Designing Online Courses
Barbara Treacy July 16, 2014
Today’s focus
Identify key questions about online course design
Discuss key elements and key challenges in online course design
Engage in hands-on exploration of online activities to prepare online designers
Explore courses to identify elements of effective online design
Share resources to support ongoing learning about effective design
Wrap-up
Key Questions What’s different about online design? How do we adapt face-to-face content for online delivery? How is online content designed so it’s interactive and engaging? How is learning in the online environment
assessed? How do we keep the focus on content and
pedagogy and not on the technology? How are learning communities integrated
into online courses? Your questions? Discuss: What do you
want to learn about online design?
Key Resources for Online Course Design iNACOL Online Course Standards
ETLO Online Course Criteria
Online Course Consortium Quality Framework
Quality Matters
Gary’s Social Media Count
http://www.personalizemedia.com/media/socmedcounter.swf
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
-Alvin Toffler
“Fast, easy, guaranteed ...pick none. That's the work that's worth doing.” -Seth Godin, author
Discuss
What are the elements of an effective course – not
specifically online?
Elements
Course Design Elements and Criteria
Course Structure and Design Content Organization, Session
Organization, Main Page, Navigation, Design Elements, Interactivity
Course Content Overview, Goals, Course Requirements,
Session Introduction, Readings, Activities, Discussion, Assessment
http://courses.edtechleaders.org/html_cores/trainingcores/ocd/documents/online-course-elements.html
http://moodle.etlo.org Username and PW: blcIn small groups, explore the course and discuss:1. What are the benefits of learning to
design in the online environment?2. How does backwards design help in
the process of designing online?3. What are the key differences in
designing for f2f vs. online or blended?
4. What did you find most important in the course?
Apply: Explore and apply criteria
1. Common Core courses (learning community)http://moodle.etlo.org Username and PW: Webinar
or2. Intel Easy Steps Tech Literacy course (self-paced)http://dev.ezsteps.edc.org/home Username: [email protected] PW: blcblcDiscuss: How do you see the Design Criteria applied?
Summary: What’s Different in Online Design
Content: different structure and pedagogical approaches
Technology: increasing choice and capability of tools and multi-media to support learning
Technology: accessibility must be addressed;technical glitches occur regularly (a challenge)
Social dynamic: different interaction methods and pacing to address cohort and individual needs
Discussion: new facilitation strategies needed; importance of written communication
Assessment: new tools available and new strategies needed
“The change we are in the middle of isn’t minor
and isn’t optional”-Clay Shirky, Author and
Professor, NYU
Thank you!
Barbara Treacy [email protected] EdTech Leaders Online http://edtechleaders.org
Education Development Center http://edc.org