaking classes remotely from home. While this transition may seem simple in concept, many universities have faced numerous problems failing to support students’ learning and success. The Learning Designers’ team at the University of Derby is an independent online learning unit that has been accumulating practical knowledge and skills to offer online classes with high student satisfaction and achievement for over ten years. Learning design plays a central role in generating positive outcomes. Accordingly, this article introduces strategies and suggestions for other universities regarding online education, during the pandemic and beyond.