Thursday, June 9, 2011

Online Course Development: Format

While it's my nature to dive right in and get started on any new project, I know the importance of creating a structure in advance for classes. This helps the student, but also makes it easier on the developer. I decided on a three part format for each workshop – “Think about It”, “Learn about It” and “Try It Out”.

The “Think about It” section introduces the topic. It may include a short survey, a brief exercise, an article or even a cartoon or visual. The goal is to help the student get ready for the information that will follow.

The “Learn about It” phase begins with the goals for the module. These are followed by videos or other instruction. Brief quizzes, introspections or other feedback follow each video to keep the students engaged and connected to the material. This also helps me ensure they are actually watching the videos and not off checking Facebook!

When the students “Try It Out”, they complete and submit a weekly deliverable or assignment. While I look at all of the material submitted, these assignments receive extra scrutiny and individual feedback.

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