Creating Standardized Course Design

David MartinNellie ModaressRosann O’Dell Norbert Belz

KU Medical Center

KU Medical Center

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18%

KUMC SchoolsSchool of Medicine - 2060 students

School of Nursing - 662 students

School of Health Professions - 591 students School of Health Professions: » Health Information

Management (40) » Clinical Lab Science» Respiratory Care» Occupational Therapy» Physical Therapy» Dietetics and Nutrition» Nurse Anesthesia » Speech-Language-

Hearing

What is HIM?

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Reduction in student frustration with course organization • [HIM examples] Prior online experience – instructor & student:

– Hunting vs. Learning– Posting to post– Clarity of information – Overwhelming

• Nursing: – Student feedback – Literature Review– Quality Matters– Accreditation Standards

Why Standardization

• Standardized course designs results in creating and organizing a framework of course templates that result in a path to online learning that is student centered and allows the institution to scale up enrollment with quality education (Schnetter et al., 2014)

• Quality course development is consistency in design. To increase the comfort level of students, all courses in a program should have a similar look and feel. Online courses need similar design, organization, and structure across the modules within the course and within the coursework in a program (Borgemenke et al., 2013).

• Although structure of course design is pivotal to success; process of content delivery is also key to successful online courses (Schnetteret al., 2014)

Why Standardization: Literature Review

Expanding course enrollment (multiple sections)• Financial Viability • Application of QM Rubric (ie. Faculty-student

ration, course design, etc.) • New faculty orientation • Less questions about format, more focus on

learning

Why Standardization

Ability to respond to increasing student volume • Effective utilization of additional faculty

(adjuncts)• Focus on Strengths: Division of

task/responsibilities in course design, delivery and evaluation

• Utilize service sector professional workforce for online student interaction

Why Standardization

Link and align course content and overall program content• Identification of program terminal outcomes• Determination of curriculum themes• Nationally accepted curriculum outcomes

promoted identification of curriculum themes• Course structures followed curriculum themes

Why Standardization

Improve process of program accreditation • Utilization of a learning management

system to collect evidence needed to meet accreditation standards

Innovation in education • Faculty can focus on creative content and

delivery

Why Standardization

Nursing Approach: Standardization

• Welcome document based on Quality Matters rubric

• Blackboard template• ADA requirements• Faculty-developed Nursing course

template • Beginning of Semester checklist

Nursing Approach: Standardization

• Snapshot of – BB template– Course design– Beginning of semester checklist– UDL course

Nursing Bb Template

Welcome TemplateWelcometotheCourse(QMStandard1.8) Fill in the instructor’s message here

Communicating With the Instructor (QM Standard 1.1) When questions arise during the course of this class, please remember to check these three sources for an answer before asking me to reply to your individual questions:

1. Course syllabus 2. Announcements in Blackboard 3. The General Discussion for Questions about Course

This policy will help you in potentially identifying answers before I can get back to you and it also helps me from answering similar questions or concerns multiple times. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please first post your question to the General Discussion for Questions about Course discussion board. Here your question can be answered for the benefit of all students by either your peers who know the answer to your question or by me. You are encouraged to answer questions from your peers in the discussion forum should you know the answer to a question to help provide timely assistance. If you have questions of a personal nature such as relating to a personal emergency, questioning a grade on an assignment, or something else that needs to be communicated privately, you are welcome to contact me via email or phone.

General Course Policies: (QM Standard 1.4)

Email: Please email me if you have personal/private questions: (provide instructor email address)

• Normally, I will reply to email within 24 hours during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm)

• Occasionally, I will be unable to respond within that time frame but will inform the class in advance

• To ensure quick response over the weekends, please submit your questions no later than Friday morning.

Policy for turning in assignments after the due date: As a general rule, late work will not be accepted. However, I do understand that emergencies may happen. Therefore, the late policy may be waived at the instructor’s discretion in case of an emergency. Emergencies are defined as anything serious and unexpected. Emergencies cannot be written on the calendar in advance. Examples of emergencies are: heart attacks, car accidents, a serious health crisis of the student or in the student’s immediate family. Examples of non-emergencies are: family weddings, vacations, conferences, or any other event. Informing the course faculty about upcoming events enhances potential for accommodation.

Beginning of Semester ChecklistDepartment of Teaching and Learning Technologies

BeginningofSemesterChecklist�

Logon to Blackboard (http://bb.kumc.edu) to make sure your course has been created. If it’s not in your course list, please request from Nellie Modaress (nmodares@kumc.edu)

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Upload your course syllabus

� Update Due Dates (Course Tools>>Date Management)

� Discussion Boards are linked correctly and due dates established

� Check external and file links for validity

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Create Welcome Announcement (send a few days before start of classes)

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Orient your students to the course • Create a course tour with Camtasia Relay (records your voice and

captures what’s displayed on the computer screen) • Use Adobe Connect to orient your students to the course.

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Make your course available for students (Customization>>Properties>>Set Availability>>Yes

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ADA accessibility compliance for Word, Powerpoint or .pdf documents (File>>Info>>Check for Issues>>Check Accessibility https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Check-for-accessibility-issues-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f

�

Contact Heather Collins (hcollins@kumc.edu) for copyright questions and assistance with using library resources (8-7330).

� Contact Tim Doughty to test in the Testing Center using Respondus (lock-down browser) (8-1471).

HIM Approach: Standardization

• Blackboard Template• Consistent due times • Hybrid courses-flipped classroom• Online discussion boards: required posts

to view others, on-campus assignments in discussion boards

• Incorporating online post in class discussions

• HIM Check-list

HIM ApproachLMS Checklist: [hand out]

HIM Approach: Standardization

HIM Approach: Standardization

Effectiveness

• Student feedback• Faculty feedback & experiences

Challenges

• Faculty resistant to change• Time commitments and resources • Adjuncts • Culture shift

Lessons Learned• Best practices approach• On-going semester planning sessions • Standardization a necessity, but challenging• Patience is a virtue• Involve faculty in the process • Technology helps, but does not solve

problems • Resistance à not understanding • Seek help – use your resources

Next Steps

• Creativity in delivery content: Integrating multimedia & student accountability

• Pre-record most/all lectures • Continuous quality improvement • Mentoring faculty

Are you convinced?

How can we help?

References• Bachman, C. M., & Stewart, C. (2011). Self-Determination Theory and Web-

Enhanced Course Template Development. Teaching of Psychology, 38(3), 180–188. http://doi.org/10.1177/0098628311411798

• Berrett, D. (2012). The Imperfect Art of Designing Online Courses: Rio Salado College, Kaplan U., and a Drexel U. graduate program follow similar models. The Chronicle of Higher Education.

• Borgemenke, A. J., Holt, W. C., & Fish, W. W. (2013). Universal Course Shell Template Design and Implementation to Enhance Student Outcomes in Online Coursework. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 14(1), 17–23.

• Schnetter, V. A., Lacy, D., Jones, M. M., Bakrim, K., Allen, P. E., & O’Neal, C. (2014). Course development for web-based nursing education programs. Nurse

Education in Practice, 14(6), 635–640.