The Building of a Fully Online Program
Prepared by Carol Atkinson Howe, chowe@sccd.ctc.edu,
Presented STEMtech Conference, Orlando, Fl. October 2010
Featuring the work of Aaron Nelson Cer. A.T.
Manager of Anesthesia Technical Services Education
The Seattle Community Colleges is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services
are available upon request to individuals disabilities. This project was funded in part by a grant awarded
under the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants, as implemented by the U.S. Department of
Labor’s Employment & Training Administration.
This presentation is available online:
http://facweb.northseattle.edu/chowe/course_design/Course_Design.ppsx
Overview
The Anesthesia Technical Services program consists of 6 fully online credit courses. There is
in addition, a fully online Continuing Education course offering professional credits. This
presentation focuses on the course navigation used to cohesively present the many
technologies in a user friendly interface. A listing of the multiple technologies as well as a
video demonstration of the interface are presented as well.
The challenge was to present highly interactive lab materials that have never been online
before to an audience that in general has limited experience with online learning
technologies.
The underlying criteria used by the Instructor when designing this program included:
Finding tools that most effectively presented material that engaged the targeted audience
Simplicity and consistency of access and design for both the student and the instructor
Interactive whenever possible
The initial development of this project included a plan to develop a single design that would
accommodate all of the classes. How to make the student's job easier was an important
consideration as well as presenting the material to be less overwhelming and more
manageable for the student.
This listing represents the collection
of courses within the Anesthesia
Technical Services Program.
This collection of courses was
designed by Aaron Nelson and
utilizes a basic style of navigation
that is presented consistently
throughout an individual course and
across the multiple courses that he’s
created. To visually distinguish one
course from another, he uses a
particular course theme color. The
color of the navigation buttons work
together with the course theme.
This is the Course Home page in ANGEL. The designer uses the same home page arrangement of course
information boxes for each course created. In some cases, the content within an information box remains
the same as well. E.g. The student user tutorials. The designer uses only 4 of the 6 available tabs.
When possible the instructor shares information materials such as tutorials across
all courses as well.
The Lessons show 11 weeks with buttons containing pictures as icons for visual recognition.
Note the Course Guide on the Left side is open to the Lessons page. It too, presents a
simple and consistent grouping of links. Pictures are not present on the Course “Guide on
the side” and may be a preferred navigation view for those who aren’t attracted to the
colors and pictures.
This same grouping and page layout is consistent across multiple courses within a single
program. The theme, color and specific content change from course to course.
Here we see the content of each week. 4 steps each week:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reading Assignments
Online Activities
Discussion
Quiz
The individual week requirements remain consistent throughout this course and across all
courses within the program.
Note the Course “Guide on the side” navigation remains clear and understandable.
The contents of Step 1 and every following step are presented with minimal words and
limited scrolling – to avoid reader confusion.
Minimal text with no scrolling. Links to course content activities.
A button, clearly labeled ‘Continue to Step 3’ is provided that connects students directly to
their next step. This relieves learners from wondering ‘Where do I go next?’. This strategy
also facilitates focus by directing to task and eliminating opportunities for distraction.
These strategies provide support to online learners.
In this course, multiple means of communication are incorporated including ANGEL discussion
tools and an offsite wiki that is open to industry members internationally.
The Instructor is careful to include his instructions for completing Step 3.
You can see that the consistent use of symbols applies here,
effectively conveying at a glance which item is a Discussion forum
and which is the external wiki and which is leading to the next step.
ICON KEY
Buttons designed by Coryl Celene-Martel InstructionTechnologist,
Assistant Manager, Teaching & Learning Center
North Seattle Community College ccelenem@sccd.ctc.edu
The change in color seen below helps to cue the student that this is a different course
within the program. The content headings and their arrangement on the course home
page have not changed. This remains consistent across all the courses in the program.
Though this may be a new course that presents increasingly greater challenges within the
content, the same basic design remains unchanged and therefore, students have a
foundation of knowledge and experience from which to proceed with this new course.
The color of the symbols has changed to reflect the new course. The
picture on the symbol remains the same.
The steps are designed to parallel what was done in the previous and
following courses of the program.
Fully Online Anesthesia Technical Services Program
Featured Technologies
Technology
Content
LMS
Main Delivery system: Discussion,
email, testing, grading,
instruction, delivery
Mindmapping
LMS (cloud)
Mindmapping tools for MAC
were used to organize ideas,
build content, and design layout
of classes.
Cloud computing lms used to
create some content. A nice way
to build interactive assessments.
Source
Blackboardlearn. ANGEL
Edition
CURIO 7 (~$89.00)
MindNode Pro. (free)
Myudutu
Technology
External Wiki
Industry
websites
Textbook
Website
Content
Offers course content and connections
that extend beyond the parameters of the
quarter, remaining a resource to students
who have graduated, invites participation
to professionals from within the industry,
brings that participation into the virtual
classroom, generates interest in the
program and is useful for tracking
national and international interest/
audience activity.
Program connects with a regional and
national organizations offering
opportunity for scholarships and grants in
addition to tracking standards and
progress of certification. An advisory
council contributes as well.
for delivering content using interactive
interface.
Source
(~$20.00/mo)
Technology
Content
Source
Interactive
Online Lab
Simulators made available for free for lab
work.
University of Florida
Center for Simulation,
Safety, and Advanced
Learning Technology
“Cloud” based
docs, forms and
spreadsheets
Remote access, accessible by a diverse
group and multiple platforms.
Form for submitting application info that
directs the newly acquired info into a
spreadsheet, file sharing (drug cards).
Data collection
Site analysis, audience analysis, marketing
tool analyzes activity on multiple sites
including, Program marketing site, and on
the Wiki
User Tutorials
User information in a ready to use format
with easy access. Marketing tool, multiple
videos ranging from marketing to course
content created by the instructor and
loaded onto You Tube.
Technology
Content
Software to receive and
manage multiple digital
cameras
Software used to manage the
input from 4 digital cameras set
up in the O.R. simulation room
and used to record procedures
Deliver Content
Tutorials
Interactive content
Subscription: unlimited access,
unlimited students, for 3 years
$900.00
Screen capture
Used to enable callouts and
some interactive material.
Streaming Server
Server used to store and
stream video content.
Screen capture / editing Used to record and edit guest
software
lecturers.
Source
Security Spy for MAC
(~$100.00)
EDGT.com
Camtasia
SCCtv
Screenflow
( $99.00)
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http://www.league.org/stemtech/evaluation