AICI 101
Foundations of the Aletheian Design Theory of Learning
This lesson pathway is structured in paired sessions: each primary lesson introduces an ADTL-aligned skill or structure, and each “.1” lesson is a mastery studio where learners exhibit understanding through in-depth discussion, critique, and revision of their own work.
Lesson → Studio. Theory → Evidence. Design as a practiced habit of mind.
Jump to a Lesson
Select a core lesson or its mastery studio. Each pair stacks the lesson above its “.1” critique session.
Lesson 1
Entering The Aletheian Design Theory of Learning
Learners are introduced to the core language of ADTL, the three pillars, and the idea of teaching as design.
Learning Focus
- Define The Aletheian Design Theory of Learning in educator-friendly language.
- Describe Cognitive Design, Cultural Connection, and Aesthetic Experience at a high level.
- Reframe the educator as “designer of possibility” instead of content deliverer.
Lesson Flow
- Short narrative overview of ADTL and why it exists.
- Guided reading of a curated excerpt from the ADTL paper with margin notes.
- Partner discussion: “Where do I already design, even if I haven’t named it that?”
Core Activities
- Individual quickwrite: “One moment where design could have changed a lesson for my students.”
- Micro–gallery walk of quotes/ideas pulled from the ADTL text.
- Group capture of working definitions on a shared board or slide.
Evidence of Progress
- Short exit reflection demonstrating a basic grasp of the three pillars.
- Verbal explanation of what “designer of possibility” means in their context.
This lesson meets the learning goal by establishing shared vocabulary,
narrative context, and a first personal connection to ADTL.
Lesson 1.1
Mastery Studio: Naming My Practice Through ADTL
Learners surface examples from their own teaching and analyze them through ADTL language, with structured critique.
Mastery Demonstration
- Each participant brings a brief story of a past lesson or moment of teaching.
- They retell the moment twice: once as “what happened,” and once through ADTL language.
- Peers listen for and tag evidence of Cognitive Design, Cultural Connection, and Aesthetic Experience.
Critique & Discussion
- Structured critique protocol (e.g., “I notice / I wonder / I’m curious about…”).
- Facilitated discussion about where design choices were intentional vs. accidental.
- Collective identification of patterns across stories.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can clearly define each pillar of ADTL in their own words.
- Participant can locate specific moments in their own practice where ADTL was present or missing.
- Participant can respond to peer questions about their story using ADTL vocabulary with confidence.
Mastery here is evidenced not by recall of definitions, but by the ability to
narrate real practice through ADTL and engage in critique using its language.
Lesson 2
The Aletheian Learning Cycle
Learners unpack the stages of the Aletheian Learning Cycle and how each stage shapes cognition and experience.
Learning Focus
- Identify and name each stage of the ALC.
- Explain the purpose of each stage using a concrete example.
- Recognize what it looks like when stages are missing or rushed.
Lesson Flow
- Visual walkthrough of the ALC diagram.
- Facilitator models the cycle with a short concept (e.g., a mini-history or science idea).
- Small groups sequence pre-written lesson moves into the ALC order.
Core Activities
- Group task: sort lesson snippets into ALC stages (Encounter, Build, Reveal, Refine, Connect, Extend).
- Discussion: “What happens to learners if this stage disappears?”
Evidence of Progress
- Accurate labeling of stages in a sample lesson.
- Short written explanation of how ALC differs from traditional pacing guides.
This lesson meets the goal by giving learners a concrete, visual structure to hold the movement of learning.
Lesson 2.1
Mastery Studio: Mapping My Lesson to the ALC
Learners deconstruct one of their own lessons into ALC stages and redesign gaps through collaborative critique.
Mastery Demonstration
- Each participant brings one existing lesson plan or routine.
- They map each step of the lesson onto the ALC diagram.
- They identify where stages are compressed, missing, or overloaded.
Critique & Discussion
- Peer groups ask clarifying questions about lesson intent and learner experience.
- Together, they propose redesigned sequences that honor all ALC stages.
- Group discusses trade-offs between time, pacing, and depth.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant accurately maps lesson steps onto ALC stages.
- Participant can justify why a redesign improves learning flow.
- Participant actively uses ALC language in critique and revision.
Mastery is shown in the ability to restructure an existing lesson into a full cycle,
supported by critique of how each stage affects real students.
Lesson 3
Cognitive Design: Structuring How Students Think
Learners explore how prompts, questions, and sequencing shape the mental pathways students build while learning.
Learning Focus
- Define Cognitive Design and its relationship to clarity and rigor.
- Recognize how task structure invites shallow vs. deep thinking.
- Identify leverage points for improving cognitive flow in a lesson.
Lesson Flow
- Examples of “flat” tasks vs. cognitively designed tasks.
- Think-aloud by facilitator modeling how a task shapes thinking.
- Group analysis of sample tasks using ADTL lenses.
Core Activities
- Highlight where cognitive steps are missing or out of order in a sample task.
- Draft an improved version of the task with clearly scaffolded thinking moves.
Evidence of Progress
- Revised task that better sequences cognitive steps.
- Short explanation of the intended thinking pathway.
This lesson meets the goal by shifting focus from “what students do” to how thinking is designed.
Lesson 3.1
Mastery Studio: Cognitive Design Critique
Learners bring tasks from their own courses and subject them to a structured Cognitive Design critique.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants share a real task (worksheet item, project prompt, discussion question).
- They map the intended thinking steps and compare them to likely student experience.
- They identify specific points where cognition may stall or remain superficial.
Critique & Discussion
- Small groups offer targeted feedback on gaps, overload, or unclear steps.
- Participants redesign the task live, adding or reshaping cognitive moves.
- Groups discuss how this redesign might change student responses.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can diagnose cognitive issues in an authentic task.
- Participant can propose and justify a concrete redesign.
- Participant can anticipate how redesign will show up in student work.
Mastery is demonstrated through precise critique of real tasks and thoughtful redesign grounded in Cognitive Design.
Lesson 4
Aesthetic Experience: Designing How Learning Feels
Learners consider how typography, layout, color, and pacing shape emotional and cognitive entry into content.
Learning Focus
- Define Aesthetic Experience in the context of learning.
- Identify visual choices that either invite or block participation.
- Connect aesthetic choices to equity and accessibility.
Lesson Flow
- Side-by-side comparisons of “default” vs. intentionally designed materials.
- Discussion of how each version feels to engage with.
- Mini-lecture on layout, hierarchy, and negative space as cognitive supports.
Core Activities
- Annotate existing materials with aesthetic design observations.
- Sketch a reimagined layout for one high-traffic resource.
Evidence of Progress
- Annotated sample materials highlighting aesthetic decisions.
- Draft of a redesigned visual artifact with notes on design choices.
This lesson meets the goal by making the aesthetics of learning visible and discussable.
Lesson 4.1
Mastery Studio: Visual Redesign Gallery
Learners bring redesigned materials for gallery critique, focusing on how design decisions change student experience.
Mastery Demonstration
- Each participant presents a “before and after” version of one instructional artifact.
- They explain their aesthetic decisions and the intended impact on learners.
Critique & Discussion
- Gallery walk where peers leave written feedback on clarity, engagement, and emotional tone.
- Whole-group conversation about design patterns that support inclusion and access.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can connect specific visual decisions to ADTL’s Aesthetic Experience pillar.
- Participant responds thoughtfully to critique, noting future adjustments.
- Participant shows evidence of intentional, repeatable visual decision-making.
Mastery is evidenced through the ability to both produce and critically discuss aesthetic choices in real materials.
Lesson 5
Cultural Connection: Designing for Real Students
Learners examine whose stories, images, and ways of knowing are centered or sidelined in their materials and routines.
Learning Focus
- Define Cultural Connection within ADTL.
- Identify gaps between learner identities and represented identities in content.
- Recognize how design can repair or deepen those connections.
Lesson Flow
- Silent analysis of sample texts/media for representation and voice.
- Discussion of where students “enter” or feel distant from the material.
- Mini-lesson on culturally responsive design moves.
Core Activities
- Audit a unit or sequence for representation, language, and context.
- Draft ideas for new texts, images, or prompts that center student identity.
Evidence of Progress
- Written audit notes identifying specific cultural gaps.
- Draft revisions for at least one anchor lesson or resource.
This lesson meets the goal by making culture an explicit, designable part of instruction—not an afterthought.
Lesson 5.1
Mastery Studio: Cultural Design Conversation
Learners share concrete revisions and engage in nuanced, respectful critique of how those changes affect student belonging.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants present one revised lesson, task, or text set.
- They explain how the changes connect more directly to their real students.
- They highlight language, examples, or images that shift who is centered.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers offer appreciative feedback and probing questions about impact.
- Group discusses possible unintended consequences or blind spots.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can clearly name how revisions respond to specific learners.
- Participant can engage in critique about culture without becoming defensive.
- Participant identifies next steps for deepening cultural connection.
Mastery here is demonstrated through thoughtful cultural design work and the ability to discuss it openly and critically.
Lesson 6
Integrating ADTL: Designing a Mini Aletheian Campaign
Learners design a short “learning campaign” (2–3 connected lessons) that fully reflects ADTL.
Learning Focus
- Integrate Cognitive Design, Cultural Connection, and Aesthetic Experience.
- Intentionally plan an ALC-based sequence in their real context.
- Align tasks, visuals, and assessments with ADTL language.
Lesson Flow
- Review of key ADTL structures and pillars.
- Planning time with design prompts and checkpoints.
- Pair-share drafts for early feedback.
Core Activities
- Create a 2–3 lesson campaign mapped to the ALC.
- Annotate where each ADTL pillar is most visible.
Evidence of Progress
- Completed draft of the mini campaign.
- Annotations that clearly connect design choices to ADTL.
This lesson meets the goal by pulling the whole theory into one coherent design act.
Lesson 6.1
Mastery Studio: Campaign Critique & Evidence of Learning
Learners present their campaigns, examine sample or imagined student responses, and use critique to refine design.
Mastery Demonstration
- Participants present their campaign maps, visuals, and key tasks.
- They walk peers through where ADTL pillars and ALC stages live in the design.
- They share real or anticipated samples of student work and responses.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers and facilitator provide layered feedback on coherence, culture, and aesthetics.
- Group analyzes how student work will reveal strengths and gaps in the design.
- Participants record specific revisions they will make next.
Mastery Indicators
- Participant can defend their design decisions using ADTL language.
- Participant can interpret real or hypothetical student work as evidence of design quality.
- Participant can name clear next steps for further refinement.
Final mastery is shown in the ability to design, present, critique, and refine a full ADTL-aligned learning sequence using student work as the central mirror.