Design Draft

For my e-Lerning module, I plan to use my knowledge of interior design and decoration as a means of teaching others. Homes are places where people need to be comfortable and at peace, and when you have a design dilemma, the peace is interrupted. By creating a module that walks you through the do’s and don’ts of simple decorating, many of the everyday problems people have with their homes will be solved, and peace will be restored.

There are various types of audiences that a decorating site could cater to. There are the first time homeowners with a blank slate and a ‘decorating block,’ that just need a little inspiration to get started. Then, there are people who have not changed their décor in 10 to 20 years who need updating, and need to know what is up to date. Bachelors and newly graduated college students seem to face the same problem of hand me downs, and need to find their own style. Another audience could be renters who are very limited in the things that can be changed in their homes, but need a way to make their temporary residence feel more inviting and a better reflection of themselves and not the owners. Men and women alike could benefit from these decorating tips.

My first objective would be to ensure that the site was visually appealing and captivating to the potential audience. A well decorated room will draw people in, and those people will be more inclined to stay awhile if the décor is enjoyable. The same goes with a website. If I were to come across a page and it looked like a disaster, poorly organized, difficult to maneuver, and lacking in quality and effort, I would not spend very much time on that page. Creating a nice layout, visually appealing color scheme, and readable text will all aid in the creation of a good and successful flow.

From there, I can inform learners of the objectives of the site through stimulating recall of prior learning. I could pose a question, for example, “Having trouble decorating your home?” A question as simple as this can provoke so many different memories from different people because of how general it is. The broadness of the question draws the learner in, and creates curiosity on how the site can help with their troubles.

I would present the content of the site in various forms to reach the maximum amount of people. One such way would be simple text. I could make a chart of do’s and don’ts, but in addition, pair a picture with the do’s and don’ts to aid those visual learners. For those not familiar with decorating terms the pictures would help to teach the new vocabulary. I could also create step by step instructions for simple color combinations, revamping an old piece of furniture, or simple accessorizing as a way for the learners to practice what they are learning. Perhaps using a video of a “how to” would reach out to others who like the idea of a student teacher approach to learning.

If possible, I think that having an area for people to upload their unfinished or finished projects could help with providing feedback from me, but also from their peers. It is best to have a variety of opinions and comments in order to gain the most benefit from a learning experience. This would also prove as a way to assess the performance of the learners. Advising that a portfolio or notebook be kept of all of the tips and projects that are finished, will help to enhance retention of the information. If a question or problem arises, the information can easily be found if kept in one place and in an organized manner.

The learning objectives that I would like to incorporate would first start with recognition. If you don’t notice that something is wrong, then there will be no real drive to fix anything. After recognizing that there are issues, the next step is to recognize where mistakes were made. This is a huge step in any learning process, and possibly the hardest hurdle to get over. It is like an alcoholic realizing that they have a problem. I want to provide the tools for someone who has just realized that something is off in their décor and lead by example. Through the many examples that are listed above, I hope to help others walk through a wonderful journey towards discovering their own inspirations.

Fear keeps too many people from trying new things, and to be able to alleviate those fears will uncover so much potential in a room and a person. A fantastic thing about interior design and decorating is that every time you walk into that finished room all your efforts are worthwhile. It just takes one project to open up the floodgates of your creativity. Being able to feel confident in your own designs and decorating is a huge objective to overcome. Once you finish one room you naturally want the rest of your home to reflect your style as well, so that finished room is acting as constant encouragement to go on to the next project. I just hope to create a module that inspires along with teaches!