This paper presents the eight Learning Events Model (8LEM), a pedagogical reference framework which was used, in more than 100 online courses, as a starting point for instructional planning. Besides supporting teachers in early stages of the learning design continuum, the paper shows how this learning/teaching model, as a professional development tool, prompts them to diversify the learning methods experienced by students in their courses. A three-pronged rationale about the importance of this diversification with respect to "mathetic" competence development, epistemology and personalization is also submitted to discussion. (Contains 5 figures.)