Learning design for flexible education

The FLeD project was launched to address urgent needs in higher education post-COVID, aligned with EU priorities on innovative teaching, digital transformation, and inclusion. While partner universities had progressed in digital competence and flexible learning (Beardsley et al., 2021; Doria et al., 2021; Morgado et al., 2021; Noguera & Valdivia, 2021) a gap remained: the lack of EFFECTIVE LEARNING DESIGN tailored for FL (Låg & Sæle, 2019; Lin et al., 2019; Weiß & Friege, 2021). FLeD addresses this by: Advancing understanding of the EFFECTIVENESS of the flipped classroom (FC) model through the development of both theoretical and practical knowledge. SUPPORTING teachers with a decision-making tool based on learning design patterns (Gros, Escofet, & Marimón-Martí, 2016), that guides educators in creating flexible learning scenarios. Fostering COLLABORATION via a MOOC that promotes teacher professional development through peer feedback, playful strategies, and community-building within the FLeD tool. Ensuring INCLUSIVE and accessibility by addressing SEND, cultural, religious, and gender diversity across delivery modes, with open, multilingual resources for wide access.

The main objective of the FLeD project was to facilitate the design of EFFECTIVE flexible learning (FL) scenarios for faculty, aligned with the priority of stimulating innovative teaching. This was pursued through four specific objectives: O1. To structure and support the design of inclusive flipped learning scenarios for diverse technology-mediated contexts. O2. To promote playful and collaborative synergies between teachers for learning design. O3. To guide teachers in decision-making for flexible learning design by developing a digital tool. O4. To increase the awareness of flexible learning under the flipped learning method. The project aimed to promote innovative teaching by providing pedagogical structures (patterns) and scaffolding guidelines to develop FL scenarios adaptable to any mode—face-to-face, blended, or online—and responsive to diverse learner needs. Aligned with the digitalization priority, FL supported optimal use of asynchronous time through digital technologies. FLeD aimed to deliver practical guidance for effective digital adoption in teaching. It also addressed inclusion, recognizing that digital FL may challenge disadvantaged students. Specific recommendations were provided to ensure inclusivity.

WP1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT: focused on coordination, administration, and governance. Key activities included creating a Handbook (on sustainability, gender equality, ethics, and inclusion), creating a website, and forming an Advisory Board for ongoing guidance. WP2 PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN: established the pedagogical foundation of the project. It developed a conceptual framework, learning design patterns, scaffolding resources, playful strategies for self-training, and inclusion guidelines. These were validated and refined iteratively and shared through academic channels. WP3 PILOT: focused on testing, evaluating, and refining the project results in real settings. This included pilot design, execution, evaluation, resource refinement, and dissemination. WP4 FLeD TOOL DEVELOPMENT: centered on building, testing (alpha and real-user testing), refining, finalizing and translating it, and presenting results in academic forums. WP5 EXTERNAL DISSEMINATION AND TRAINING: focused disseminating within and outside participant institutions, providing a virtual training platform (MOOC), creating a Handbook on effective FL and a final hybrid event to maximize outreach and impact.

Handbook on sustainability, inclusion, ethics, and gender equality, 1 internal communication protocol, a website, and an Advisory Board. A conceptual FL framework, 4 learning design patterns, scaffolding guidelines, playful design itinerary, inclusion Handbook, guide on open resources 34 university teachers, 33 learning scenarios, ~840 students. Translation of resources (patterns, scaffolding, playful design) into 6 languages. 6 workshops with academic staff/teachers/instructional designers. FLeD digital tool in multilingual versions (https://fledtool.upf.edu/). A MOOC (https://mooc.unitn.it/enrol/index.php?id=8), a Handbook on effective FL (https://ddd.uab.cat/record/310261), a hybrid event, and a FL network. The project was disseminated through a blog (https://fledproject.eu/blog/), theflippedclassroom.es, Twitter (@FledProjectEU), YouTube (@FledProject-gb3vr), LinkedIn (FLeD project), EPALE (https://tuit.cat/xmx03), ECIU, TeLEd, and HyComm, as well as through 33 academic events, 14 articles, a book chapter, a special issue, among others.