Course Development Path to Success
Weekly Update~Summer 2014 Course Development
February 17--February 23, 2014
Weekly Update #3: Focus on Course Design
The definition of organize is to “form into a whole.” Your objective here is to organize your online course into a logical, systematic format that is easy for the student to navigate and understand.
To facilitate organization, and to maintain consistency across GSE courses, the Office of Online Education has created a course template. Last week you copied this template into your Practice course. Please see last week’s Weekly Update for more information on the course template.
A well-designed course is paced, meaning that course content and assignments are not available all at once, but rather are presented to the student in sequential format (each week a new unit opens, for example). Consistency is also an important factor. Students should know what to expect with each new unit. It is a good idea to structure your course so that each unit shows the same format as the last, with little deviation.The resources below provide plenty of additional information on the best practices of course design. Please consider a one-on-one consultation with an instructional designer (Anne Reed) if you need additional assistance.
What is Universal Design?
While UDL certainly benefits students with disabilities, all students may benefit from the types of supports UDL provides. For example, video captioning is of great help to students with hearing impairments because it provides them with a visual representation of speech. However, this support may be beneficial to English language learners, struggling readers, and even students working in a noisy environment.
Things to think about when designing your course with UDL in mind:
- Access - Provide Multiple Means of Representation
- Assessment - Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression
- Engagement - Provide Multiple Means of Engagement
Week 3 To-Do's
- Create a content outline. Begin thinking about how content in your current course can be ‘chunked’ or organized into learning units. Example Content Outline (PDF document).
- Create an outline for each learning unit. What content will be covered? What materials are necessary to provoke learning? How will the students demonstrate their knowledge of the material? These topics should be addressed in an outline form now so that you are clear on which learning materials (course content, assignments, and assessments) you will need to locate and/or create in the following weeks.
- Create course structure in UBlearns. Start building your course in UBlearns based on the outlines that you created this week. A basic course structure has already been applied via the course template. Start by filling in the Unit Overview section for each weekly unit. This section includes the following: Unit Objectives, Topics Covered, Readings, and Assignments. You should be able to fill in the "Unit Objectives" and "Topics Covered" sections now.
Next week we will discuss learning materials in depth.
Resources
Online Course Design Guidelines
This site provides a roadmap for instructors during the course design process or as a "self-evaluation" tool to assist instructors in revision of an existing online course using a rubric and suggested examples. This research-informed framework highlights key components essential to a high quality learning experience for students. Some content is specific to the university that produced the site (University of Toronto) but most of the tips may be applied generally by any online instructor.Nine Online Course Development Tips
A useful and concise list of tips, published by Faculty Focus.View UBIT's guide to creating course content in UBlearns.
GSE Easy Guide to Accessibility
"Accessible" online course content is content that is available to all users. People with some types of disabilities, such as blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, and learning disabilities, may have problems accessing course materials (documents, UBlearns pages, audio/ video, etc.). This compromises their opportunities for effective learning.
This presentation will guide you through the steps that it takes to find and create accessible course content.
Ten Simple Steps Toward Universal Design of Online Courses
Implementing the principles of universal design in online learning means anticipating the diversity of students that may enroll in your course and planning accordingly. These ten key elements will greatly enhance the accessibility and usability of your course for students with and without disabilities.
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Coffee Chat- Differentiated Instruction in Online Education
Monday, March 3, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
381 Baldy Hall, North Campus
Designing an Exemplary Course
A four week online course, open to all UB faculty and staff
Course begins on March 17
Workshops offered through the TLC:
UBlearns: Assessing Learners
Wednesday, February 19, 2014 • 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
212 Capen Hall, North Campus
Introduction to Online Learning: A View of the Online Learning Landscape
Friday, February 21, 2014 • 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
112 Wende Hall, South Campus
UBlearns: Grade Center
Friday, February 28, 2014 • 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
B2C Abbott Hall (HSL), South Campus