Introduction
Developing an online learning management system (LMS) and designing course content can be a daunting task, especially when the subject matter is outside your expertise. However, by leveraging Bloom’s Taxonomy and conducting thorough research, I successfully created structured learning experiences, including assessments, that were both engaging and educationally effective. This post explores that journey, the challenges I faced, and how systematic learning design allowed me to build an LMS that delivered high-quality instruction.
The Challenge: Teaching What You Don’t Know (Yet)
When I was tasked with developing an LMS for students to be certified in Ultrasound for Condition Monitoring, an industry I wasn’t familiar with, I faced an immediate knowledge gap. While I had extensive experience in SaaS, web development, and e-learning platforms, I wasn’t an expert in Condition Monitoring that I was creating content for. However, successful online learning isn’t about being the expert—it’s about structuring the learning experience effectively so that students can gain expertise. This is where Bloom’s Taxonomy became an invaluable tool.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: A Framework for Effective Learning
Bloom’s Taxonomy organizes learning into six levels, progressing from basic recall to deep critical thinking. By structuring assessments according to these levels, I could ensure a logical progression of learning:
- Remembering: Helps learners recall key facts and definitions.
- Understanding: Encourages explanations of concepts and principles.
- Applying: Requires learners to use knowledge in practical scenarios.
- Analyzing: Involves comparing, contrasting, and breaking down ideas.
- Evaluating: Challenges learners to make judgments and justify their reasoning.
- Creating: Encourages innovation and problem-solving through new solutions.
Step 1: Researching the Industry
Since I wasn’t an expert, I needed to quickly gain foundational knowledge. My research approach included:
- Reading Industry Reports & White Papers: These provided an overview of key standards and practices.
- Consulting Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Interviews with professionals helped me distinguish critical knowledge from supplementary details.
- Analyzing Existing Training Materials: Studying how other courses were structured gave insights into best practices.
Through this research, I built a solid foundation that enabled me to create structured learning experiences.
Step 2: Designing the LMS Experience
I built the LMS using Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and Vercel Postgres, ensuring a clean, responsive, and scalable platform. The key features included:
- Course Progress Tracking: Allowed learners to monitor their growth.
- Quiz & Assessment Engine: Ensured each module had structured evaluations.
- Adaptive Learning Paths: Personalized recommendations based on quiz performance.
- Accessibility Features: Ensured compliance with WCAG and AODA standards.
Once the LMS infrastructure was functional, the next step was designing assessments that aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Step 3: Writing Effective Quizzes Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
I structured assessments progressively to build understanding and critical thinking:
- Remembering: Multiple-choice questions asking learners to define key terms.
- Understanding: Short-answer questions requiring explanations of key concepts.
- Applying: Scenario-based questions where learners chose the best course of action.
- Analyzing: Comparisons of different industry methods and their effectiveness.
- Evaluating: Justification-based questions where learners defended their choices.
- Creating: Open-ended assignments requiring learners to design new solutions.
This structure ensured learners moved beyond memorization to practical application and innovation.
Step 4: Testing and Refining the Course
After building the assessments, I followed an iterative improvement process:
- Piloted the course with a small test group.
- Collected feedback from learners and industry experts.
- Refined questions based on performance and difficulty levels.
- Integrated AI-driven adaptivity to provide additional help where needed.
The final product was a fully functional, structured, and effective e-learning course, designed using research-backed principles despite my initial lack of subject matter expertise.
Final Thoughts: Why This Approach Works
- Research + Structure = Effective Learning: You don’t need to be an expert if you build a solid learning framework.
- Bloom’s Taxonomy Ensures Depth: Moving from basic recall to problem-solving keeps courses engaging.
- Good Learning Design > Subject Matter Expertise: Well-structured learning experiences make even complex topics accessible.
Conclusion
Developing an LMS and course content for an unfamiliar industry isn’t an impossible task. By leveraging Bloom’s Taxonomy, conducting structured research, and designing assessments progressively, I was able to bridge the knowledge gap and create an effective online learning experience.
Have you ever had to create content for an industry you weren’t familiar with? What challenges did you face?