GADIE: Instructional Design Framework
This document introduces the GADIE Instructional Design Framework as a dynamic and regenerative approach to curriculum and systems design, particularly well-suited for permaculture and other holistic learning environments. Evolving from the well-established ADDIE model (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate), GADIE addresses key limitations by adding a critical first step: Goals Articulation. This shift prioritises intention, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability from the outset.
The five phases of GADIE – Goals, Analyse & Assess, Design, Implement, Evaluate – offer a clear structure that is simultaneously flexible and responsive. The framework integrates the ethical and practical foundations of permaculture into instructional planning, supporting both ecological regeneration and effective learning outcomes.
In the Goals stage, practitioners are encouraged to consider the full context: social systems, ecosystem health, stakeholder needs, and long-term outcomes. This ensures the process begins with clarity and shared purpose. Analyse & Assess introduces deep diagnostic practices, where environmental conditions, social dynamics, and resource flows are studied to support appropriate design decisions.
The Design phase then synthesises these insights into context-specific solutions, drawing from permaculture principles like pattern literacy, closed-loop systems, and interconnectivity. This is followed by Implementation, which embraces iterative, stage-based delivery that allows for monitoring, adaptation, and feedback at every stage.
Crucially, the Evaluate phase is not a final check but a cyclical tool for adaptive learning. Feedback loops are embedded to ensure projects remain resilient, socially equitable, and ecologically aligned. Evaluation becomes a generative process, reinforcing the regenerative nature of the framework itself.
What sets the GADIE Instructional Design Framework apart is its commitment to both holism and pragmatism. It provides tools for permaculture designers, educators, and project leaders to navigate complexity with rigour and care. The inclusion of stakeholders, the use of empirical analysis, and a strong ethical foundation ensure that outcomes are not only functional but also transformative.
The document also highlights the framework’s potential in various applications — from educational course design to organisational planning, making it a versatile and scalable model. In combining permaculture's ecological wisdom with instructional design’s clarity of process, GADIE offers a powerful approach to sustainable learning systems.
Document Format: PDF
Total Length: 2 pages
Estimated Read Time: 2 minutes
File Size: 1 MB