Course Design for Non-Designers

SLATEJune 17, 2009College of Lake County

Paul Heydenburg, Northeastern Illinois UniversityKen Sadowski, University of ChicagoMichael Sukowski, Concordia University Chicago

Ground Rules for Course Design

• Provide introduction to explain the learning

• All module elements presented to learner within wider context of course

• Tell users the learning objectives

Ground Rules continued

• Explain how the course or unit is organizedo Vital that students know key elements

in any module

• Help students make selections about what is really critical

Ground Rules continued

• Information chunkingo Group like information

Autonomy and unique identity Manageable units Short sentences, direct/succinct Web-friendly punctuation Generous paragraph breaks Bullets and numbering

Ground Rules continued

• Develop interesting presentations to explain key pointso Use:

GraphicsAnimationsSound VideoEtc.

Ground Rules continued

• Accommodate variety of learning styleso Text for those who like to reado Images for visual learnerso Interactions for kinesthetic learners

• Make the most of what the medium has to offer

Ground Rules continued

• Allow users to engage constructively with materials:o Problem-solving with real world exampleso Make learning come alive

• Transform your lectureso You cannot simply move notes to screen

• Materials must work as hard as you do when you teach

Ground Rules continued

• Review and provide summary testso At end of each chunk of learning

Provide review materials Allow student to reflect on what they

learnedo Provide assessment

Ground Rules continued

• Ensure access for all userso Visually impairedo Hearing impaired

• E-Learning: Building the Ramp for Equal Access http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/onlinelearning/2002/04/httpwww_09.html

2 Key Elements in Online Learning

• Student Engagement in Course

• Teacher Presence

Student Engagement in Course

Content

InstructorStudent

Student

To ensure student engagement

• Define learning objects

• A learning objective is a statement to clarify the nature of a learning area

• Indicates how the acquisition of the related skills and knowledge is measured

Learning Objects

• Essentially a stand-alone piece of learningo Can take about 5-10 minutes to mastero Might be:

Section of text Short video/audio clip Media elements organized together into a

short coherent group

Learning Objects Help Us:

• Clarify the learning for students• Analyze important information• Audit learning for reuse

o Through the use of LMS/CMS, learning objects are reusable

Get Students Interested

• Adopt new strategies to gain attentiono Follow up learning objective with key or

exciting fact• Keep students engaged with:

o Contento Each othero Instructor

• Teacher presence is a must

Teacher Presence

• Interaction between learners, content, facilitator

• Use LMS/CMS tools to provide:o Rich feedbacko Timely feedback

• Guide through content• Encourage higher level thinking

o Explore resources• Encourage reflection• Respond with feedback

Teacher Presence

• Be enthusiastic and encouraging

• Be yourself

Practical Suggestions

• When creating online, hybrid, web-enhanced courses: o Excessive text causes poor acceptance

of screen contentso Use graphicso Have copyright clearanceo Use animationso Audio/video o Follow sound graphic design principles

Practical Suggestions

• Activities/Discussionso Motivatingo Engagingo Purposeful

• Based on:o Interaction between learners through

written communicationo Led by someone with training in the

special qualities for successful group learning

Practical Suggestions

• Encourage students to explore resourceso Reflect on resourceo Post contribution to group

• Instructor responds with feedback

Practical Suggestions

• Discussions are:o Core element to production of contento Relatively quick to deviseo Engage students effectively in learningo Make the most of your teaching skills

Practical Suggestions

• Interactive elements such as:o Quizzeso Games

• When in doubt:o Obtain trainingo Work with colleagues

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• Quality Assurance Guidelineso Higher Education

SLOAN-C Pillars of Quality Quality Matters Rubric Concord Model Schrum’s Qualities of Successful Students Robley and Wiencke’s Rubric for Quality

Interaction

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• SLOAN-C’s Five Pillars of Quality Online Educationo Learning effectivenesso Accesso Cost-effectiveness and institutional

commitmento Faculty satisfactiono Student satisfaction

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• Quality Matters Rubrico Set of 40 elementso Distributed across eight broad standards

Course Overview and Introduction Learning Objectives Assessment and Measurement Resources and Materials Learner Engagement Course Technology Learner Support Accessibility

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• Quality in K-12 Online Learningo Resources

Chapman, D.W, Garrett, A. & Mahlck, L.O. (2004). The role of technology in school improvement. In: Adapting Technology for School Improvement: A Global Perspective (pp.19-37). Paris: UNESCO, International Institute for Educational Planning.

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• Quality in K-12 Online Learningo Resources

Herrington, A., Herrington, J., Oliver, R., Stoney, S., & Willis, J. (2001). Quality guidelines for online courses: The development of an instrument to audit online units. Paper presented at the ASCILITE 2001, Melbourne.

Ensuring Quality Course Design

• Quality in K-12 Online Learningo Resources

Southern Regional Education Board. (2006). Standards for Quality Online Teaching. Retrieved October 18, 2006 from http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/2006Pubs/StandardsQualityOnlineCourses.asp

Resources

• Current and Future Classroom and Online Technologies Utilized in Higher Education, Hanover Research Council, www.hanoverresearch.com

• E-Learning: Building the Ramp for Equal Access, http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/onlinelearning/2002/04/httpwww_09.html

Resources continued

• Roblyer, M. D., & Wiencke, W. R. (2003). Design and use of a rubric to assess and encourage interactive qualities in distance courses. The American Journal Of Distance Education, 17(2), 77 - 98.

Resources continued

• Schrum, L. (2002). Dimensions and strategies for online success: Voices from experienced educators. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 6(1), 57 -67.

Resources continued

• Tinker, R. (2001). E-Learning quality: The Concord Model for learning from a distance. NASSP, 85(628), 36 - 46.

Resources continued

• http://oms.educ.msu.edu/ctt/index.php?title=Quality_Assurance_in_Online_Learning

• http://www.sloan-c.org

• http://www.qualitymatters.org/