Basic design principles for learning designs to support knowledge transformation

The aim of this chapter is to present a set of basic design principles for facilitating students in learning to transform knowledge across contexts. To achieve this aim, we do two things: (1) We explain what design principles are. (2) We articulate more specific design principles for the learning objective of ‘transforming knowledge’. The design principles are theoretical postulates developed from transfer theory in combination with results from previous empirical research. The chapter is structured into six sections. First, we reflect on general educational trends which motivate the contemporary focus on design for learning within educational research and practice. Second, we home in on the term ‘design principle’. We present several interrelated meanings and articulate a model focusing on two dimensions of design: substantive versus procedural design and general versus specific design. Third, we introduce Beach’s typology of context transitions. This leads us in the fourth section to articulate some basic design principles for facilitating knowledge transformation from within the educational system (through class activities, collaboration with workplace practices, organisation of educational programme etc.). In the fifth section, we introduce the framework of activity-centred analysis and design. In the final section, we utilise this framework to concretise the design principles.