Enhanced Organization and Content in Online LearningDr. David S. HogsetteDepartment of English

A Word about Course OrganizationStructure 1: Content Area/Course Tool OrganizationCourse structured according to tool sets or content areasKey benefit: Students know where to perform certain tasksKey limitations:

Student confusion/lost in course Multiple clicks to find content Repeated teacher clarification

Example: Sci Fi course in Bb 8

A Word about Course OrganizationStructure 2: Unit OrganizationCourse structured by unitsSpecific, consistent information within each unitKey benefits

Logical organization of course Progressive movement through course Easy navigation through course material and

tasks—fewer clicks Reduced student confusion

Key drawback Time-consuming construction (one-time)

A Word about Course OrganizationExample: Romantic Period Literature in Bb 9General ResourcesUnits

Objectives Lecture/supplemental materials Unit readings Activities

Journals Discussions Assignments (using SafeAssign)

Developing a Course with Content Manager Uses:

Critical readings Supplemental information Handouts Review notes Lecture materials

Organize by subject matter instead of by course Reduces duplication Allows for cross-course sharing

Basic functionality Build collection Link to items in collection when building a course Can create a collection and add to it as you build a

course See Example

Developing a Course with Discussion Links Online courses should be interactive Encourage dialog between students Engage dialog between faculty and

students Post follow-up questions Encourage students to respond to each

other Create discussion activities in each unit How to create a discussion link

Developing a Course with SafeAssign What is SafeAssign? What does it do; what does it not do? Review the results within context of each

paper (high percentage does not automatically mean plagiarized paper)

Use with any written assignment Key uses:

Punitive function—catch and punish plagiarists

Instructive function—teach students how to review and revise their work

Combination of above Inserting a SafeAssign link

By Way of Conclusion—Provide Course Setup Info Week one: Getting Started unit Objectives of the course Instructor info Tech support info Introduction to course material

Complete overview of course activities Clarification of expectations (e.g., word count for

discussions) Checking-In post

Indicates student has read and understood syllabus and course expectations

A type of contract for the course Reduces “I didn’t know that…” excuses

See example