Design approach

Pedagogical format

We put a great deal of care into the design of our courses to ensure that they are engaging, effective and memorable.

The courses are multimedia in format and interactive. The learner experience is not a passive one, we design our courses so that learners actively engage with the content.

We arrange materials using our own model of instructional design based on Robert Gagne's 'Nine Events of Instruction' framework. The example course structure will give you a picture of how our courses are organised.

We also use narratives, simulations, resource banks, quizzes and regular feedback. Often we weave a video drama throughout the course to engage the learners and help them remember what they have learnt.

All courses end with a final quiz. This is a compliance tool for administrators so that they can ensure that their students have completed the course and understood the material.

 

Extensive use of video drama and documentaries

All our courses include extensive use of video. We employ different media including drama, comedy, documentaries and cartoon animations. Video is often an excellent way to host experts who would not normally come into workshops. Some examples of our videos include:

Video documentaries

• Lord Robert Winston, Professor of Science & Society at Imperial College London, doctor and broadcaster – presented a number of case studies on ethical malpractice in Ethics 2: Working with Human Subjects
• Sir Harry Kroto, Professor at Florida State University and Nobel Prize-winning chemist – presented the argument against commercialising research in the Intellectual Property section of Research Context

 

Inspirational contributors

Our authors and reviewers are all enthusiastic practitioners, and quite often world-class experts. Other contributors include Nobel Prize-winning scientists, well-known TV presenters, and a President of the Royal Society.

 

Courses, not just resources

Much online learning is merely a piecemeal of PDF guides, bullet-point slides and the occasional interactive item. This type of resource does little to help people learn and is generally unpopular with staff and students.

Epigeum's programmes are designed exclusively for online learning. They are not adapted from text-based material.

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