About Outstanda Instructional Design

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Let’s make a difference.

Outstanda organizes and delivers instructional material to students so that motivated students can learn at their own pace and master materials without guesswork.

The format is different from traditional, long-form curricula.

Structured Micro-Learning

Time – All coursework is structured so students can use the portions of the materials they want, and they may complete the lesson as quickly or slowly as they choose.

Clarity – Materials are focused on the learning goals. Reducing fluff and confusing tangents helps students study what they are expected to learn and master the materials more deeply. Optional honors materials allow for deeper dives for those who want to explore more.

Deep Learning – Assessments are proctored and randomized to make measuring true mastery more accurate. Testing from previous lessons to unlock current lesson assessments ensures students learn more deeply and do not just study for a test.

Retention – Materials are designed to show mastery of basics that are standard on the topics globally. Institutions can still expand on the topics as they choose. Retention of the most important core materials is stressed.

Core Mastery Materials

Lessons are designed by first identifying the items students must know well to show mastery of the lesson. Then materials are created to make this mastery as easy and straightforward as possible. Students are never left guessing what to study, what they need to memorize, and what complex topics they must be able to assess and creatively use to solve problems or have a discussion. Typical materials include:

• PDFs for study and practice
• Reading – Media-Rich HTML  (Length and detail depending on the course and course level)
• Shorter videos focusing on fundamentals
• Slide Shows for class and personal study
• VR learning materials
• Audio
• Group activities/chats/projects
• Individual projects
• Interactive Practice

Honors Materials

Honors mastery takes more time and includes materials that are broader, and require deeper study and internalization. These materials are optional and require a more complex set of assessment questions after the mastery assessment. Mastery with honors is designated when completed successfully. Honors materials are more likely to contain additional things like:

• Podcasts
• A longer, more broad reading
• Longer video lectures
• Support material for context
• Added individual projects such as writing an essay
• Problem-solving activities in VR, Online, etc.

In a classroom setting, honors materials are critical to keeping the most advanced students engaged and learning, while not making the core material too difficult for other students.

Mastery Assessments

Assessments include the following:

1. Pre-Questions from previous lessons, if applicable. 100% is required to unlock the assessment.
2. Mastery Questions from materials that clearly say they should be memorized.  100% is required to continue in the assessment.
3. Critical Thinking Questions from materials that should be clear if students have a strong grasp of the materials. This requires a majority of questions correct.  75% or more is typical, but may vary.
4. Honors Questions can come from any of the extended materials. They are not trick questions but do need to demonstrate that the student studied the honors material. Honors assessments may be taken at another time after completing the mastery assessment.

If an organization is using grades, honors would be an A, standard mastery would be a B, and non-completion is an “incomplete” until the classroom deadline. Students who do not complete all lessons by the end of the semester would be graded based on the % of completed lessons compared to the total expected lessons. (6 out of 10 lessons = D)

Instructional Design Principles

While materials are often more straightforward and to the point, they should still be audience-appropriate. This means 6-year-olds should not be expected to memorize a vocabulary list without some level of making the materials engaging and fun.

College-level courses, on the other hand, can literally have a list of things that need to be studied and memorized.

Because the mastery material is free from a time constraint and students can complete it as quickly as they want, there is no need to extend lessons to be longer just to log hours. It is up to schools to add activities and instruction that are value-adding if they need to extend time for mandated requirements.

Lessons frequently include individual and group projects that encourage engagement with the materials, when the subject permits. These are a good option for instructors to expand the classtime and get students to engage with the topic.

Non-Linear Assets

Outstanda identifies the learning outcomes that are desired, and then a variety of learning assets are provided to support those outcomes. Students are not expected to use all of them. Some people may prefer watching a video while others prefer printing a PDF and studying it.

Non-Linear Assets Support Accessibility

This supports different learning styles and also helps adapt materials to different challenges people may face in learning, such as vision, hearing, Dyslexia, etc. By providing clear materials in different formats without time constraints, Outstanda aims to reduce the barriers to learning for all people.

Bias in Education

To the best of our ability, materials will be inclusive and free from bias. Unless explicitly important to a class about race, health, or politics, materials will avoid any references to race or nationalities, and events with multiple viewpoints will respectfully teach the different viewpoints if those views are free from hate, bias, and discrimination. Materials will be designed to be as inclusive as possible. People in any culture should be able to use Outstanda and feel comfortable and confident that they are respected and included in our global effort. This includes race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, caste, religion, or income.

Religion in Education

To the best of our ability, religious beliefs will be respected as an important part of people’s culture without promoting any one religion. In most courses, it will not be referenced, used as an example, or included in materials.

Courses such as history will treat religion with respect, but not be biased towards any one set of beliefs.

Religion does not give people a free pass to hate or discriminate against others. These groups will not be given equality in educational material nor respect or validity.

Moderate, Factual, Fair Politics in Education

To the best of our ability, politics will be presented with a moderate and intelligent viewpoint. Materials are designed to be respectful but cannot be revised based on one group’s feelings or some group of people wanting a change in language usage. Materials are global and will be revised based on global changes.

Non-factual materials will absolutely not be included in any educational material. Groups knowingly spreading falsehoods are working directly against Outstanda’s principles of educating people and spreading prosperity.

While politics is presented in a moderate format, this does not mean equal billing to all groups. Political groups that hate or discriminate against others, if mentioned at all, will be depicted as a group working against more freedom, more prosperity, and more peace for everyone.

Gender, Health, and Sexuality in Education

Materials that may be controversial in some cultures, or may contain visuals that are medical in nature but inappropriate for broad audiences, will be age-restricted, or even possibly restricted to programs. An example could be that a verified person must be in medical school to access some materials.

Outstanda will, to the best of its ability, produce materials that are respectful of people around gender and reproduction. This applies to educational materials about health for minors. Our program will be factual and important for all people to do self-care and will be respectful of cultural and family differences. Moderate, factual, and, realistic materials will provide important information to students. Local institutions are expected to expand on the materials as needed, based on local needs.

 

Outstanda Credentials

Outstanda is developing a long-term credential system. Instructional Design is done so that credentials can be issued for each class demonstrating mastery of a topic. These credentials are global, verifiable, and progress is transferable between organizations and nations.

While the core credential verifies that someone knows the core information, the instructor or institution verifying the completion of the credential adds their reputation to the credential. So, for example, an introduction to accounting course taught to high school students in an advanced high school class would have their course credentials verified by the high school and the instructor. This same mastery could take place at Harvard Business School in an introductory course. While both sets of students would have the same core mastery, the reputation of the institution verifying the work implies a greater breadth of support, knowledge, and experience.

Outstanda is developing a future with verified core mastery combined with reputation through added value and support. This is a very friendly evolution of education that will continue to support the current organizations, investments, and infrastructure.

This system will continue to be in development through 2023, but it is important that Instructional Design methods support this credentialling system down the road.

Outstanda Student Payments for Mastery

Beyond credentials, Outstanda firmly believes that people deserve to be paid to learn. Better education is hard work. Better education makes the world a better place. Better education helps everyone be more prosperous. Outstanda is developing a system that will pay verified students to complete mastery of topics through a verified assessment system. Initially, this will be done through donations, school particilation, and grants. 

Please keep the following things in mind.

1. Must be of high quality and pass our standards checks.
2. Must be preapproved for a course we are actively working on (Feel free to recommend a course) and we reserve the right to decline any asset for any reason.
3. You are not an employee of Outstanda.
4. Your donation of materials are an In-Kind donation to a non-profit in the amount of $25 per hour you spend on it.
5. Your learning asset contribution is a donation and you are providing us with full ownership and distribution rights. Do not contribute something you want to sell or use exclusively in the future.
6. We do not need similar content. If we already have something in the format and on the topic, we do not publish similar Learning Gigs. If you are an expert, you want to be the first in your field to engage with us.  Exceptions may exist for:
   • Translations
   • Outdated Material Updates
   • Material presented in a more entertaining or engaging way (must be preapproved)

Who Can Contribute?

Anyone who is passionate about improving education and living standards globally is welcome to apply to contribute materials.

We reserve the right to decline anyone for any reason.

Specifically, people with a history of abuse, violence, assault, fraud, bigotry, hate speech, intolerance, or knowingly spreading false information are not eligible to contribute. 

While we want all countries to participate, people in countries that are widely sanctioned for human rights abuses or violence against their citizens and/or other countries may not receive payments, although they may still be approved to donate materials and translate.

Ideal contributors work in the following areas:

• Teachers, Professors, Instructors
• Instructional Designers
• Educational Support Specialists
• Writers
• Researchers
• Publishers (Your book can be part of a course)
• Media professionals such as Videographers, Game Designers, Graphic Designers
• App Developers
• Editors
• Translators
• Speaker and Specialist on a Topic